Eagle Scout Project Transforms Popular Mitteldorf Preserve Trail

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The popular Nature Loop trail at Mitteldorf Preserve recently benefited from some much-needed attention, thanks to Carmel Valley Boy Scout Isaac Rogers, who designed and oversaw the implementation of an ambitious trail restoration for his Eagle Scout project. With the goal of improving safety and enhancing the experience of Big Sur Land Trust members and others who enjoy the Nature Loop, Isaac and his team of workers replaced sagging bridges and degraded stairs, transforming the Nature Loop into a comfortable trail suitable for hikers of all ages.

The purpose of an Eagle Scout project is to demonstrate leadership by independently planning and coordinating a project that will benefit the community. For 17-year-old Isaac, the choice to work in a natural environment was an easy one, reflecting his lifelong engagement with the outdoors.

“I wanted to do something challenging,” Isaac says. “When I’ve been hiking and backpacking in the Sierras, I see beautiful trails that were built by the CCC during the New Deal. Those trails are still around and are still used today. It’s inspiring. For my Eagle Scout project I wanted to do something that will last, something that my kids will enjoy.”

Prior to the restoration work, Isaac visited Mitteldorf with his parents to take measurements, and he and his father, Steve Rogers, worked on creating designs for the new bridges and stairs. “We were initially concerned that it seemed like a really big undertaking,” Steve Rogers says.

Isaac’s team of workers consisted of ten fellow Boy Scouts, ages 12-17, four parents, and a sister of one of the scouts. One of the requirements for the Eagle Scout project is that any adults present not take charge.

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“Isaac did a good job delegating,” says Sarah Godfrey, BSLT’s Stewardship Manager. The day before the work, Isaac and Godfrey had trucked in the wood, which was provided by the Land Trust. “He was confident in his abilities. It was really exciting—there was a lot of enthusiasm and everyone stayed busy.”

Isaac says that getting his fellow scouts organized to work was a leadership challenge. “I got a bearing on what it took to make it work,” he says, “and pretty soon they were in the zone.” He divided the group into two teams, a demolition team and a building team. Isaac himself was in constant motion, hauling tools, supplying water, and making sure that everything was proceeding smoothly. “My job was to keep the flow going.”

Now that the project is completed, Isaac reports a feeling of accomplishment. “I felt proud of myself and of everyone there, including the parents, who were amazing and inspiring. I saw what people were made of. With that kind of work, you get to know who a person is on the inside. I felt empowered.”

Isaac hopes that the experience implants a greater appreciation for the environment among the younger boys who were there. “It’s more important now than ever,” he says. “Kids used to bike or play in the playground after school, now they’re playing with their computers. But you can’t make someone believe something or appreciate something. They have to build that appreciation for themselves.”

Larry Hayes, Scoutmaster of Carmel Valley’s Troop 127, extols the scouting experience as a way for boys to develop a deep connection to the natural environment. “The values of scouting are tremendous,” he says. “It’s about leadership skills, feeling good about ourselves, cultivating a greater appreciation for the outdoors, and contributing to the world we live in.”

“I love seeing young people doing work on the land,” Godfrey says. “It’s great to see them engaged and started at a young age. We’ve worked with the Boy Scouts before at De Dampierre River Trails Park and Glen Deven Ranch, and now with this project we’re at the beginning of a new collaboration. What Isaac did at Mitteldorf was extremely valuable.”

You can help conserve Mitteldorf Preserve and support Big Sur Land Trust’s youth and stewardship projects.