This Award is meant for Boy Scouts.
Decide for yourself if it is appropriate for your younger scouts or not.

The National Outdoor Challenge is a unit award that recognizes troops that maintain or increase the amount of outdoor activity when compared to the previous year. The recognition is a streamer for the unit's flag. (The actual streamer may be different than this image) With the release of this award, the National Camping award has been discontinued.

To earn this award, the unit states on the application that it has:

1. Developed an annual plan for the current year.
2. Conducted 10 outdoor trips or activities with at least 50 percent of the registered youth participating OR increased the number of outdoor trips or activities compared to the previous year.
3. Attended long-term resident camp or a local/national high-adventure experience of at least six days/five nights.
4. Conducted at least one outing with a Webelos Scout den.
5. Earned at least one outdoors-related* merit badge per Scout.
6. Conducted at least one Leave No Trace program during the calendar year for a minimum of 50 percent of the members.

Note: Outdoors-related merit badges are: Backpacking, Camping, Canoeing, Climbing, Cooking, Cycling, Emergency Preparedness, Environmental Science, First Aid, Fish and Wildlife Management, Fishing, Fly-Fishing, Forestry, Hiking, Lifesaving, Orienteering, Pioneering, Rowing, Scuba, Snow Sports, Soil and Water Conservation, Swimming, Water Sports, Whitewater.

The unit leader completes the National Outdoor Challenge application and submits it to the local council camping committee.