Leave No Trace Awareness Patch

Leave No Trace
Achievement Awareness Award


The Leave No Trace Achievement Awareness Award is worn on the uniform shirt,
centered on the right pocket as a TEMPORARY patch.
Only ONE Temporary patch may be worn at a time.


These requirements became effective on January 1, 2008,

The award was discontinued in 2013, and replaced with the Outdoor Ethics Action Award and the Outdoor Ethics Awareness Award.

NOTE: Although the award was discontinued in 2013, the requirements were mistakenly left in the 2014 and 2015 editions of Boy Scout Requirements,
and not replaced with the Outdoor Ethics Awareness and Action Awards.

To see the requirements without the changes highlighted, Click here.

To see the previous requirements, Click here.

In the revisions below, the wording changes are shown as follows:
New text is in bold GREEN underlined Serif text like this sentence.
Deleted portions are struck through RED italic text like this sentence.


Boy Scout Requirements

  1. Recite and explain in your own words the principles of Leave No Trace, and discuss how an ethical guideline differs from a rule.
  2. On three separate camping/backpacking trips with your troop or team, demonstrate and practice the principles of Leave No Trace skills appropriate to the trip.
  3. Earn the Camping and Environmental Science merit badges.
  4. 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.
  5. Give a 10-minute presentation on a Leave No Trace topic approved by your Scoutmaster unit leader to a Scouting unit or other interested group.
  6. Draw a poster or build a model to demonstrate the differences in how we camp or travel in high-use and pristine areas Teach a Leave No Trace-related skill to a Scouting unit or other interested group..

Venturer Requirements

  1. Recite and explain in your own words the principles of Leave No Trace, and discuss how an ethical guideline differs from a rule.
  2. On three separate camping/backpacking trips with your ship or crew, demonstrate and practice the principles of Leave No Trace skills appropriate to the trip.
  3. Earn the Camping and Environmental Science merit badges (or do No.3 under the Scouter requirements).
  4. Participate in a Leave No Trace-related service project that reduces or rehabilitates recreational impacts. Discuss with your ship or crew which recreational impacts were involved with the project.
  5. Give a 10-minute presentation on a Leave No Trace topic approved by your Advisor unit leader to a Scouting unit or other interested group.
  6. Draw a poster or build a model to demonstrate the differences in how we camp or travel in high-use and pristine areas Teach a Leave No Trace-related skill to a Scouting unit or other interested group..

Scouter and Advisor Requirements

  1. Recite and explain in your own words the principles of Leave No Trace, and discuss how an ethical guideline differs from a rule.
  2. On each of the three separate camping/backpacking demonstrate and practice the principles of Leave No Trace. trips in Scout requirement 2, discuss with your troop or team the impact problems encountered and the methods the unit used to eliminate or at least minimize those impacts.
  3. Share with another Scout Leader/Advisor your understanding and knowledge of the Camping and Environmental Science merit badge pamphlets.
    Read chapters 7 through 10 (Leaving No Trace), chapter 27 (Understanding Nature), and chapter 34 (Being Good Stewards of Our Resources) in the BSA Fieldbook. Share with another adult leader what you learned.
  4. Actively assist (training, advice, and general supervision train, advise, and supervise) a Scout/Venturer in planning, organizing, and leading a service project related to Leave No Trace. that reduces or rehabilitates recreational impacts.
  5. Assist a minimum of at least three Scouts/Venturers in earning the Leave No Trace Awareness Award.
  6. Plan and conduct Teach a Leave No Trace awareness session for Scouts, Venturers, Scouters, -related skill to a Scouting unit or an other interested group outside of Scouting.

Click Here for more information on the Boy Scout Leave No Trace Program.

Click Here to go to the USSSP Leave No Trace Program information area.

Contact Leave No Trace, Inc. at 800-332-4100 or on the Internet at http://www.lnt.org

In addition to the Leave No Trace program, see the BSA Wilderness Use Policy.


Page updated on: November 28, 2017



Scouts Using the Internet Cartoon - Courtesy of Richard Diesslin - Click to See More Cartoons
© 1994-2024 - U.S. Scouting Service Project | Site Map | Disclaimer | Project Team | Contact Us | Privacy Policy

Materials found at U. S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. Websites may be reproduced and used locally by Scouting volunteers for training purposes consistent with the programs of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) or other Scouting and Guiding Organizations. No material found here may be used or reproduced for electronic redistribution or for commercial or other non-Scouting purposes without the express permission of the U. S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. (USSSP) or other copyright holders. USSSP is not affiliated with BSA or WOSM and does not speak on behalf of BSA or WOSM. Opinions expressed on these web pages are those of the web authors. You can support this website with in two ways: Visit Our Trading Post at www.ScoutingBooks.com or make a donation by clicking the button below.
(U.S. Scouting Service Project Donation)


(Ruth Lyons Memorial Donations)