Boy Scouts

National Awards and Recognitions for Boy Scouts

Scout 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 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.

Adult Leader 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 each of the three camping 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.
Read chapters 7 through 10 (Leaving No Trace), chapter 27 (Understanding Nature), and chapter 34 (Being Good Stewards of Our Resources) in the BSA Field book. Share with another adult leader what you learned.
Actively assist (train, advise, and supervise) a Scout in planning, organizing, and leading a Leave No Trace service project that reduces or rehabilitates recreational impacts.
Assist at least three Scouts in earning the Leave No Trace Achievement Award.
Teach a Leave No Trace-related skill to a Scouting unit or other interested group.

Download the application form for the Leave No Trace Awareness Award

You can earn this award by earning the
following merit badges:

Download an application form to track you scouts' progress.

Show that you have earned the Totin' Chip.
Help a Scout or patrol earn the Totin' Chip, and demonstrate to him (them) the value of proper woods-tools use on a troop camping trip.
With official approval and supervision, do one of the following:

Clear trails or fire lanes for two hours.
Trim a downed tree, cut into four-foot lengths, and stack; make a brush with branches.
Build a natural retaining wall or irrigation way to aid in a planned conservation effort.

Make complete and satisfactory plans of the trip, including the possibilities of advancement.
Cover the trail or canoe or boat route of not less than 50 consecutive miles; take a minimum of five consecutive days to complete the trip without the aid of motors.
During the time on the trail or waterway, complete a minimum of 10 hours each of group work on projects to improve the trail, springs, campsite, portage, or area. If, after checking with recognized authorities , it is not possible to complete in 10 hours each of group work on the trail, a similar project may be done in the unit’s home area.
Unit or tour leader must then file the 50-Miler Award application with the local council serve center.

Download the application form for more information and the official application.

To earn the award, members of your unit must plan and participate in a historic activity. A unit historic activity requires members to:

Locate a historic trail or site and study information relating to it. (The information may be obtained from an adult historic society, public library, or people living near the trail or site.)
Hike or camp two days and one night along the trail or in the vicinity of the site.
Cooperate with an adult group such as a historic society to restore and mark all or part of this trail or site. (This may be done during the hike or overnight camp.) Or cooperate with such a group to plan and stage a historic pageant, ceremony, or other public event related to this trail or site - such event should be large enough to merit coverage by the local press.
Your unit leader must then file the Historic Trails Award application with your council service center.

Download the application form for more information and the official application.