No Trace Left Behind!
As we have finished the route and are finishing up menus and such I have turned my attention to our daily routines. I sat in on a Leave No Trace seminar a few years ago, and I have some of their water bottles and stickers sitting around, but do I really know how to “Leave No Trace”.
Leave No Trace is an organization that seeks to educate people on the ethics used in the outdoors. This ranges from simply telling people the best way to dispose of human waste all the way to tackling the big issues of minimal impact and large scale conservation.
Education is the main focus because they realize that the only way to make any progress is to get everyone on the same page. The 7 principles have become the beginning point of outdoor ethics since the beginning of the organization.
People often think that the organization just establish guidelines on human waste, but they do so much more. Their list of 7 Principles really sums up outdoor ethics.
The 7 Principles
It Must be Done
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
- Dispose of Waste Properly
- Leave What You Find
- Minimize Use and Impact of Fire
- Respect Wildlife
- Be Considerate of Other Visitors
Though some of us consider these things common sense and very obvious, it is wise to carry one of the laminated Leave No Trace ethics cards to remind you of the “rules of the trail”. They have several versions of the cards that are directed toward fisherman, hunters, children, and even in other languages. The cards are great to give to people that are just getting involved in outdoor sports and it also serves as a membership card to the outdoors.
Update:
A fellow blogger has also done an article about Leave No Tace. Check it out at the Real Cheap Sports Blog.
