Req 7 — Choose a Future Path
7.
Do ONE of the following:
You choose exactly one final path for this badge. One option looks at careers that use nature knowledge professionally. The other looks at hobbies you might pursue for personal growth and enjoyment.
Your Options
- Req 7a — Nature Careers: Compare possible jobs, research training and costs, and decide whether one career path fits your interests.
- Req 7b — Nature as a Lifelong Hobby: Choose a hobby connected to nature, learn what it takes to pursue it well, and set goals for how you might grow in it.
How to Choose
Career or hobby?
Pick the option that gives you the most honest answer
- If you like imagining future work: Option 7a helps you compare education, salaries, and job prospects.
- If you are curious but not career-focused yet: Option 7b lets you explore nature as something you may enjoy for years without turning it into a job.
- What you will gain: Option 7a builds research and career-planning skills. Option 7b helps you connect badge skills to real life in a personal way.
- Best fit for your age: Younger Scouts sometimes find 7b more natural, while older Scouts may enjoy the detail in 7a. Either is valid.
A lot of Scouts discover that nature study can shape both work and free time. Start with careers, then compare that with the hobby path.