Jeff Marion, adjunct professor of natural resources recreation, was recognized for his work with Leave No Trace, a national education program focused on low-impact outdoor practices and ethics. He received the Distinguished Service Medal from the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) for his dedication to advancing Leave No Trace education and training within the BSA.

Marion has worked with the Boy Scouts for the past 20 years to help them incorporate Leave No Trace practices into various courses and publications, including the Scout Handbook, Scout Fieldbook, and merit badge pamphlets. He was a founding member of the BSA Leave No Trace Task Force, a national group that guides educational efforts within the BSA. In addition, Marion received the Boy Scout’s Hornaday Gold Medal and Gold Badge Conservation award.

Marion was also recognized in the Leave No Trace 2011 annual report: “A founding Leave No Trace board member and long-standing member of the Center’s Educational Review Committee, Jeff’s research and activism have helped propel Leave No Trace programming . . . . Jeff has given the Leave No Trace Center support and exposure that keeps reaching more people to make outdoor use as sustainable as possible.”