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Adapting The Current ACA Outdoor Living Skills Program
Environmental Stewardship

Program Comparison
OLS teaches participants how to teach others, using skills as the medium. Leave No Trace courses teach participants how to teach others, using a variety of methods with recreation ethics as the base.
OLS is a skills-based program. Leave No Trace is an environmental-ethics- and principles-based program, which uses the teaching of hard skills to implement and apply the principles.
OLS has a narrow audience—camps that specifically teach these skills implement the program. Leave No Trace has a wider audience—environmental ethics and awareness applies to all camps, youth organizations, and all types of general audiences.
OLS is supported by participant fees. Leave No Trace is a corporately sponsored program (Recreation Equipment Incorporated (REI), Subaru, the North Face, Nike, LL Bean, Smartwool, and Coleman are major contributors).
OLS is recognized by a small audience in the camp and youth industry. The Leave No Trace program is recognized by federal agencies and corporate sponsors.
OLS is a small piece of the ACA puzzle. The Center’s mission is to promote responsible outdoor recreation—it’s all they do.
Unique Programs offered by the Center
The Frontcountry Initiative: An initiative designed to meet the increased demand for education in Day-Use areas (local parks, on-site programs, etc.).
PEAK: Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids: Four creative and fun lessons for ages six to twelve incorporating the Leave No Trace Principles.
Traveling Trainers: Traveling educator—the Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers—two teams of professional outdoor educators, who have logged close to ½ million miles in their official Subaru Outbacks. With this program the Leave No Trace message has reached over 7 million individuals.
Leave No Trace Masters and Trainers Courses: Two- and five-day courses that prepare an individual with additional knowledge and teaching skills in the Leave No Trace program.
 
What's the Plan?
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