LEAVE NO TRACE LEVEL 2 INSTRUCTOR

(MASTER EDUCATOR)

Weekend 1: March 21-23, 2025

Weekend 2: April 3-6, 2025

Cherokee Scout Reservation

3296 Boy Scout Camp Road, Yanceyville, NC

Registration closes at 11:59 pm on Tuesday, March 18, 2025

This course provides participants with a comprehensive overview of Leave No Trace skills and ethics through practical application in a field-based setting. Students will practice Leave No Trace teaching strategies by delivering a planned lesson. The Level 2 Instructor course prepares students to deliver 2 day Leave No Trace Level 1 Instructor (Trainer) courses, Awareness Workshops, and Skills Courses.

Required Paperwork

• BSA Health Form Parts A, B & C
• Pre-event Medical Screening Form

Pre-requisites:

• Participants must be 18 years old before the start of the course
• Participants must be members of Scouting America in good standing with a completed background check and unexpired youth protection certificate
• Participants must submit a completed BSA Annual Medical Form with Parts A, B & C
• It is highly recommended, but not required, that participants have completed Leave No Trace Instructor Level 1 Training

Must I attend both weekends to earn the certification?

• Yes, you must attend both weekends - March 21-23 and April 3-6.
• There is no written or practical examination to gain this certification.
• Successful course completion is dependent on 100% attendance and full participation.
• Online recertification is required every 2 years to maintain course reporting qualifications.

What happens on Weekend 1 - March 21-23, 2025?

• Weekend 1 consists of classroom activities.

What happens on Weekend 2 - April 3-6, 2025?

• Weekend 2 is the application portion of the course.
• We will use a backpacking trek, through the backcountry of the Cherokee Scout Reservation, to demonstrate the Leave No Trace skills in action
• You are expected to be a proficient backpacker and camper
• The weekend will focus on teaching the Leave No Trace skills in context. It will not focus on basic backpacking and camping skills.
• You will need your own backpacking and camping equipment.

What are the logistics for Weekend 1 - March 21-23, 2025?

• Check-in opens at 10:30 am on Friday, March 21
• The course starts at noon with lunch on Friday, March 21
• The course ends at 3:00 pm on Sunday, March 23
• Participants will be housed in Adirondacks which have built-in bunks and include mattresses
• Participants are welcome to bring their tents or hammocks
• Hot showers and flush toilets will be available
• Meals start with lunch on Friday and end with lunch on Sunday

What are the logistics for Weekend 2 - April 3-6, 2025?

• Check-in opens at 10:30 am on Thursday, April 3
• The course starts at noon with lunch on Thursday, April 3
• The weekend will consist of a three-night backpacking trip
• You will need your own backpacking gear
• Hot showers will be available before the celebration lunch on Sunday, April 6
• The course ends at 3:00 pm on Sunday, April 6

What is the cost?

• The course fee is $390

What do participants receive?

• 1-year membership in Leave No Trace
• Instructor Level 2 Handbook
• Skills and Ethics booklet
• Ethics reference card (hangtag) set
• BSA outdoor ethics program handouts
• Instructor Level 2 Patch
• A backcountry experience in a managed hardwood forest recognized as the 2019 NC model tree farm​​​​​​​

What are the course expectations?

Teaching Topics: The Teaching Topic is the cornerstone of the Level 2 Instructor course experience. It provides the opportunity to prepare a lesson plan, deliver it, and receive immediate feedback from peers and instructors. Each Level 2 Instructor candidate is expected to teach one of the seven principles of Leave No Trace to the class, incorporating into their topic the content and style necessary to teach a group they may encounter as a Level 2 Instructor after this course. For example, if the candidate will be working with school groups, they should address our class as school-aged students and prepare activities or discussions to fit that particular audience. Or, if the candidate will be working in general education at trailheads or on the trail, they should address our class as recreationists they might encounter. In preparing your topic, imagine that we (your classmates) know nothing about Leave No Trace. Each candidate will be evaluated through peer review and by course instructors for depth of content, appropriateness for the chosen audience, and instructional style. Teaching topics will be assigned at a later date.

Who is the lead instructor?

• Jim Fuller
• jrfuller1969@gmail.com

Additional Details

Please Note: The Level 2 Instructor course is not designed to provide instruction on backcountry living skills. The backcountry aspect of the experience is meant to provide relevance to the curriculum, through practicing Leave No Trace techniques and methods, observing examples of impact, and creating an awareness of use and its purposes. The course itinerary is very full, and does not allow time for teaching how to light stoves, cook, purify water, and set up tents, for example. It is assumed that participants come with a level of comfort for living in a backcountry setting and with all their own gear. 

Direct questions to:

• Event Director Chris Cobitz at chris@cobitz.com.
• Staff Advisor Bud Harrelson at bud.harrelson@scouting.org.