The wooden poles, several meters long, are at the heart of daily life at the camp. “We create our house, our tables, the place where we cook, where we sit down, where we gather at night at the vigil. Without that, we don’t have too much home, what.” But they also represent a substantial cost. In this Verviétoise unit, the invoice increases to 1400 euros for a fortnight. “It’s a lot of money for just fifteen days of use. Afterwards, we don’t know what to do with them. Burning them, it’s waste”, Regrets Lola Detry, accounting head of the Sainte-Julian guides unity, from Verviers.
A logistical challenge to avoid the waste
Faced with this situation, the cheffes are looking for alternatives. Alexe Jardon, also head of unit, would like to avoid throwing everything away. “Since we are the last to camp on this meadow this year, we cannot resell the poles to the next group. It would be nice to find a system to be united between us, because we are still full at the end, and they are in good condition.”
But organizing this type of pooling is not always simple. Since the establishment of new school rhythms, 90% of youth camps have now been held in July, according to the Scout Federation. Result: it is more difficult to chain two units on the same place. “Some sections can store poles from year to year. But we have no premises or truck. This is a solution that requires a big investment.”
What the Nature and Forest Department says
Environmentally, burning poles is not the only option. The Nature and Forest department (DNF) recalls that it is essential to buy wood legally and to leave nothing on the spot. “It is sometimes useful to contact the cantonment chief, who can be of good advice. In some cases, a revaluation of firewood poles is possible, via a defined deposit”, explains Stéphanie Ernoux, from the Wallonia Public Service.
Campfire, authorized but supervised
When no other solution is possible, the campfire remains authorized, but its use is supervised, especially in periods of drought.
