“Try and leave this world a little better than you found it.” Robert Baden-Powell, first Chief Scout of Boy Scouts
When Boy Scouts participate in camping and outdoor activities, they have a fantastic opportunity to enjoy nature, test their skills, take a little exercise and get away from the distractions of television, media and the Internet. When Scouts visit outdoor areas, they will also learn responsibility and respect when leaders teach the principles of Leave No Trace.
Camping and outdoor sports are a central part of Scouting programs. So many Scouts have had positive, memorable experiences with their leaders and pack. As Scouts and leaders, we want to ensure that those opportunities continue to be available for generations to come! That’s just one reason why Leave No Trace principles are so important to teach our Scouts. So how do we impart those values?
According to the Boy Scouts of America official policy, Leave No Trace “is an awareness and an attitude rather than a set of rules.” The guiding principle is to reduce the impact of our activities on our environment – whether we’re in the back country, visiting a maintained outdoor park area, or even out in our backyards – by acting with forethought and consideration.
We can teach our youth to have those attitudes by sharing the principles, but also by modeling these actions. Leave No Trace in action might mean that you don’t trample flowers or chop down trees unnecessarily. We avoid destruction and vandalism. All waste that a person brings in is taken back out and disposed of properly. Plans are made ahead of time to minimize campfire impacts and respect the habitat of wildlife. We’re careful not to drop things into the water that might pollute it for animals or other visitors.
While it might seem to the uninitiated that Leave No Trace principles are unimportant, what we’re really doing is helping young people to make the moral and ethical choice to conserve their environment, which they are sharing with future Scouts. Keeping to the principles of respect and conservation prepares them to have consideration for others and think about the impacts of their decisions throughout their lives.
We encourage all Scouts and Scouting leaders to learn more about the Boy Scouts of America Leave No Trace ideals by visiting their website here – and then get out into the wilds of Scouting!