Make a Gift to the Dan Howells Memorial Fund
Dan Michael Howells
December 4, 1951 to October 24, 2021
“Take nothing but photographs, and leave nothing but footprints.”
An Eagle Scout, Dan lived his life by the Scout Oath and Law. He started his outdoor career on a trail crew in the Big Horn National Forest. He fought fires as a Smoke Jumper in Alaska, Arizona, Idaho and California. His degree in Forestry led him to his 40-year career with the Bureau of Land Management in Eugene, Oregon. While at BLM, he served on Incident Command Teams, as Air Support Supervisor and Heli-base manager. He was also appointed to be BLM’s Leave No Trace representative for the State of Oregon. When Dan started work for BLM in 1975, he met his wife Pamela while she attended the University of Oregon. He said their two boys, Michael and Dustin, both Eagle Scouts, were their greatest accomplishment. Together they were an active scouting family, with both Dan and Pamela holding leadership positions.
Family cross country ski adventures and Boy Scout snow camping inspired Dan to join the Back Country Ski Patrol. A volunteer in 2003, he became a National Ski Patrol candidate and pat roller. Outdoor Emergency Preparedness courses he took as a patroller motivated him to attend and become a Wilderness Medicine Instructor for the Wilderness Medicine Institute, and the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), and most recently for REI. And after the Leave No Trace Task Force was formed in 2006, Dan was recruited to join. He remained an active member of the Outdoor Ethics Committee until his health forced him to step down in December 2020.
After retiring from BLM in 2010, Dan spent 10 years as a sales associate at REI. He taught Wilderness First Aid, Cooking in the Outdoors and Winter Camping to name a few. An active Scouter and dedicated volunteer, he brought a wealth of outdoor leadership experience and was a fierce defender of the inclusion of risk management in all Leave No Trace course offerings. From 1999-2018 Dan led trainings or taught BSA Leave No Trace Master Educator Courses around the US. Each fall for 15 years, he made the trek to Philmont Scout Ranch to teach LNT. Dan worked most recently on the Lead Instructor Development Workshops and contributed significantly to the Master Educator operations manual being developed by LNT’s Curriculum and Educational Assets team. Dan had a genuine passion for Leave No Trace, Scouting, the BLM, and the outdoors. His big smile, kind nature and genuine passion for the outdoors made an impression on all who met him. He was a true champion for our shared public lands, ensuring we all left the wilderness better than we found it by taking only photographs and leaving only footprints. Through Boy Scout Leadership Training, Wilderness First Aid, Leave No Trace Principles, Master Educator courses and many workshops at REI, Dan was happiest sharing his knowledge and helping others be guardians of the outdoors.
Remembrances can be made in Dan’s memory to a scholarship fund for Leave No Trace Master Educator Course attendees. Partial scholarships will be awarded to BSA members. Your donation would honor Dan’s memory, and ensure future educators can continue his legacy, making certain we have responsible stewards of the wild and public lands.
