Repeat Outdoor Code

Preserving the wilderness and practicing good outdoor citizenship is a cornerstone of Scouting. To complete this requirement, you must memorize the Outdoor Code, list the Leave No Trace Seven Principles, and explain the essential differences between the two frameworks.

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, and
• Be conservation-minded.

Understanding the Four Pledges

• Be Clean in My Outdoor Manners: Treat the outdoors with respect. Pack out all trash, avoid littering, keep campsites neat, and practice sanitary dishwashing and personal hygiene.
• Be Careful with Fire: Build campfires only where permitted and when necessary. Never leave a fire unattended, extinguish coals completely using the “drown, stir, and feel” method until cold to the touch, and prevent wildfires.
• Be Considerate in the Outdoors: Respect fellow outdoor travelers. Keep voices and electronic noise down, yield trail right-of-way, leave natural objects intact, and preserve peace in camp.
• Be Conservation-Minded: Learn about natural resources, protect native wildlife habitats, prevent trail and stream erosion, and support local conservation service projects.

The Leave No Trace Seven Principles

Developed by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics in collaboration with public land agencies (such as the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management), these seven principles provide scientific guidance for reducing outdoor impact:

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare: Check weather forecasts, understand park regulations, carry maps and compasses, and pack appropriate gear and emergency supplies.
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces: Stay centered on designated trails (never cut switchbacks); pitch tents on rock, gravel, established campsite pads, or dry grasses; camp at least 200 feet (70 adult paces) away from lakes and streams.
3. Dispose of Waste Properly: “Pack it in, pack it out.” Carry out all trash, leftover food, and litter. Dig catholes 6 to 8 inches deep for human waste at least 200 feet from water sources, trails, and campsites.
4. Leave What You Find: Preserve the past by leaving cultural artifacts, rocks, plants, and natural objects where you discover them. Never carve on trees or deface rock faces.
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts: Use lightweight backpacking stoves for cooking rather than open fires. Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, keep fires small, burn only small dead and downed wood, and burn all wood down to white ash.
6. Respect Wildlife: Observe animals from a safe distance without following, crowding, or feeding them. Store food and smellables securely in bear-resistant canisters or bear bags hung 12 feet high.
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors: Maintain trail courtesy, yield to uphill hikers and horseback riders, camp away from other groups, and let the sounds of nature prevail.

Explaining the Difference Between the Two

While both frameworks share the ultimate goal of environmental stewardship, they serve different functions: