Category Archives: Leave no trace

LNT v. The Outdoor Code

Posted on by • Posted in Backpacking, blog, camp skills, Camping, camping. planning, Ideals, Leave no trace, respect, Scoutmaster conference, Skills, Values • 2 Comments

Last night I sat with a couple Scouts, they just crossed over on Friday and were having their Scoutmaster Conference for their Scout Badge.  I love this first conference, it is a great way to learn about the new Scout and a little about where he comes from.  What amazes me is how open they are in that first conference.  They always have questions and for the most part, they are anxious to get to Eagle.
Last night as one of these young men recited the Outdoor Code, he stopped and asked if he could ask a question.  I said sure… so he asked, “Why do we need the Outdoor Code when you make us know the Leave No Trace stuff?”  I thought for a minute and told him that I would have to get back to him with a good answer.
I wanted to give him the pat answer of how the Outdoor Code is in the book and is a requirement, but then I thought that Leave No Trace is also in the book and a Second Class Requirement.  So that one doesn’t work.  So I was thinking, why do we need both.
Lets review.
The Outdoor Code:
As an American, I will do my best to -
Be clean in my outdoor manners.
Be careful with fire.
Be considerate in the outdoors.
Be conservation minded.
Leave No Trace Principles
Plan Ahead and Prepare
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Dispose of Waste Properly
Leave What You Find
Minimize Campfire Impacts
Respect Wildlife
Be Considerate of Other Visitors

The LNT program is obviously more in depth and covers every type of camping… The Outdoor Code is more of a pledge or promise.
The LNT program are not just rules, but part of the whole outdoor program.  It is a skill set and an attitude.
The Outdoor Code is the promise that we make to live as a steward of the land.
I still do not have a great answer.  I suppose that in the final analysis if I had a vote, I would just go with the Leave No Trace program.  The Outdoor code, while traditional and easy to remember does very little with our Scouts to develop the attitude of stewardship and responsibility that is required for us in the wilderness and front country alike.
So I think when it comes down to giving this Scout and answer next Monday, its going to be a program vs. a code and how we use it to make a difference and protect our land.

Have a Great Scouting Day!

Leave No Trace

Posted on by • Posted in Backpacking, blog, camp skills, Camping, camping. planning, Leave no trace • Leave a comment

I am a big advocate of the Leave No Trace program.  We spend a great deal of time in our Troop teaching and coaching the Leave No Trace principles and and the Outdoor ethic.
I stumbled on this video from our friends at the National Park Service and thought I would share.
This video shows a great perspective on why we need Leave No Trace.

Have a Great Scouting Day!

Backpacking- Planning and preparing

Posted on by • Posted in Backpacking, camp skills, Camping, camping. planning, gear, Leave no trace, planning, Skills • 2 Comments

Every time we go out into the woods for an outing with our scouts we should expect that some planning and preparation has occurred.  In a Backpacking style troop this is an absolute must.
You are walking away from your cars and comfort items, you are sustaining on what you bring on your back, you are relying on map and compass or at least familiarity with the trail system you are trekking on, you need to have the skills to collect and treat water, build small fires, and pack your pack.  You need to understand the usage of the items you take with you and try to make each item doe multiple tasks.
So planning and preparing yourself (and your Scouts) for a backpacking adventure is extremely important.  As our troop prepares for a trip to Philmont next year, we are refining our skills now.  It helps that each camp out we use the Backpacking style of camping and test those skills often.
So start with the basics, gear, physical conditioning, skills, and attitudes.
Gear is an important part of planning and preparing.  What kind of gear to meet the conditions, terrain, weather, and skill level of the group.  How big is group and what will be they be doing when they get to their destination.
Individual gear pretty much starts with the backpack.  Proper fitting is important and the right style of pack based on skill level, body type, and load carried needs to be considered.
Stoves, cook kits, mess kits, and personal items need to be shaken down and evaluated based on the needs of the group and individual.  We will go into those item in detail in a later post.
Shelter is another consideration that needs to be carefully thought out.  Notice I did not say tent.  I said shelter.  Technology and design have met with the outdoors to provide lightweight alternatives to tenting.  Hammock camping is quickly becoming popular in the backpacking community as well as tarp and bivy camping.  Light weight tarps and bivy sacks provide excellent options for shelter.  They are lighter, easier to set up, and allow the camper more options for set up configurations and places to camp.  No longer are you restricted to 10×10 platform or level ground when using most tarps and hammocks.  Philmont has still not got on board with the LNT aspects of Hammocks, but I am sure that in the future they will come around.
I will get into shelter more down the road also.
Physical conditioning is a major part of the backpacking experience.  Each individual of the crew must be able to shoulder his load and when needed take a part of the groups gear.  Good conditioning reduces the chance of minor injury and fatigue.  Being in good shape also allows you to enjoy the trip a lot more.  instead of walking with your head down and slugging your way to the camp site, you will be able to walk head up and see the trail.  You will have a more enjoyable time in camp also.  Being less tired when you arrive, you can spend more time hanging out and having fun instead of a quick trip to the sleeping bag.
Skills and attitudes are a topic for another post as they need some attention.  Lets leave it here for now.  Every backpacker must possess the skills needed to sustain in the wilderness.  You can not rely on your fellow hikers for everything and at some point you will be counted on by the rest of the crew.
Ok.. look for more on this in future posts..
Have a Great Scouting Day!

The BigFoot Challenge

Posted on by • Posted in Backpacking, blog, camp skills, Camping, camping. planning, Ideals, Journey to Excellence, Leadership, Leave no trace, Methods, Patrol Method, planning, respect, Skills, training, Values • Leave a comment

As we move into the Fall season Scout Troops everywhere are packing into the woods for great adventures.  Winter will soon be here and so Fall is a great time to reinforce the Leave No Trace Principles with the Scouts (and Adults) of your unit.
No matter what style of camping your Troop does the principles of Leave No Trace apply.
LNT.org is a great resource for you if you are just learning Leave No Trace or just need to brush up or see whats going on in the organization.
One of the cool things that LNT.org has is the Bigfoot Challenge.  Check it out using the link.
The idea of the program is reducing your footprint.
Last year at the National Jamboree I made a commitment to do the Bigfoot challenge and have been teaching, coaching, and mentoring our Scouts to Leave No Trace.  Part of our challenge was to get a Leave No Trace Trainer in the Troop… yes.. the youth position.  The BSA has added a lot of Enhancements to its Leave No Trace Program and every unit should be taking advantage of it.
So back to the Bigfoot challenge…  The challenge simply asks that we do simple acts of environmental activism.. now this does no mean that you have to wear tie die or sandles.. but it does mean, in a Scouting context, that we act responsibly in the outdoors and are good stewards of our environment, particularly the outdoors that we enjoy when we go camping.
Simple little things like teaching our Scouts how to better plan and prepare to reduce the amount of trace we take out into the woods, using the “Bearmuda” triangle when setting up camp to reduce impact and animal issues, better ways to clean up dishes and cookware, using the patrol method to reduce to impact of large groups.
The Bigfoot Challenge also offers the change to win prizes.. and wait for it… Yes there is a patch available at the LNT.org website.
So take the Bigfoot challenge…
Teach a Scout, Be an example, Join Leave No Trace and remember to reduce your footprint.. after all Bigfoot has been doing it for years!

Have a Great Scouting Day!

Skinned knees and bee stings

Posted on by • Posted in Character, Just fun, Leave no trace, Methods, Patrol Method, Risk Management • Leave a comment

Now you all know that cliché’s drive me a little nuts and I really hate most sayings like.. “Boys will be boys”.. but in this case I want to write about boys not being able to be boys.
I am no expert in all things boy, but I know what right looks like.  I will not say that the my childhood represents the “Good ‘Ol days” either.. they were fun times and days that shaped the person I am today… but to say that they were better than any other time would be disingenuous.
And I am not going to jump right on the band wagon and say that all of our boys are growing up to soft.. well, I am sort of saying that and I agree with many of the popular arguments for the reasons why.
This last Saturday I was trapped in a car full of teen agers.  In that car was one young man coming into his Freshman year at our High School, he is also a Scout in my Troop.  Everyone else in the car plays a sport or two at the High School, so I asked if he was going to play Football this year.  His answer was” no.. are you kidding me!  I am going to play water polo.”  That’s great I said, water polo is a pretty tough sport.  I know this young man is a strong swimmer and he will do well.
He asked why I asked about Football.  Well, I told him it doesn’t really matter what sport you play, you should just play a sport in High School.
Sports in High School expand your social circles, they instill in the student athlete a pride in their school and in their fellow class mates.  It breaks down barriers between upper and lower classmen, it ensures that good grades are maintained, and finally it keeps the young person physically fit.  I told the young man that to play football, you don’t really have to be big and strong, you just need to be tough.  You need to be able to hit and take a hit.. the rest can be coached.
My point to him was that he should never shy away from something because he thinks its to hard.
I truly believe that every student should play a sport.  No matter what that sport is, Tennis, Rugby, Volleyball.. what ever, there are so many choices out there and they are all good.
Then last night at our Troop meeting a group of parents and I were talking about how kids are raised these days in that to a certain degree (and those degrees vary) they are over protected.  And to me this is terrible.  Now don’t get me wrong.. I don’t want anything to happen to my three kids, but at the same time a skinned knee is not going to kill them if they are out there playing football in the drive way.  We were joking about bee stings on camp outs one night.. it seemed that whenever our Troop found bees I would always get stung. 
We were backpacking one weekend up to a lake.  One of the Scouts disturbed a bee hive and the route was one.  Scouts took off running in every direction, screaming and shedding gear.  One Scout just fell to his belly and started crying as he got stung on the ankle.  I ran up to him and told him he needed to get out of there.. 9 stings later on me.. I grabbed the young man by the backpack, lifted him and forced him up the trail and out of the way of the stinging bees.  We all reached the lake and counted our stings.. then started laughing about how funny so in so was as he ran or how so in so was throwing his gear all over the place.  It made for a great laugh.  Having said that I know who the Scouts are that have bee sting reactions and none were effected.  The point is, a bee sting generally is not going to kill you and certainly not a reason to not play!  I think in total now my Troop has got me stung about 25 times.
I say all of this because of the reactions that we get from parents when we share the stories… “Oh my goodness.. you can’t get my little precious hurt” and we would never place a Scout in harms way, we are going to let them get dirty, skinned knees, and a few bee stings.  We are going to let them challenge themselves by getting out on the edge and pushing the limits a bit.
We always talk about getting out of our comfort zones.. then taking one more step.  I think that sums up my child hood a bit.
Our curfew was when the street lights came on.  We rode our bikes everywhere and did everything.  We played in the woods, we ran in the fields, and we threw mud clots at each other.  No one really got hurt and we all turned out ok.  We all played sports and did Scouting and we pushed each other to exceed our limits.  We did not know that at the time, but a good old fashioned dare was enough to make you jump off the swing set or ride your bike into a lake.
Boys need to be able to be boys.  They were designed to be rough and tumble and they were built with knees just waiting to be skinned.
I am not sure where this is all going, but it was a great topic last night at our Troop meeting while the Scouts were doing what ever they were doing.  I believe it was a class on Leave no Trace and then a game of capture the flag.

GO PLAY!

Have a Great Scouting Day!

Its the end of the world as we know it…

Posted on by • Posted in blog, Character, Leave no trace, Scoutmaster minute • Tagged • Leave a comment

And I feel fine…
I can’t seem to get that REM song out of my head today… I wonder why?
In the wake of all the hubbub surrounding today being the end of the world I thought it interesting when my youngest son asked the question about whats going to happen.  I told him that we really don’t have anything to worry about.  If its the end, its the end and you just have to justify your life to yourself and your God.  Now not to get into the whole “End times” thing… but really.. I’m certainly not going to worry about something that I have little or no control over.
OK.. here comes the point…
Live your life to the fullest and never let a day go by that you regret.
In 1987 I lost my little brother to a tragic accident.  I had the opportunity go through the entire process of dealing with that loss.  And knowing what I know now and looking back on the decisions that I made then.. no regrets to live my life every day like it was my last.  Now I can honestly say that I have not been able to daily.. but the older I get.. the more important this simple philosophy becomes.
Today I am helping with my sons Relay for Life team.   We are heading off to a fundraiser breakfast and then an all night relay at the High School.  There has been way too much cancer in my family.. and if this event does something to help, well, I’m in!  A lot of people would only read it passing in the paper.  But this is important.. to me and my son… and so we participate.
Just like Scouting, its important to all those young men and women that come and go through the program.  We teach them life skills and attitudes that will last them a life time.  The things that we teach will eventually result in citizens that make ethical choices throughout their life times.  This will leave a lasting impact on what they do in life and how they live it.  I hope that they will live ev every day like it is their last too.  With no regrets.
So if it all ends today… I will see all you great Scouters on Gilwell.. the Happy Land.  You will find me there!
I take all this “end of the world” stuff with a grain of salt… so I am not giving up my quest for better health…
Here is todays healthy tip:  #100daysStrong
Balance your food choices – don’t eat too much of any one thing.
You don’t have to give up foods like hamburgers, french fries and ice cream to eat healthy. You just have to be smart about how often and how much of them you eat. Your body needs nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fat and many different vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C and A, iron and calcium from a variety of foods. Balancing food choices from the Food Guide Pyramid and checking out the Nutrition Facts Panel on food labels will help you get all these nutrients.

Have a Great Scouting Day!

8 Elements to Consider when planning…

Posted on by • Posted in Leave no trace • Leave a comment

As we continue to develop our skills at leave no trace, we need to come back to planning.
Planning sets you up not only for an outstanding trip in the wilderness, but a trip that will exercise the principles of leave no trace.

In order to develop good habits of leave no trace you need to consider LNT throughout your planning process.

Here are 8 elements to consider when planning the trip.
(Note: the highlighted material is from “Teaching Leave no Trace” BSA publication 21-117)

1. Identify and record the goals and expectations of your trip.
This is important as you should have a set of goals for each trip. Even if the goal is just to go out and have fun. Setting goals will keep you focused while on the trek.

2. Identify the skills and abilities of the participants.
Knowing the skill level of those on the trip determines where you go, what you take, and how much training needs to happen before you go. It is important when planning to know the abilities of the group when it comes to leave no trace, and lays a solid foundation of the LNT principles.

3. Select destinations that match the goals, skills, and abilities of participants.
As stated above, the skills level and goals of the group will set the course of the trip.

4. Seek information about the area your group plans to visit from land managers, maps, and literature.
An important part of the planning process is knowing where you are going, how to get there, and what the restrictions are in the area. Getting maps and talking to land owners is important. As Scouts we want to ensure that we treat property with respect and use only land that we are authorized to be in. Know the rule of gates… if you see one that is open, leave it open, if it is closed, close it behind you…or do not enter.

5. Check the normal weather patterns and temperature ranges fro the area during the time of year your trek is planned. Get a projected weather forecast the night before departure. Adjust your plans if necessary, considering the knowledge, experience, and preparedness of the group.
Planning right up to the last minute is important as conditions may change or access may be limited due to sudden changes in weather. Do not let a little rain stop a trip, as much as weather changes can come, they can also go. What starts out as a rainy trip can turn into a sunny, beautiful trip. But also be careful for extreme weather. Head the warnings of weather forecasts. The Guide to Safe Scouting outlines precautions to consider about weather.
Also check out Scouting Safely and learn more about training for hazardous conditions and more.

6. Choose equipment and clothing for comfort, safety, and follow leave no trace principles. Include these outdoor essentials:
Extra Clothing
Extra trail food
Rain gear
Pocket knife
Matches and fire starters
Stove
Water bottles
Map and compass
First aid kit
Watch
Sun and insect protection
Small trowel for digging small cat hole
Small strainer for removing food particles from dish water
Gators for muddy or rocky trails

7. Axes and saws are not needed for collecting wood for a leave no trace fire.
Leave no trace fires burn only downed, dead materials laying on the ground. If you can’t break it with your hand, you should not burn it.

8. Plan trip activities to match the goals of the group.
Back to number 1. Know the abilities and goals of the group. Plan your activities to meet the needs and goals of the group. If you are taking a group of newer, younger Scouts, set the goals to match their skill level.

And finally evaluate the trip. Learn from what you did well, what you need to improve on, and what you need to stop doing. A good idea is to keep a log. Write it all down, you won’t regret it for future trips.

Happy Scouting!

Leave No Trace – Respect Wildlife

Posted on by • Posted in Leave no trace • Leave a comment

It has been awhile since the last discussion on Leave no Trace, but not because we forgot, just got real busy.
So we will be picking it up today with Respecting Wildlife.

The first and foremost thing to know about respecting Wildlife is that it is WILD life!!
It will hurt you, no matter how cute it is or fuzzy, or cool.
As much as we respect the mountain because it can be a dangerous place, or the river, or other situations, we need to be mindful that while most wildlife can adapt to consistant patterns of human activity, it is best to learn about wildlife through quiet observation.

That is to say…
Do not approach or follow wildlife for a “Better look”. Carry binoculars or a spotting scope or even the telephoto lens of your camera to view wildlife from observation areas and trails.

Observe wildlife from a distance so they are not scared or forced to flee.

Other things to consider:
Do not feed wildlife, or leave food for wildlife to eat after you are gone. This gets the animals to expect food. Humans become beacons for wildlife that have been fed.
Use a “Bear bag”, or container to store food in camp. Do not let the critters get into your food. They will expect it from then on, that will endanger campers that follow.

Be quiet when you expect wildlife to be around. It is their house.. be respectful.
Allow animals to have access to their natural water holes. Do not block access, or disturb water areas that have visible animal tracks.

Respecting Wildlife not only is safe, but it creates an environment that we can exist in the wilderness with wildlife. They are beautiful creatures, but if you do not give them the respect due, you can get hurt or create an environment unsafe for campers that come after you.

Happy Scouting!

Why Leave no Trace is important

Posted on by • Posted in Leave no trace • Leave a comment

The Outdoor Code of the BSA should be enough…. Right? Well that is if we all lived it. The Leave No Trace principles lead us down a trail to being good stewards of the our wilderness. As Boy Scouts we should just be all of those things, but we all know that the wrong way is always the easiest.. and easy creates the path of least resistance. We get lazy and as a result we leave a trace.

Using the leave no trace principles from start to finish on every outing will ensure that we maintain the land we have and keep it in the best shape for those that come after us. Now I am not running out to join Green Peace, and I believe that “Global Warming” is a natural process will happen with or without man. But I also believe that we don’t have to push it. We can do this to minimize our footprint while enjoying the wilderness. There are those out there that would not allow anyone to step foot in the wilderness areas. This is extreme, especially when we can do things to reduce the impact. But it takes everyone, especially Scouts to practice it. Leave no Trace gives us that foundation to work from. It sets us up through the principles of planning and preparing, traveling on durable surfaces, setting camp on hard stands, looking at ways to reduce and dispose of waste, leaving what we find, minimizing campfire impact, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other visitors.

So why is Leave no Trace important? It all comes down to whether or not you enjoy the out doors. It comes down to an appreciation for what we have and wanting to keep it that way. I boils down to leaving it for the future. Unfortunately when God created man, in some he left out the common sense gene, in some he did not place the appreciation gene, and in some he gave it all. We Scouts know what right looks like, we have an appreciation for our wilderness areas and understand that we need to protect them for total selfish reasons… so we can enjoy them.
Practicing Leave No Trace is good stewardship and we must learn and do the principles to ensure our wilderness areas are there forever… or until the next ice age or what ever the next cycle of earth produces.

Happy Scouting