For the purpose of raising the level of safety, encouraging educational institutions and training programs to develop leaders, providing information for programs, establishing a base for communication with land use agencies, and providing information for school and agency custodians of potential students, the manual outlines "Accepted Peer Practices" for adventure programs in North America. The reference recommends 16 administrative practices; offers information for general practices in administration, staffing, participants, activities, equipment, and facilities; and identifies basic instructor qualifications in regard to first aid, group facilitation and leadership, environmental ethics, weather, and navigation. A major section of the guide includes common practices for adventure program activities that are arranged from most basic to most complex and divided into environments of land, water, and air. Each activity provides information concerning instructor/participant ratios, safety/conservation equipment, safety practices, conservation practices, and leadership qualifications. Other sections cover emergency practices for first aid, evacuation, search and rescue, and notification; accident/incident data collection; safety review practices; and common practices for programs serving special populations. Appendices contain a bibliography, list of resource people, forms, equipment lists, Personal Flotation Devices information, American Whitewater Affiliation Safety Code, and emergency procedures. (ERB)