Req 5h — Leave No Trace

Cooking outdoors comes with a responsibility: leave the land better than you found it. The Leave No Trace Seven Principles and the Outdoor Code are not just guidelines — they are commitments every Scout makes to the environment and to future visitors.

The Seven Principles Applied to Cooking

Here is how each Leave No Trace principle connects directly to camp cooking:

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare

• You planned your meals in advance, bought the right quantities, and repackaged food to reduce waste.
• You checked fire regulations for your area before planning campfire meals.
• You brought the right equipment for cooking and cleanup.

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

• You set up your cooking area on established surfaces — a designated fire ring, a picnic table, or a flat area of compacted ground.
• You did not clear vegetation or dig fire pits in undisturbed areas.

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

• You packed out all trash, food scraps, and packaging — nothing was left behind.
• You strained and scattered gray water at least 200 feet from water sources.
• You let fire ashes cool completely and dispersed them properly (in dispersed camping areas).

4. Leave What You Find

• You did not gather firewood from live trees or strip bark for fire starters.
• You used fallen deadwood only from the ground (where permitted).
• You left the cooking area looking exactly as it did when you arrived.

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts

• You used an existing fire ring or a camp stove instead of creating new fire scars.
• You kept fires small and manageable.
• You burned only wood and clean paper — no trash, no plastics, no foil (aluminum foil does not burn and must be packed out).

6. Respect Wildlife

• You stored food in animal-proof containers, bear canisters, or bear bags — never in your tent.
• You cleaned your cooking area thoroughly to avoid attracting animals.
• You did not feed wildlife, even with scraps.

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

• You kept your cooking area clean and orderly.
• You managed smoke and noise from your cooking activities.
• You left shared cooking facilities (pavilions, grills) cleaner than you found them.

The Outdoor Code

The Outdoor Code is a promise that complements Leave No Trace:

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.

When you discuss this with your counselor, connect specific actions you took during camp cooking to each line:

• Clean in outdoor manners: You cleaned up after every meal, disposed of waste properly, and left the site spotless.
• Careful with fire: You managed your fire responsibly, never left it unattended, and ensured it was completely out before leaving.
• Considerate in the outdoors: You cooked in designated areas, minimized noise and smoke, and respected shared spaces.
• Conservation-minded: You minimized waste by planning accurate portions, used reusable containers where possible, and chose a camp stove over a fire when appropriate to reduce environmental impact.