The Florida Everglades are one of the most threatened areas in the United States, and the state has just taken drastic measures to protect it. The nation's largest sugarcane producer agreed to sell all of its assets to the state of Florida and go out of business.

I have been looking over our Boy Scout Hero of the Year nominations, and talking to some of the scouts whose Eagle Scout projects are focused around preserving our natural resources. Reading about the tragedy at the Little Sioux Scout Ranch this morning in western Iowa, I couldn't help but thinking about the potential heroes we lost last night. The Boy Scouts are the perfect partner for Heroes of Conservation. They teach the importance of being outdoors, respecting nature, and learning skills that will help you in any situation. Sometimes, you can do everything right, andit still goes wrong.