Coming in 2010: National Outdoor Award badges

Do your boys know their way around a campsite? How are they in a canoe, on a horse, or climbing a mountain? If their outdoor skills have been heightened through the Scouting program, they'll soon have a new award to show for it: the National Outdoor Award badges.

The program, conceived by the volunteer-led National Camping Task Force of the BSA, includes a series of five badges designed to recognize a Boy Scout or Varsity Scout who has demonstrated knowledge and experience in performing high-level outdoor activities.

The five categories are:

• Camping
• Hiking
• Riding
• Aquatics
• Adventure

Boys can apply for and earn any or all of the badges during their time in the program.

To earn the award or awards, a Boy Scout or Varsity Scout must complete:

• Relevant merit badges, which vary for each award.
• The First Class rank.
• Leave No Trace requirements.
• Activities measured by nights of camping, miles of hiking, miles of horseback riding, hours on or in the water, and other adventure activities. 

Detailed requirements and application forms will be provided via MyScouting.org in early 2010.  Scouts may count activities completed in previous years to qualify for these awards.

Read more here, http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2009/11/coming-in-2010-national-outdoor-award-badges.html