leave no trace, outdoor skills and ethecs

8/14/2019 Leave No Trace, Outdoor Skills and Ethecs

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“A thing is right when it tends to preserve

the integrity, stability, and beauty of the

biotic community. It is wrong when it

tends otherwise.” —Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac

L E AV E NO T R A C E

O u t d o o r S k i l l s & E t h i c s

N O RT H A M E R ICA E DI T I ON



LNT Ou t d o o r S k i ll s an d E t h i c s

N O RT H A M E R I C A - 2 -

People en joythe outdoors in

myriad way s. W e ex plore onfoot, kay ak,horseback,moun-

tain bicy cles, skis,snowshoes,and crampons,to name a few,

and t here are more of us push-ing oursport s to greaterextremes and into remoterparts ofthe naturalworld

every day . Our experiences arepersonallysatisfy ing, butthey

can be costly to t he places wev isitand the animals w e

observe.Ameri ca’s wildlands are

diverse and beaut iful. Theycanalso be fragi le. Pollut ed waters,displaced w ildlife,eroded soils,and trampled vegetation are

justsome of the impacts linkeddirectly to recreationalactiv i-ties. Ev en ourmere presencehas an influence. Considerable

damage could be prevented ifrecreationists were betterinformed,especiallyaboutLeave No Trace techniques.

This bookletis partof anationaleducational program

called Leave No Trace which

aims to be part ofthe solution.At the heartofLNT are seven

pri nciples forreducing the dam-age caused byoutdooractiv i-ties,particularlynon-motorizedrecreation. Leave No Trace con-

cepts can be applied anywhere —in remote w ilderness,city

parks, even in ourown back-yards —and in any recreat ional

endeavor.Leave

N o Traceprinciples

and prac-tices

extendcommon

court esyand hospi-

talitytoother

wildlandvisitors and to the natural

world of which w e are allapart. Theyare based on an abid-

ing respectfor nature. Thisrespect,coupled with good

judgmentand awareness,willallow you to apply the princi-

ples to yourown unique circum-stances. We can acton behalfofthe places and w ildlif e thatinspire us — in North America and

beyond. F irst, let’s educateourselves and adoptt he skills

and ethics thatenable us to

Leav e No Trace.

“The notion that[outdoor]recreation has no

environmental impacts is no longer tenable.”

—Curtis H. Flather and H. Ken Cordell, W ildlif e and Recreationists

At the heart of LNT

are seven principles

for reducing the

damage caused by

outdoor activities,

particularly non-

motorized recreation.




LNT Ou t d oo r S k i l l s an d E t h ic s

PRINCIPLES OF Leave No Trace

• Plan Ahead and Prepare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

• Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

• Dispose of Waste Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

• Leave WhatYou Find . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

• Minimize Campfire Impacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

• RespectWildlif e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

• Be Considerate of OtherVisitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Wildland Ethics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

A Final Challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

A Few Terms Defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Visitors interested in stockuse,mountai n biki ng,kayaking

and climbing,orotherregionsand recreational activities,

are referred to the otherbookl etsin the Leave No Trace

Skills and Ethicsseries.

Information on obtaining Leave No

Trace curriculum materials, courses

and trainings is available by callingLeave No Trace, Inc.

1-800-332-4100

or visiting the extensive

LNT Ou t doo r S k i l l s an d E t h i c s LIBRARY



PLAN AHEADan d P re p a re

N O RTH A M E R I C A - 4 -

Plan ahead byconsid-

ering y ourgoals andt hose ofy our group. Pre-

pare bygathering infor-mation, comm unicati ng

ex pect ations,and acquir-ing the technical skills,firstaid knowledge,andequipmentto do t he tripri ght.

Build Leave N o Trace

into yourplans bypick-ing an appropriate desti-nation for yourgroupand allowing plenty oftime to traveland camp

in good style. Be pre-pared to sitt ightorturnback ifyou sense danger

orsustain an in jury.That way,you won’thave to abandon LeaveN o Trace techniques forthe sake ofsafety. Forinstance,poorplanning

or disregard forapproaching bad weather

can transform an easyhike into a ri sky

encounter wit hhypothermia. Cold and

wet,it’s tempting tothink thatthe impacts ofpoorly sited campfiresand makeshift shelters

are w arranted.EDUCATE YOURSELF.

Knowthe regulations andspecialconcerns for any

area you visit. Becauseeverywildland is unique,

regulations and permitstipulations vary . Learn

howto Leave N o Tracew herever you go. Startbyasking aboutlocalecologyand localmini-

mum impactpracticesand guidelines.

Land managementagency websites,offices,and visitor

information centersoff erinformation onspecial regulations,environmental concerns,and trip planning,as

w ellas educat ion andvolunt eeropportunities.

Otherinformationsources include sport ing

goods suppliers,book-stores,clubs and non-

profitgroups, localcon-servat ion organizat ions,

libraries and nature cen-

t ers. T hese sources canoften be contacted

PLAN FORYOUR

GROUP. Recreation man-agers can suggestplaces

suited to yourgroup.Yourgroup,its skills,and behavior should f itwellw ith y ourw ildland

destination. Forexample,people expectsome noise

and commot ion aroundpicnic areas,large camp-

grounds,and dev eloped

recreation sites. In thebackcountry,v isitorsw antto experience

nature withoutthese dis-tract ions.

Smallversus large



PLAN AHEAD an d P re p a re

groups. Regardless ofthesize ofyour group and

the purpose ofy ourout-ing,the pract ice ofLeave

No Trace techniquesrequires care and fore-

thought. Whenever possi-ble,visitw ildlands in

smallgroups. Largegroups can be boisterous

and disruptive unlesstheyare w ellsuperv ised.

Ifyou are planning foralarge group,trytoinclude enough experi-

enced leaders so thegroup can be divided tohike and, ifpossible,camp separately. Avoidproblems by teaching

everyone aboutLeave NoTrace before leaving

home. Always,inquireaboutgroup size limita-tions in advance. Largeand less knowledgeable

groups are best accom-modated in popular

places,w here there are

alreadydeveloped trailsand campsites.

SCHEDULE YO UR TRIP

TOAVOID TIMES OFHIGHUSE. Vi sits to popu-

larwildlands during peakuse periods,such as holi-

day s and weekends,areoften fraughtwith traf-

fic, crowding,delays,

and conflict s with ot hergroups. Instead,visitatothertim es, such as mid-week,fora less crowd-

ed —and more en joyable —experience. Or,expl ore

out-of-the-wayplaces.Make reserv ations and

obtain permits w ellaheadoftime to avoid unpleas-

antsurprises. Avoidtravelwhen environmen-

talconditions,such asmuddytrail s,make

recreation impacts more

likelyorsevere.

USE PROPER GEA R. Pre-pare for extreme weath-er,hazards,and emer-gencies. Pack a camp

stov e and fuel,a pot,matches,a signalmirror,and w histl e or fluores-centvest . Alw ays carry

a good map,plentyoffood,water,a waterfil-terorpurifi cationtablets,warm clothing,and protection from thesun and insects.

E quipmentthatkeepsus saf e can also reduce

impacts to oursurround-ings. A camp stove,which provides a quickmealw ithoutcharring a

single stone,is a primeexample. On muddy

trails — where we might

N O RTH A M E R I C A - 5 -



wantto step on trailsidevegetation to keep ourfeet dry —gaitors or

w eatherproof boot s letus forge through the

muck withoutgettingwet.

PLAN YOUR MEALS. A de-quate gear can be essen-

tialto the success of atrip,butit’s a mistake

t o bri ng too much stuff.Geta jump onwaste

managementbyplanning

meals to avoidleftovers.Package

food inreusable

cont ainersor plasticbags. Getrid of

wrappersand

heavypackaging inadv ance,so you won’tbe

tempted to leave thembehind.

DEVELOP THE SKILLS.

Knowthe skills and gear

thatare needed for yourchosen activ ity. Learn

from an experiencedfriend,t ake a course, or

hire a competentguide.Make sure thatfirstaid,navigation,and self-res-cue are partofy our

training, and be surey ou’re in adequate physi-

cal shape f orthe trip.

Leave No Trace practicesvarygeographically. Inthe BLM’s Moab Field

Off ice Area,UT,forexample,it’s important

PLAN AHEADan d P re p a re

t o knowwhatcryptobi-otic soils look like. In

Everglades NationalPark,F L,y ou’ll be more

concerned with potent ialimpacts to marlprairies.

Learn as much as you canaboutyourdestination

and how to have funt here while staying saf e

and protecti ng the land.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

G etting losthas impor-tantimplications for

y ou,t he people whoattempt to find y ou,and

the terrain. Significantimpacts t o the landscape

can resultfrom rescueoperations thatinvolve

vehicles orlarge num-bers ofpeople. Take

responsibilityfory ourown safetyby practicing

self-awareness,cautionand good judgment. Mini-mize risk byplanning atrip that matches your

ski lls and ex pect ations.Be prepared torescue

y ourselffrom tough sit-uations.

Register atthe trail-head orwith t he ranger.

Be a com pet entnaviga-tor. Alway s carrya map

and knoww here you areatalltimes. Staywithyour group. J ustin case,give a friend y ouritiner-

aryand instructionsexplaining whatt o do if

you don’treturn onschedule. Don’tbuild

cairns ordeface rocks ortrees t o mark yourway.

Flagging should also be




TRAVEL AND CAMP on Du rab l e Su r f a c e s


RECOGNIZE DURABLESURFACES.W hateffectdoes a footstep hav e?The answeris, itdepends. Afootstep

means differentthings toa tree sapling and mead-owgrass,to leaflitt erand cryptobiotic soil,toa gravely riv erbank andrain f orestmoss.

Unfortunately,tram-pling causes v eget ation

damage and soilerosion invirt ually everyenviron-

ment. Recoverythattakesayearin the southern

Appalachians mightrequire 25 years ormorein GlacierNationalPark,MT. O therimpacts are

also possible. Most pris-tine soils contain animalsthat live orf eed ondecayi ng plants. Trampling

destroys habitatfortheseinsect s,earthw orms,mollusks and snails,aswellas the fungithatf er-

tilize the soiland help

make regrowth possible.Vegetat ion protectsunderlying soils. O nce

plantgrowth i sdestroy ed,erosion cancontinue with or withoutfurtheruse.

Whereveryou traveland camp, use surfacesthat are resistanttoimpactsuch as rock out-crops, sand,gravel,drygrasses, snowor water.

CONCENTRATE USE IN

POPULARAREAS. In popu-larareas,concentrateuse on trails,establishedcampsites,and other

dev eloped sites such as

trailheads and picnicareas. Concentrating use

in these areas and,ifnecessary,on the sur-faces mentioned earlier,w illminimize distur-bances to soils and vege-tation. Because animalslearn t o ex pect people ontrails,they’re less dis-

turbed byencounterswith people on-trail thanoff.

Stay on designated

trails. On trails, walksingle file in the centerofthe tread —even where

it’s wet,rockyormuddy.Trails become progres-sively widerand formparall elpaths where peo-ple walk on trailmargins

ordetouraround obsta-cles. Likewise,“socialtrails”mar campgroundsand otherpopularareas.

Always use establishedroads and trails to visitcampsites and otherplaces of interest. Short-cutting a trail,especiallyon sw itchbacks,has

sev ere consequences.Shortcuts become trailsorgullies t hatrequirecostly restorat ion. Keepoutofareas where



eff orts to restore vege-tation and soils are inprogress.

Boating,fishing andother wat er-based activ-it ies can damage shore-lines,wetlands,andreefs. Inquire locallyabouthowto minimize

yourimpacton theseresources. Alwayschoose durable sites tolaunch,anchor and dock

yourboat,and avoid tidepools,coralreefs or

sites rich in wildlife.Use est ablished camp-

sites. C hoose a well-established campsitet hat’s big enough f oryourgroup. Some popular

areas have officiallydesignat ed campsites,shelters orplatforms.Use ofthese amenities

can reduce damage tovegetat ion and other nat-ural feat ures. Wherecampsites are notfor-mallydesignated, look

forand use sites wherethe ground coverisalreadyw orn away.

Wearsoft-soled shoesand concentrate youract iviti es in the cent erofthe site to avoid enlarg-

ing it.In grizzly bearcountry,

itis advisable t o separatethe sleeping and cooking

areas. Ot herwise, tents,packs, gear,and thekitchen area should beconcentrated in one area

on previouslycompacted,naturallyresistant, orreinforced surfaces. Thisapproach protects sur-

rounding vegetation and

TRAVEL AND CAMP o n D u rab le Surf a c e s

prevents developmentof“satellit e”sites.Also consider your

visual impacton otherusers orwildlif e. Take

advantage ofopport uni-ties to tuck y ourtentoutofviewbehind nat uralscreening such as trees

orrocks.

GOOD CAMPSITES ARE

FOUND, NOT MADE. Whatmakes t he perfectcamp-site? Saf ety, privacy,

and comfortnevergo outofstyle,and securing

such amenities does notent aila ma jorremodelingeffort. We can bring ourown li ghtw eightfurniture

and conveniences along toeliminat e the need tocreate them on-site.C amp stoves,mattress-

es, tables,chairs,lanterns —even solarshow ers —are readilyavail able atreasonable

prices,and t heypack in

and outwit h ease.Leaveyourcampsite

clean and naturallook-

ing —naturalize it. In wild-lands, we are v isitors,butw e are also hosts t othose who follow . They

w illnotice our hospitali-ty, orlack ofit. Litt er,graffiti,tree damage,v isible human and petw aste,unsightlyfirerings and the like aresenseless acts. Bytakingthe t ime to pick up aft er

ourselv es and others,ifnecessary,w e’llallben-efit.

Trees are often dam-

aged nearcampsites.





Take care notto breakoffbranches whilesecuring tentor clot heslines,and when suspend-ing food or game car-

casses. Don’tuse w ire ornails. Place a st uffsackorothermaterialunderropes or where padding

is necessaryto protectbark. Likewise,placelanterns where theywon’tsinge bark. When

traveling with stock,usehigh lines,portable f enc-

ing orhobbles to restrainthe animals w ithouttying

them directlyt o trees.Trees shouldn’tbe tar-gets orstorage sites forhatchets and knives.

Even in campsites,leave the area as naturalas possible. Breaking offa tree branch for fire-

wood creat es an uglyscarand opens the treeto disease. Properf ire-wood collecti on is dis-

cussed underMinimize

Campfire Impacts.

DISPERSE USE IN PRIS-

TINEAREAS. Prolifera-tion oftrails and camp-sites has alarmed bothresource managers and

trav elers across NorthAmerica. Ev en wherevisitoruse has remainedrelatively stable, such as

the Spanish PeaksWilderness,MT,camp-sites are sprouting up intradit ionallylowuse

areas. Visit remote orpristine areas onlyifyouare committ ed to LeaveNo Trace in thatenviron-

ment. U sing es t ablished

TRAVEL AND CAMP o n D u rab l e Su r f a c e s

routes,trails and camp-sites is alw ays prefer-able to pioneering newones.

Ifyou musttraveloff-trail,use the mostdurable surfaces such asrock,snowand ice,gravel,sand,and naviga-bl ewater. Drygrasses

and sedges (whichresemble grasses)arealso naturallydurabledue to theirhardy rootstructures and f lexiblestems.

Stick to existing trailswhere soils are prone toerosion,rare speciesare present,orvegeta-tion grows slow ly. Sur-prisingly, some ofthe

mostsensitive plantsand animals grow i n thetoughest places —like thesandy soils ofsouthern

Utah and the rockyledges ofupstateNew York.Avoid creating trail s

and campsit es. Consult

localland m anagers aboutoff-trail traveland theappropriate use ofgame

trails. In general,spreadoutwhen hiking across



vegetation. Ifeach per-son takes a sli ghtly dif-ferentroute,a distincttrailis less likelyt oform because no single

plantreceiv es multi plefootfalls. Walking singlefile is acc ept ablewherethere is little chance oftrampling plants.

O ff-trailtravelmaynotbe appropri ate i nsome areas. Forexam-

ple,golden mountainheat hergrows on a fewrockyledges in the Pis-gah N ational F orest,N C,and nowhere else oneart h. Off-trailhikersand climbers are theonlyserious t hreats toits survival. Ify ouabsolutelymust travelthrough fragile terrain,tryto place y our foot-

steps in the leastdestruct ive locat ions andencourage yourcompan-ions to step in exactly

the same spots.Campsit es.Select the mostdurable camp-

ing locationpossible. Inpristineareas,pre-

existing camping spots,even those thatarelightlyused,should beleftalone to recover.Before unpacking y our

t ent, look forobviousbird nesting activityand

TRAVEL AND CAMP o n D u rab le S u r f a c e s

othersigns ofanimals.C hoose an area thatseems safe,free ofw ildlif e,and w ell suitedto low-impactcamping.

Look fora large rockslab,a graveled area,orother equallydurablespace to locate your

kit chen. Concentrateyour activities on thissurface wheneverpossi-ble to protectmore

fragile areas. Ifneces-sary,reserve lessdurable ground for yoursleeping area.

In prist ine areas,impacts can often beavoided byst aying onlyone night. In these areas,

vary yourroute towater, to the “bath-room”and t o sleepingareas to prevent trails

from f orming. In general,manageyour act ivity toavoid harming the naturalfeatures of the site,especiallythose thatdonotregenerate ordo sov ery slow ly — such aslichens and trees.

BREAKING CAMP. Beforedepart ing,naturalize anddisguise the site by

replacing anyrocks orstick s you may havemoved. Re-coverscuffed-up areas wit h

leaflitt erorpine nee-dles. F luffup mattedgrass and make t he pl aceless obvious as a camp-

site. As long as overallvi sitor use is verylow,the site w illretai n itsbest qualities. Ideally, no

trails orcampsites willbe created if visitors

N O RT H A M E R I C A - 1 0 -



disperse theiractiv ities.

PROTECTWATER

RESOURCES.Sand andgrav elbars along large

riv ers orthe ocean aredurable surfaces thatmaybe suitable for low-impactcamping. How ev-

er,vegetated lakeshoresand the banks ofsmallstreams are fragile andeasilyeroded. Plants and

animals also congregateatthese watersources,

so camp at least200feet(70 adultst eps)awayunless local guide-lines indicate otherwise.In arid regions,t his

practice gives wildlifev italaccess t o pot holesand springs. Bydistanc-ing camps from water,

we are less likely toinadvertentlypollutethem.

Even designated sites

orshelters can be tooclose to trails orw ater

N O RT H A M E R I C A - 1 1-

TRAVEL AND CAMP o n D u rab le Surf a c e s

DISPOSE of Wast e P ro p e r l y

PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT.

“Pack itin,pack itout”is a familiarmantra toseasoned wildland v isi-tors. Any userof recre-

ation lands has a respon-sibilityto clean up beforehe orshe leaves. Inspectyourcampsite and rest

areas fortrash orspilledfoods. Pack outall trashand garbage (kitchenwaste),including left-overfood.

Plan meals to avoidgenerating messy,smellygarbage. Itis criti cal t o

wil dlife that we pack outkitchen w aste,such asbacon grease and left-overs. D on’t counton a

fire to dispose ofit.Garbage thatis half-burned orburied will still

attractanimals and makea site unattractive t oothervi sitors.

Ov erlooked trash is lit-ter,and litter is notonly

ugly — itcan also be dead-

ly. Plastic six-pack hold-ers and plast ic bags kill

shorebirds,sea turtlesand marine mamm als.Fishing lines,l ures andnets ensnare and in jure

everything from dogs toherons,so don’tleaveanybehind.

Carryplast ic bags to



haulyourtrash (andmay be someone else’s).Before mov ing on from acamp or resting place,search t he area for“micro-garbage”suchas bits of food and trash,including cigarette filtersand organic litterlike

orange peels,or egg andpistachio shells. Invitethe kids in y ourgroup tomake a game outofsc avenging f orhuman“sign.”

PRACTICE GOOD

SANITATION.Human waste

“¿Donde está elbaño?”“Ninahit a ji ku ji-

saidie?”No matterhowit’s said,“Where’s t hebathroom?”is an impor-tantquestion,even in

wil dlands. W here there isno bathroom perse,answering the calli nvolves a litt le pre-

planning,some initi ativ e,and a bitofcreativity.The fourob ject ives ofproper human wast e dis-

posalare:•Avoid polluti ngwatersources.•Eliminate contact

wit h insects and ani-mals.•Maximize decomposi-tion.•Minimize the chances

ofsocialimpacts.Im proper disposal of

human waste can lead t owaterpollut ion,the

spread ofillnesses suchas G iardia,and unpleas-antex periences forthose who follow . Wher-

eversoils are thin orsparse,such as the arc-tic t undra or above tree-line,rainstorms can

flush f ood w ast es andotherpollutants fromcampsit es directlyintow ater sources. Contami-

nated w ater is commonnearshelters and huts inthe Whit e Mountains ofthe northeastern U.S.

during the summ er. Bothlivestock and wildlifecan also be responsiblefort he presence ofbac-

teria in wil dland areas.F acilities / outhouses.

W henever possible,taketime to locate and use

bat hrooms, outhouses,and otherdevel oped sitesforhuman w aste dispos-al.

C atholes . Ifno facili-ties are available,depositsolid humanwaste in“catholes”dug

6 to 8 inches deep atleast200 feetfromwater,camp,trails,anddrainages. Bring a trowel

to dig t he hole,and dis-guise itw ellafter use.The microbes found insoilwillbreak dow n

feces and the pathogens


DISPOSE of Was t e P ro p e r l y



theycontain. Don’tl eavehuman w aste underrocksbecause itwilldecomposeslowlythere and maywash into watersources.

Ifthe cathole method isillsuited to y ourgroup,try to camp where anout house or pitt oilet is

available.Good cathole sites iso-

late waste from watersources such as lakes,streams,drycreek beds,rav ines,bogs,potholes,and other visitors. When-ever possible, use a

remote location duri ngthe day’s travelto helpprev enthigh concentra-tions ofcat holes near

campsites.Plan ahead to pack out

the toiletpaperwith youin a plastic bag. This

practice leaves the leastimpacton the area. Oth-erwise,use as little aspossible and buryitdeeplyin the cat hol e.Burning toil etpaperatthe site has caused wild-fires,rarely burns com-

pletely,and is not rec-ommended. “Natural”toiletpaperlike grass,sti cks, and snow can be

surprisinglyeffect ive.Always pack outfemininehygiene products becausetheydecompose slowly

and attractanimals.Latrines. When trav el-

ing w ith children —and inothersituations where

catholes maynotbeused properly —it mightbe best to dig a latrine.Site t he latrine as you

would a cathole and

make sure thatt he routeto the latrine is ov erdurable surfaces. Dig atrench 6-8 inches deep,and long enough toaccommodate the needsofyourparty. Use soilfrom the trench t o cov erthe feces aftereach use.

Dispose oft oilet paperbypacking itoutin a plasticbag orburying itatthebottom ofthe trench.

Naturalize the site bef oreleaving.

C arry ing w ast e out.Visitoruse is often high

and soils sparse in alpineand desertareas. Recre-ation managers trying toprotecthuman health and

watersources employaspectrum oft oiletdesigns and approachesto managing human

w aste —even airlifti ngw aste with helicopters.One option is to carryand use a home-made

containter such as a“poop tube”ora com-mercialdevice designedfortransporting human

waste. Dispose ofthecont ents in pittoilets,porta- johns, oraccord-ing to package instruc-

t ions. Localland man-agers mayrecommendotherappropriate dispos-altechniques.

Urine. W hile the odorofurine can be a problemin arid areas,especiallyalong rivercorri dors,itis typicallynota healthconcern. Uri nate wellaway from camps andtrails. In rainyenviron-

ments, urine attracts


DISPOSE o f Was t e P ro p e r l y



wildlife with salt-defi-cientdiets. Animalssometimes defoliateplants to consume thesaltin uri ne,so urinateon rocks orbare groundrather than on the v ege-tation. W here wateri splentiful,considerdilut-i ng the urine byri nsingthe site.

Special Environments.

Winter. Wint ercondi-tions present s pecial

challenges. Waterisev eryw here —it just hap-

pens to be frozen —andthe soilmay be sev-

eralf eetoutofreach and as hard

as arock. Poopt ubes orother“packing

out”prod-

ucts maybe thebest dis-posal

options

unless youcan locate apatch ofbare ground,usually undera tree wherea trowel

mightpenetrate the duff .Waterw ays. Carrying a

portable t oilet hasbecome a standard prac-

tice on manyw aterw aysand may be required. Atthe conclusion ofa trip,the toilet’s holding tank

is flushed outat a RV orboatdump station. Thestat ion delivers thewaste and toiletpapert o

a municipal sewage

treatmentplant . Thedumping ofsolid humanwaste in landfills is usu-ally illegal. W hile on ariver,be sure to site the

t oilet on a durable spotwhere no new trails w illbe created to reach it.

WASTEWATER. To washyourself ory our dishes,carry wat er200 f eetawayfrom streams or

lakes. Scatter straineddishwater. Hand sanit iz-

ers thatdon’trequireri nsing all owyou t o wash

yourhands withoutwor-rying aboutwastewaterdisposal.

Fordish washing,use a

clean pot orexpanding jug to collect wat er,andtake itto a wash site atleast200 feetaway

from watersources. T hislessens trampling oflakeshores,riverbanksand springs,and helps

keep soap and other pol-

lutants outof the wat er.U se hotwater, elbowgrease,and litt le orno

soap. Strain dirtydish-waterwith a fine meshstrainerbefore scatter-ing itbroadly . Do thiswellawayfrom camp,especiallyifbears are aconcern. Pack outt hecontents of the strainer

in a plast ic bag alongw ith anyuneat en left-overs. Animals shouldnotbe allowed access t o

any human food and foodw aste for reasons dis-cussed in the“RespectWil dlife”section on page

21.

N O RTH A M E R I C A - 1 4 -

DISPOSE of Was t e P ro p e r l y



In developed camp-grounds, food scraps,mud and odors can accu-mulate where wast e-wateris discarded. Con-

tact yourcampgroundhost forthe bestdisposalpractices and otherwaysto Leave N o Trace atyourcampsite.

SOAPS AND LOTIONS.Soap, even when it’s

biodegradable,can affectthe wat erquality of

lakes and streams, sominimize its use. Always

wash yourselfwellawayfrom shorelines (200feet ),and rinse withwatercarried in a potor jug. This allow s the soilto actas a f ilter. Where

fresh wateris scarce,t hink twice before swim-ming in creeks orpot-holes. Loti on,sunscreen,insectrepellent and body

oils can cont aminatet hese vitalwatersources.

DISPOSE OF GAME

ENTRAILS. The remainsoff ish and othergameshould be leftwellaway

from trails,watersources, and campsites.

In some sit uations,itmaybe appropriate tobury,completelyburn,orpack outthe visc erawith the garbage. Offi cialguidel ines andrecom-

mendations varyconsid-erablyfrom place to


LEAVE W hat Yo u F in d

People visit wildlands formany reasons, among them

to explore nature’s myster-ies and surprises.When weleave rocks , shells, plants,antlers, feathers, fossils and

other objects of interest aswe find them, we pass thegift of discovery on tothose who follow.

It’s the missing ele-ments ofour favoriteplaces t hatshould disturbus the most. Leav e WhatYou Find means retaining

the specialqualit ies ofeveryw ildland area — forthe long t erm.

PRESERVETHE PAST. Dis-covering evidence ofearliercultures such asclaypots,rock art,andantique glass is exhila-rat ing,and it’s tempting

to take such things

DISPOSE of Wast e P ro p e r l y



home as souvenirs.Archeological and his-

torical artifacts arereminders oft he ri chhuman hist oryofthe

landscape and belong toallpeople f oralltime.Structures,dwellingsand artifacts on public

lands are protected byt he ArchaeologicalResources ProtectionA ctand the NationalHis-

toric Preservat ion Actand should not be dis-turbed. These includeseeminglyinsignificantpotsherds,arrowheadsand logging or railroadequipmentfrom 50ormore years ago. Itisillegalto excavate,dis-turb or remove theseresources from anypub-lic lands. Observe butdo

nottouch t hem.

LEAVE NATURAL

FEATURES UNDISTURBED.

Load yourcamera,notyour packs. Letphotos,drawings and memoriescomprise your souvenirs.

Although naturalob jectsmay be collected on some

public lands,apermitis

oft en

required. C ollecting isprohibited in nationalparks and w ildliferef uges. Federallawapplies to wildlands. F or

example,t he federalMigratoryBird TreatyActprotects the nestsand feathers of c ertainw ild birds. Practice andencourage restraint.

Help children investi-gate the role ofsea

shells and other naturalob jects in theirow nenvironments. R emind

them t hatt hese thingsfillimportantecologicalniches:an antlerisgnawed bya kangaroo

rat;a scorpion f indsshade undera piece ofdriftwood;some petri-fied wood shelters the

entrance of a pika’s bur-row;and a featherisw oven int o the nestof anosprey. Ob ject s in naturederive much oftheirbeautyfrom their sur-roundings and neverlookquite the same back

home.

AVOID SPREADING NON-

NATIVE PLANTS AND ANI-

MALS. Invasive species ofplants,animals,andorganisms c an causelarge-scale,irreversible

changes to ecosy stems


LEAVE What Y o u F ind



by eliminating nativ especies overtime.Acc ording to the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service,invasive species havecontributed to the declineof42 percent oft he

country’s threatened andendangered species. Atleast1.5million acres ofNat ionalPark Service

lands are severelyinfested. Invas ive plantsaffectev ery habitattypefound in national forestsand Bureau ofLand Man-agementlands in the U .S.There is no eff ectiv etreatmentf ormany

invasive species and weare losing t he native,liv ing naturalheritageprotect ed lands were

intended to conserve.Recreat ionists playa

role in the spread ofinvasives bytransport-

ing live animals, plantsand seeds,and agents ofdisease such as G iardia.The pot enti alfornew

infestat ions increaseseverydayas more andmore outdoorseekerstravel from one wil dland

to anotheraround theglobe. On campsit es inthe Bob MarshallWilder-ness, MT, for example,three of the four mostcommon species are non-native plants.

We can help prev entthe spread ofinvasivespecies byfollowing afewpractical sugges-tions.

•Don’ttransportflow-ers,w eeds,oraquatic

plants into wil dlands.•Emptyand cl ean y our

packs,tents,boat s,fishing equipmentandothergearafter everytrip. W ater,mud andsoilmaycontain harm-

fulseeds,spores,ortinyplants and ani-mals.

•C lean the dirtoutofyourboots ortiretreads.

•Neverdisc ard orrelease live bait .

•Make sure pack stockand pets are immu-nized,and theircoatsare free ofseeds,

twigs,and harmf ulpests such as ticks.

•Ifyou carryhay orother feed,make sure

it’s w eed-free. Feedpack animals food t hatis certified weed-freeforat leastthree days

before entering w ild-lands.

• H elp landowners or

land managing agenciesinitiate controleffortsby alerting them toinfested areas.


LEAVE Wh at You F in d



The natural appearance of many recreation areas has

been compromised by thecareless use of fires and the

demand for firewood.Campfires are beautiful by

night. But the enormousrings of soot-scarred

r ocks—overflowing withashes, par tly burned logs,

food and trash—areunsightly. More important,

campfires can and do ignitewildfires.

Some ofus grewupwith the tradition of

campfires. Buttheyareno longeressential t o

comfortand food prepa-ration. Manyl asting

impact s associated withcampfires can be avoided

by using li ghtw eightstoves, fire pans,mound

f ires and otherLeave NoTrace techniques.

USE A STOVE. Visitorsshould carrya stove,

pot,matches and suffi-cientfuelto cook all

meals. Build fires onlywhen condi-

tions areright —

the

dangerof wildfire is low,downed and dead wood isplentiful,and there i s

sufficienttime to pre-pare the fire sit e,burn

MINIMIZE C a m p f i re Im pac t s

allthe w ood to cold ash,and clean up.

F ires are inappropriatein fragile env ironmentswhere plantgrowth isextremelyslow . Woodfrom an arctic willowor

alpine krumholz, which ishundreds ofy ears old,

will burn onlya f ewshortminutes.

BUILDA MINIMUM IMPACT

FIRE.Considerwhethera

f ire makes good sense atyourpicnic orcampsite.

Ifa campfire is impor-

tantto you:

•Ask about pert inentregulations and camp-

fire management tech-niques.

•Judge the w ind,weath-er,locati on,and w ood

availability. D ecidewhetherit’s saf e and

responsible to build acampfire.

•Where there are nofire rings or grates,bring a fire pan or setaside time to build a

mound fire.•H ave a trowelorsmall

shov eland a containerforsaturating the

ashes with w ater.

Use an established fire

ring. If you camp nearanexi sting rock ring,use it

i nstead ofbui lding a newone. The mostinviting

fire rings are ofa rea-sonable size and free ofexcess ashes,half-




MINIMIZE C a m p f i re I m p act s

burned w ood and trash.Leave a fire ring thatencourages others who

wanta fire to use it.Beach f ires. Agravel

barorbeach campfire ismade byexcav ating a

shallowdepression in thesand or gravelalong the

shorelines ofoceans orlarge riv ers. Make sure

to remove all t he ash,and scatteritbefore

ref illing the depression.

If left in place,the ashwill“float”t hrough thesand or gravel, and the

fire site w illbe obviousto others.

Pit fires. Pitfires arecampfires built in a shal-

low pitwhere there is nooverlying vegetat ion. Use

gravely,rockyor sandysit es only. Avoid organic

soils and duff,and placeswhere the fire could

damage plants orothernaturalfeatures. R emov e

and scatter the ashesbef ore filling in and cam-

oufl aging the pit.Mound orpan fires.

Fire pans are metaloilpans oraluminum roast-ing pans thatmake goodcont ainers forlow-

impact fires. Use a panon a durable,unvegetat ed

surface awayfromcliffs oroverhangs.

Line itwith afew inch-

es ofi norganic soil,andelev ate itwith st ones topreventdamage to vege-

tation and soils below.Drilltw o or three holes

t hrough the side of thepan to att ach itto a pack

w ith cord f ortransport .Mound fires are built

on pedestals ofsand,gravel,or on soilw ith a

low organic cont ent. Tryt o disturb as little vege-

tation as possible w hen

collecting this material .Haulitt o a durable firesit e using a stuffsack (itwillrequire severalloads). Constructa

pedestal 6-8 inches t hickand 18-24 inches in

diameteron top ofa tarporground cloth. This

helps facilitate cleanup.The clot h can be rolled up

underthe edge ofthemound to prev entembers

from singeing it . Athickenough mound insulates

the ground and the tarpor ground cloth from the

heatofthe f ire. Be sureto ret urn the soil t o itssource when the f ireis c omplet ely

out.




USE DEADAND

DOWNEDWOOD. Keepfires small. Don’tsnap

branches offof trees,either living or dead,because this scars t hem.Forexample, in t he early

1980s,95percentofthetrees in Eagle Cap

W ilderness,OR,camp-sites were damaged by

people col-lecting

firewoodor

damaging tree trunks.

U se onlystick s from theground that can be broken

byhand. Largerpieces ofdowned w ood play an

important and unique rolein nutrition,watercycling and soilproduc-

tivity. Theyprov ideshelterforwildlife suchas lizards and,w hile

decaying,germinationsites for manyplantspecies.

F irewood smallert han

t he diameterofyourwristbreaks easily and

burns complet elyto ash,making clean up easier.

H alf-burned logs presenta disposalproblem — and

often a disagreeable sightforthe nextcampsitevi sitor. The use ofhatch-ets,ax es or saws isn’tnecessary ordesirable.In the backcountry,gath-

MINIMIZE C a m p f i re Im pac t s

er firewood enroute toy ourcamp so the areaaround yoursite retains

a naturalappearance.

MANAGEYOUR CAMP-

FIRE. No matt erw hichcampfire technique you

employ:

•Never leave a fire

unattended.•Don’ttryto burn foil-lined packets,leftoverfood,orothergarbage

thatw ould have to beremoved lat er.

•Burn the wood com-pletelyto ash: Stop

feeding the f ire, andgive yourself an hour

ormore to add alltheunburned stick ends.

•Saturate the ash withw ater. Make sure it’scool t o the touch,andremov e anytrash.

•Scatter allthe asheswidelywith a small

shovel orpotli d.

•Rest ore the appearanceofthe f ire site.

In popularareas, leav e

a single,small,cleanrock ring centered in the

campsite. Dismant le andclean up any extra fire

rings. Ifa fire grat e ispresent,don’t build or

use a rock ring. Leavet he grate clean and ready

forthe nextperson. In

remote areas, clean upthoroughlyand disguisethe fire site to make itappear as naturaland




RESPECT W i l d l i f e

The stark truth is, if wewant wild animals, we haveto mak e sacrifices.

—Colin Tudge, WildlifeConservation

Encounters withwildlif e inspire talltalesand long moments ofwonder. U nfortunately,wildlife around the world

faces threats from lossand fragmentation ofhabitat,i nvasive

species,pollut ion, over-ex ploit ation,poachingand disease. Protect edlands offer a lastrefugefrom some,butnotall,ofthese problems. C on-sequently,wil d animalsneed recreat ionists whowillpromote theirsur-

vivalratherthan add tothe diff iculties theyalreadyf ace.

We know thatanimals

respond to people in dif-ferent ways. Some

species adapt readilytohumans in theirdomain,resume theirnormalbehaviors and are said tobe “habituat ed.”Otheranimals flee from

humans,abandoning theiryoung or critical habitat.Stillothers are attractedand endangered byhuman

food and trash.Because outdoorrecre-

ati on is dispersed ov erlarge areas and atall

times ofthe year,it s

impacts on wildlife canbe equallyextensiv e.Fish,birds, and rept iles,

as w ellas mammals,areaffect ed bypeople using

theirhabitat s. W e areresponsible forcoexi st-ing peacef ullywithwildlife.

OBSERVE FROMA

DISTANCE.Always watchorphotograph animalsfrom a safe distance toav oid start ling them orf orcing them to flee. Donotfollowor approachthem. If you’re hunti ng,know your game and takeonlysafe,clean shots.

U se the observationareas,platf orms and

trails provided in manyareas,and bring binocu-lars, spotting scopes,and telephoto lenses towat ch w ildlife. Backaway ifanimals reactt oyourpresence. T o leave

t he

area,move awayfrom

t he animal even ifyoumustdetourfrom y ourintended traveldirect ion.You have more opt ions in

yourmovement s thananimals do. Treatthemgenerously .Avoid quick mov ements

and direct eye contact,which maybe int erpretedas aggression. Don’tdis-turb wildlife (i. e. by

shouting to gett heir




att ention)t o geta betterphot o. If animals are onthe move,stayoutoftheirline of trav el. Trav-elquietlyexcept in bear

ormountain lion country.Don’thike atnightwherenocturnalpredat ors maypresenta hazard t o safe-ty.Adultbehav iors infl u-

ence the relationship ofchildren t o the nat ural

w orld. Showrespectandrestraintbyteachingchildren not to approach,petorfeed wild animals.

Alway s k eep children inimmediate sight. They’reoften the same size asanimalprey. D on’t encir-

cle or crowd w ildlife,tease orattemptto pickup a wild animal. Younganimals,removed or

touched bywell-meaningpeople,maybe abandonedby theirparents. If youfind an animalin trouble,notify a game w arden.

AVOID SENSITIVETIMES

AND HABITATS. Consider

the seasonal stressesthat wildlife face. Insome situations,av oidt heir habitats,for your

safetyand the animals’.


For example,in MarkTwain NationalForest,MO,wi ntert ime dist ur-bance ofendangered Indi-ana and graybats great-

lydecreases theirchance ofsurvival.Grizzlybears frequentberrypatches in l atesummerin Montana.Eagles and songbirds arewary ofhumans andtrails when choosing

nesting territori es inearly spring in manyw ildland areas.

In general,animals are

sensitive to recreation-i sts w hile pursuing anddefending mates and t er-ritories,birthing,guard-

ing young ornests, andw hen food is scarce. Themore y ou understandabouta species, the

more considerate youcan be oft he animal’sneeds and temperament,especiallyatcritical

times and in criticalplaces.

NEVER FEEDANIMALS.

Feeding wildlife damagestheirhealth, alters nat-uralbehav iors,andexposes them to preda-

tors and ot herdangers.





Headlines are made whenwildlife is attracted tohumans and theirfood.Bears getthe most atten-ti on fortearing intotents,coolers and cars insearch of a meal,butcampers more commonlyhave to dealwit h the

annoyance ofrodents,raccoons or birds lookingfora handout . T hese ani-mals pose littl e threatto

human safety,buttheirpresence is a nuisance,they can be vectors fordisease,and their

reliance on human food isa detrimentto theirownwell-being.

Human foods and prod-

ucts are harmfultowildlife because animalswould otherwise forageand eata nutritious dietderived from theirnat-uralenvironment. Seri-ous illness or death canoccurwhen wildlife con-

sumes food wrappers,vehicle antifreeze andother“inedibles.”Animals are adept

opport unis ts . Whenoffered the temptationsofan untidybackcountrykitchen or a handoutfrom

a curious camper,theycan overcome theirnat-uralwariness ofhumans.Aggressive ordestruc-

tive behaviormayfol-low,and in conflicts w ithhumans,animals ult i-mately lose. Prospects ofan easy mealalso lurewildlife into hazardouslocales such as campsit esand trailheads,roads and

entrypoints,where t hey

can be chased bydogs orhitbyvehicles. Theymay

also congregate in unnat-

uralnumbers,increasingstress and the spread ofdisease wit hin their pop-

ulat ions.

STORE FOODAND

TRASH SECURELY.“Food”

includes garbage, cannedfood,stock feed,petfood,fueland scented orflavored toiletries. The

saltin hiking boots,back-packs or clothing alsoattracts manysmallmammals. Appropriate

storage and transporta-tion methods varycon-siderablyfrom place toplace,so consultlocal

land m anagers aboutt hebestpractices. Keep aclean camp byremovingallgarbage and ev en t he

tiniest food scraps. Becaref ulnotto drop foodon t he trailas well.

In bearcountry,hang

“food”from tree limbs12f eetoffthe ground,6feetfrom the tree’s

trunk,and 6 feetbelowthe supporting limb,orstore itin speciallydesigned bear-resistantcanisters oron-sit e lock-




Today, we must sharewildlands with people of all recr eational persua-

sions .There is simply not

enough country for ever ycategory of enthusiast tohave exclusive use of trails, lak es, river s, andcampgrounds.

Yetthe sub jectofoutdoor“etiquette”isoften neglected. We’rereluctantto examineourpersonal behaviors,l eastofall in wildlandswhere,to many,asense offreedom isparamount.

RESPECT OTHER

VISITORSAND PROTECT

THE QUALITY OF THEIR

EXPERIENCE.Some people

v isitw ildlands to en joyquietand solitude. Others

come forcomraderie.Even remote wildlands

are under increasing usepressure. So,w henever

possible, find an estab-lished campsite outofsightand sound ofot herv isitors.

C hoose to maintain acooperativ e spiritinwildlands. Ourinterac-tions should ref lectthe

knowledge thatwe canand do relyon each other

w hen mishaps occur.More often than not, our

experiences ultimately

N O RT H A M E R I C A -2 4-

BE CONSIDERATE of Ot her V i s i t o r s

ers. Canisters are avail-able forrentand sale atsporting goods suppliersand some land manage-mentagencies. Used

properly,theyensure agood night’s sleep fory ouand a naturaldietf orbears.

CONTROL YOUR PET.

Wildlif e and pets are not agood mix —even on a leash,dogs harass wil dlife anddisturb other visitors. Thebest opti on is to leavethem athome. Obedience

champion ornot,everydog is a potentialcarrierof diseases thatinfectw ildlife.

If you musttravel withyour pet,check f orrestrictions in advance.Most nat ional parks pro-hibitdogs on alltrails.

E nsureyouranimalis ingood condition forthetrip. Dogs should havecurrentvaccinations toavoid being carriers oforcontracting infectiousdiseases such as rabiesand parvo-virus,espe-

ciallyin areas with w olfpopulations. Always usea collarand a shortleashto control yourdog.Remove petfecesfromtrails,picnic areas,and campsites by dis-posing ofitin a cathole,as youwould




BE CONSIDERATE of O t he r V i s i t o rs

depend on our treatmentofothers and theiratti-tudes tow ard us.

Although ourmotiv ationsand sense ofadv enture

vary, there’s alwaysroom on the trailforpeople w ith open mindsand generous hearts.

YIELD TO OTHERS. The

little things are often themostimport ant. Simple

courtesies such as offer-

ing a friendlygreeting onthe trail,wearing earth-toned clot hing to blend in

with the scenery,step-ping aside to letsomeone

pass,w aiting patientlyfora turn,orpreservi ng

the quiet,allmake a dif-ference.

Showyourrespecttonative peoples whose

communities and seasonalcamps support a subsis-

tence lifesty le in a w ild-land setting. Be friendly,

unobtrusiv e and self-suf-ficient . Take note of trib-al land boundaries,askpermission to cross pri-

vate lands,and obeyspe-cial l aws and restric-

tions. Uphold voluntaryclosures ofpublic lands

forNat ive Americanreli gious ceremonies.

Likewise,don’tdisturbthe livestock or equip-

mentofranchers,anglers,loggers,trap-

pers, miners and otherswho derive theirincome

from the permitted use ofpublic lands. Leave gat es

open or shut,as you findthem.

Groups leading orridinglivest ock have the right-of-way on trails. Hikersand bicyclists should

move to the downhill sideand talk quietly to the

riders as theypass,since horses and other

pack stock fright en easi-ly. Stay in controlwhile

moving quicklywhethery ou are jogging,skiing or

riding a mount ain bike.Before passing others,

polit elyannounce your

presence and proceedwith caution. Boaters,climbers,campers and

otherv isitors to popularareas frequentlyf ind

themselves waiting inline. Lend a hand,ifappropriate, to help t hoseahead.

KEEP ALOW PROFILE.Take restbreaks a shortdistance from the trailondurable surfaces, such as

rock orbare ground. Ifthe vegetation around you

is thick oreasilycrushed,pick a wide spotin the trail so others canpass by. Ifpossible,camp




outofsight and sound oftrails and othervisitors.

LET NATURE’S SOUNDS

PREVAIL. Av oid the use

of brightli ghts,radios,electronic games and

other intrusiv e dev ices.To some,technologyis a

necessity even in wild-lands. To others, itisinappropriate. Av oid con-flicts bymaking a con-

scious effortto alloweveryone his orherown

experience.Some outdooractivi-

BE CONSIDERATE o f Ot h e r V i s i t o rs


t ies are necessarilyloud.

The discharge offirearms can be heard

formil es,t he barkingfrom a sled dog team

almostas far. As m uchas possible,keep the

noise down,especiallyatnight ori nremote areas.

Sight-in rifles on a firingrange. Teach dogs to be

quiet. Wearheadphonesto listen to music. Keep

voices low. Use cellularphones discreetly. Most

ofall,tune in to the



WILDLAND ETHICS

Those of u s wit h a stake in thef uture of wilderness must begin to

develop… an agenda which willplace a clear, strong, national

focus on th e question of theresponsibilit y of the wilderness

user to wilder ness.

—Paul Petzoldt

PaulPet zoldtbelieved in the

power oft he“wild outdoors”

to make us bett er,more capa-

ble,compassionate people. Overa70-year careerhe traveled

wild lands around the globeteaching technicaloutdoor

skills, leadership and “expedi-tion behav ior”to t housands ofyoung adults. Paulw as an advo-cate nonpareilofyouth and

wilderness. The f atherof“min-imum impact”died in 1999atthe age of91.

Like others,Paulnoticed thatout door recreation altered the

land,buthe was the first todevelop a systematic approachto reducing the impacts ofcamping and outdoortravel. Atfirstthis meanttossing tin cans

into the w illows where theywouldn’tbe seen and buil ding

smallerf ires. Ultimately,itmeantan entirelynewwayofseeing and appreciating nature.

Paulthoughtthatpeople could

en joyw ildlands w ithoutharming

them — iftheyw ere educated.

Millions ofoutdoorenthusiastshav e shared his dream ofsus-

tainable outdoorrecreation. Butthatdream is fading as more

and more acres are losttodevelopmentaround the globe.

The pursuitof non-motorizedout door recreat ion,long consid-

ered a“non-consumptive”useofwildlands,is taking a tollon

nativ e species,the appearance

ofthe land,and the quality ofourexperiences.We can travel the w orld,

climb the peaks,ride thew aves,fl oatthe rivers,and

saildown the single track,butwewon’tsave a single acre

unless we putourexperiencesto use as wildland advocates.

The future ofwil dlands andwildlife depends on responsible

recreation — and a whole lotmore.




Contactland m anage-mentagencies and groupsin yourarea to learn how

y ou can help. Be active inthe planning and manage-

mentof areas thatareimport antt o you. Volun-

teer forclean up efforts,trailmaintenance, and

rehabilitation pro jects,ororganize them foryour localarea. Getinv olv ed and let your

opinions on land use beknown. Today,that’s

whatan outdoor ethi c is

A FINAL C h a l l e n g e

allabout.Informat ion on obtain-ing Leave No Trace cur-

riculum materials,courses and trainings is

available by calling 800-332-4100or visiting the

extensive LNT website:www.LN T.org.

A notherresource f orvi sitors using motorized

ormechanized craftorvehicles is the Tread

Lightlyprogram. ContactTread Lightly, Inc. at

(800) 966-9900or

N O RT H A M E R I C A -2 8-

A FEW TERMS D e f i n e d

cryptobiotic soils: Living soil“crusts”containing

mosses, lichens and algae.

established campsite: Campsite made obvious by

dev eget ated ground or“barren core.”

invasive species: Plantor animal t hataggressively

out-competes native species.

pristine: A place where signs of human i mpactsare absent ordifficultto detect.

socialpaths: Paths created by travelling on non-

durable surfaces between campsit es and othersites ofinterest.

krumholz: Stunted forestcharacteristic oft imberline.

Written byTami Pok orny

Illustrations by Jacque Devaud & Scott Knauer

C over Photo: CarlYarbrough Photography

leave no trace, outdoor skills and ethecs

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