As an American, I will do my best to
Be clean in my outdoor manners
Be careful with fire
Be considerate in the outdoors, and
Be conservation minded.
1954 – The president of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, wrote a letter asking the Boy Scouts of America to “arouse public recognition of the need for adequate protection and wise management of our soil, water, mineral, forest, grassland, and wildlife resources.
Result – In the March 1954 issue of Boys Life magazine, Green Bar Bill (an influential Scout leader) announced the Outdoor Code and asked that all the scouts start sharing the code. The code was presented as a guide to all Americans in how to treat the outdoors. The message was spread at school assemblies, public rallies and demonstrations and other public gatherings.
The above is courtesy of http://www.ultimatescouts.com/outdoorcode/