Description and Support

Leave No Trace for Boy Scouts

We should be so good at our camping and outdoor skills that we leave absolutely no trace that we even passed through an area, but the issues are more complicated than that sounds. Keeping our wilderness areas from being buried in the cast-offs we leave behind is the challenge and this course will give you the things to keep in mind while we work to preserve our wild habitats.

Support provided:

Unit leaders will be provided with all the materials needed to do the course including leader's briefs that explains the activity so that you can answer any of your Scout's questions. Additional Camp Staff leadership can be provided if you feel additional help is needed.

This is currently supported at Camp Acahela and Goose Pond.

Class size: No restrictions

Advance notice needed: Two weeks is preferred.

Cost to the unit is: $6.00 per participant

Patches for the completed award are available at a cost of $4.30 each and can be purchased at Camp Acahela or at the Scout Service Center's Scout Shop.

THE KEY to the Requirements

Below are the current requirements for this Merit Badge. This color key is designed to help you understand what requirements can be completed at our facilities, what has to be done ahead of time, and what we can't support (or what will require special arrangements). Certain requirements may require additional fees to cover the costs of materials used and will be noted with this symbol set (*) .

Text that is green like this means these are fieldwork requirements we support at our camps and can be completed with our Counselors.

Text that is blue like this means that you can arrange to meet with our Counselors and and review or complete these requirements with them. This usually means you must complete these in advance using a worksheet and then sit in a class-like meeting to discuss the material or requirement.

Text that is in red like this is not directly supported in our program. If you elect to do this requirement, you must complete these requirements with local Counselors or your Scoutmaster.

Text that is in purple like this means this is a Pre-Requisite and needs to be completed ahead of time. (In some cases we also support these Pre-Reqs separately).

Text that is pink like this means that this requirement can be done either by our counselors or by some other local counselor but usually requires additional outside work that won't be completed in a single weekend. This usually means special arrangements need to be made, but this can usually be worked out by speaking with us ahead of time.

Requirements

Recite and explain in your own words the principles of Leave No Trace, and discuss how an ethical guideline differs from a rule.

On three separate camping/backpacking trips with your troop or team, demonstrate and practice the Leave No Trace skills appropriate to the trip.

Earn the Camping and Environmental Science merit badges.

Participate in a Leave No Trace-related service project that reduces or rehabilitates recreational impacts. Discuss with your troop or team which recreational impacts were involved with the project.

Give a 10-minute presentation on a Leave No Trace topic approved by your unit leader to a Scouting unit or other interested group.

Teach a Leave No Trace-related skill to a Scouting unit or other interested group..

On-Line and Additional Support

Requirements

Details about this Award can be found at the US Scout Service Project Website at the following URL:

http://scoutleaderawards.com/advance/boyscout/leavenotrace.asp

If you have any questions or need further guidance or help, we're here for you! Contact Ranger Tim Bongard at (570) 335-0283 or e-mail him at tbongard@nepabsa.org .