Leave No Trace Trainer
Here's the new Leave No Trace Trainer patch for the troop leadership position starting in January. I have not yet seen the requirements or expectations of holding that position, except for rumors that completing an official "Leave No Trace Trainer" course is required before wearing the patch.
A LNT Trainer course runs about 16 hours over a weekend. Once a scout completes the LNT Trainer course, he can then lead LNT Workshops which are typically around 2 hours of training to present the seven LNT Principles. Participants that complete a LNT Workshop can receive a certificate which is required to backpack in some wilderness areas. This is perfect for this position and I expect the LNT scout will be asked to present workshops each year.
We've been having scouts present LNT principles within our troop and to local Cub Scout dens already, so we've got guys that could step into this role now if they want. There are some fun, interactive ways to present the principles at LeaveNoTraceDude.com which give a taste of LNT in a short, active session - not enough to call it a workshop or get a certificate, but good introduction or supplements.
LNT Trainer courses typically cost $25 to $75 - even the low end of that will put a real damper on scouts stepping up to this new position. I hope some of the plans for this new position include a lower-cost way to train the scouts. And, with such an expense, I expect troops will want a scout to stay in the role for more than the usual 4 or 6 months needed for rank advancement.
I'm a LNT Master Educator and am excited that LNT is being promoted in the BSA a little more now. The changes in the new Scout Handbook and this new position give LNT more exposure. Now, we need to follow through and train scouts and scouters in how to follow LNT principles as our normal practice.
There is a website under construction at outdoorethics-bsa.org that appears to be a BSA site about the Leave No Trace program. The domain name was registered this spring to a person in "northwest region venturing" and the contact email on the site is a @netbsa.org address. Maybe this will be the home for LNT in the BSA at some point.
Scout On
Posted: 7:55 10-21-2009 453
Comments:
Apr 03, 2013 - John
I'm a Scoutmaster & very much an environmentalist. LNT Trainer should not be a Troop Leadership position. No other Troop Leadership position requires 16 hours of training & $$$$. I've taken several of the modules & if anything it can be reduced to 1-2 hours max! My Wilderness 1st Aid course was 16-18 hours & a lot more valuable than what a Scout will gain from this course. If BSA truly wants to promote more LNT principles, they need to be realistic & design a Leadership position that concentrates on the 7 principles. Otherwise, the majority of the Troops will just ignore or skim over this. DWe can do more with promoting LNT by being with the Scouts in the outdoors vs. sitting in a classroom & it will be a lot more fun.
Apr 04, 2013 - Scouter Paul
John - I don't know what 'modules' you are refering to, but it sounds like you did not attend an LNT Trainer course. In such a course, you should not be sitting in a classroom, but be out practicing and presenting the LNT principles. You have missed out on A LOT of what should be included in an LNT Trainer course if you believe it can be completed in 1 hour!
The LNT Trainer requirement is a condition between the LNT organization and the BSA in order to offer the LNT Trainer position of responsibility to scouts. It may change as alternative LNT training opportunities are developed, but for now, the requirements are in place.
It is completely acceptable for a troop to place a scout in the Instructor position and have him present LNT principles as part of his responsibilities. This requires no official LNT training, and the Instructor patch is used rather than the LNT Trainer patch.
Apr 06, 2013 - John
To Scouter Paul-Our Council put on the "modules" in our Roundtable (a room).So if the modules are intended to be outdoors, that is a positive.Philmont was also outdoors & great for LNT. But I stand by my observation that 16 hours is unnecessary. A Scouting leadership position in the Troop that most Scouts hold for 6 months should not require anymore training than the other positions. As often happens with new programs in organizations, the initial proposal tends to overstep it's realistic goals. Why not instead of using an Instructor Leadership position as a smokescreen to being a Leave no Trace position,as you propose,to actually have a position with reasonable training requirements so as to promote LNT that Scouting wants to present. We are in agreement in principle, I hope open dialog continues so as to achieve goals.If we want to make an advanced Leave No Trace Award, I'm all for it. Much like the Religious Emblems.
Jun 06, 2013 - Chad
The lnt modules that you attended, John, were put on by lnt trainers to help educate other leaders in your council about the lnt principles. The 16 hour training course is done by the organization leave not trace so that people can become a lnt trainer. In order for bsa to also have lnt trainers, scouters (adult and youth) are required to go through the 16 hour training done by lnt. That is the only way to get the trainer position. However, the instructor position (which is recognized by bsa but NOT lnt) does not require the 16 hour course.
Oct 03, 2013 - Nick
I've read most of your comments...I am a Leave No Trace Master educator and the Tennessee State Advocate for Leave No Trace...You are correct in saying in order to be a leave no trace trainer (youth or adult) you must take the Leave No Trace trainer course for a minimum of 16-hrs. It must be taught by a trained Leave No Trace master educator. We usually do this on a weekend which makes it great, usually it's required to be in an outdoor setting and we keeps the cost down to a minimum...We also issue pins, patches, etc. to the graduates of this course. The BSA has it's own requirements and guidelines for teaching this course, and of course the age requirement. You can download the BSA course from the Leave No Trace website (lnt.org).
Jun 08, 2016 - TJ
Hello,
There is a Scouter in the Unit that would like to wear the Leave No Trace Trainer patch on her uniform. She has successfully completed the training and has also been the LNT and Outdoor Ethics Lead for our District.
What is the appropriate patch for her to wear as a LNT Trainer and where would it go on the uniform?
Thank you.
There is a Scouter in the Unit that would like to wear the Leave No Trace Trainer patch on her uniform. She has successfully completed the training and has also been the LNT and Outdoor Ethics Lead for our District.
What is the appropriate patch for her to wear as a LNT Trainer and where would it go on the uniform?
Thank you.
Jun 10, 2016 - Scouter Paul
@TJ - This is a very old blog post and the LNT Trainer position is
no longer relevant. It is now the Outdoor Ethics Guide
position.
There is no official LNT Trainer patch for adults to wear. There is a council Outdoor Ethics Advocate position, and our council has created a District Outdoor Ethics Advocate position with a patch that we can wear in the 'position' location.
There is no official LNT Trainer patch for adults to wear. There is a council Outdoor Ethics Advocate position, and our council has created a District Outdoor Ethics Advocate position with a patch that we can wear in the 'position' location.
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