Local scouts have never had it so good. Not only do they have a new environmental center, they also seem to have the best one amongst the Boy Scouts of America.

After a year-long delay, the 77-year-old Camp Bucoco in Slippery Rock Township dedicated its new environmental center on June 1.

It's named after Dr. Frank Preston, an internationally known scientist who, among other accomplishments, conducted geological studies which led to the formation of Moraine State Park.

His wife, Jane Preston, donated the money to construct the Frank Preston Environmental Center.

Scout Executive Roy Johnson oversees the Moraine Trails Council, Butler, which oversees Camp Bucoco and Camp Agawam in Lawrence County. The council isn't affiliated with the park.

The building includes a large instruction space, computer room, labs, library/conference room, guest rooms, eating area and kitchenette.

"We tried to make it as youth friendly as possibly. We tried to 'boy proof' it, if there is such a thing," Johnson said.

The construction, down to showing its heating, cooling and water systems behind display windows -- an idea of Mrs. Preston's -- is like an education within itself.

Each room is made with different Pennsylvania wood, like cherry, walnut and maple, with a picture and description of the wood-types on the walls of the rooms.

"It's hard not to learn something when you walk through the building," Johnson said.

Also, "The workmanship on the building was special too, not done up fast," he added.

For example, "A stone mason in his 70s was found to lay stone from the area," Johnson said. "The chief contractor ... donated his father's arrowhead collection. He wanted a part of himself to be in the building."

Two animal heads from Mr. Preston's African safari in 1927 are hung in the large instruction room. Mrs. Preston "told me the history, how he shipped them, and gave me the Butler Eagle story from 1927," Johnson said.

Mr. Preston's original study map of Moraine State Park is hanging behind glass in the same room.

The donated building by Mrs. Preston has not only allowed the Moraine Trails Council to expand the center, but it freed up the $2.51 million for "Campaign for Character" projects.

At Bucoco, the Dr. David Evanko building was constructed and named after a local physician who contributed for the first aid building. There's also a new shooting sports complex for archery, skeet and target practice. A handicap accessible camp site was built as well.

Agawam opened last week after passing a national inspection, making it accredited with the Boy Scouts of America for the first time since the 1970s.

Until now, Agawam would only operate as a weekend or day camp. It has a new dining hall, swimming pool and first aid and maintenance building. The area also has new camp sites, tents and multi-purpose shelters. The camp entrance now greets visitors with new landscaping and a lighted sign.

"Most everything at Camp Agawam is new," Johnson said. "When Mrs. Preston donated, it allowed us to shift priorities in other directions" for more projects, he added.

The construction at Agawam began in March. Bucoco's construction projects began last fall.

About $500,000 more is needed "to do all we'd like to do," Johnson said. "We have reached our goal, but have some other needs."

At Agawam, building over the next two years will include an underground mine maze, Pirate ship on the pond and a Daniel Boone-style fort.

Agawam hosts Cub Scouts, ages kindergarten through fifth grade. Bucoco has Boy Scouts to age 18. There are also three co-ed programs, since Girl Scouts are a separate organization. "Venturing," for outdoor activities and "Exploring," for career activities, are for ages 14-21. A K-12 program called "Learning for Life" is for character education in schools.

While finishing touches are being added to the Preston center, like pieces of furniture and books for the library, "every day, hundreds of scouts and visitors are going through the building," Johnson said.

The center will serve the scouts and the community. Over the winter, the council will discuss what free community programs to offer, which will be endowed by Mrs. Preston. It will also rent the center for church, civic and school groups.

"We want more and more people there," Johnson said. "We don't want to keep it a secret."

For now, science classes are being held in the center for Boy Scouts camp. "At one time, they would study under a tent, shed or pavilion," Johnson said.

Yet, the center doesn't distract from roughing it out.

"They spend over half their time outside in natural environment," Johnson said. But now, they can use the computer labs and libraries for research and writing papers for merit badges.

The council has 5,800 registered youths and slightly over 2,000 registered adult volunteers.

Regis L. Nichter's Boy Scouts history goes back to 1941 as a youth. Then, he stayed on after his sons finished with the scouts and vice president of properties with the council, he's impressed with the new Preston center.

"This is the nicest building I've ever seen in any Boy Scouts program," said Johnson, who came from a scout executive position in Alabama in November. "There are none that compares with this one."