Going outdoors to enjoy the fresh air and be one with nature can truly be a wonderful experience…and quite addictive too. As the call of the wild is heard by more and more people, the need to protect the Great Outdoors also increases accordingly. Each of us who have come to enjoy the time spent hiking, camping or mountain climbing must learn outdoor ethics and let others be aware of it as well.
Leave No Trace is one such organization which sought to raise awareness about responsibly enjoying the Great Outdoors as well as training outdoors managers in order to help spread the word about reducing impact on the environment when camping, hiking, hunting, and other outdoor activities. LNT is not a set of rules and regulations that is imposed on anyone who wants to experience the outdoors, rather Leave No Trace is about outdoor ethics – enjoying the great outdoors responsibly and educating others to do the same.
Leave No Trace has 7 core principles that aim to guide each outdoor enthusiast:
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
Planning your trip well and preparing for it not only reduces impact on the natural and cultural features of the campsite, but also make your trip enjoyable and worthwhile.
- Identify the existing campsite rules and regulations.
- Schedule your trip and avoid the peak season.
- Plan your meals, bring proper campsite cooking gear and repackage your food to lessen your trash onsite.
- Always prepare for the worst case scenario such as extreme weather and emergencies but check local weather updates.
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Set up camp on designated areas only. Plants and animals around the camp can easily be disturbed, or worse, damaged beyond repair if visitors simple camp wherever they feel like it. Remember that a camp site is found and not made. Do not alter a site to set up your camp, find the perfect spot for your campsite.
- Durable surfaces mean recognized trails and campsites.
- Camp at least 200 feet away from lakes, streams, and other water sources.
- Keep camping party and the campsite small.
- Use areas where there is no vegetation for your activities – cooking, games, etc.
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
Your trash is something you bring home with after camping. The trash you leave behind can potentially kill wildlife. Food scraps, orange peels, and apple cores take time to break down and may attract unwanted pests into the camping grounds.
- Pack it in, pack it out. What you bring into the site, you should also bring out with you.
- To avoid leftover food, plan your meals well and pack them accordingly.
- For human waste, proper disposal is digging a cathole 6 to 8 inches deep and at least 200 meters away from water sources.
- Wash your dishes using biodegradable soap and throw the wastewater 200 meters away from any water source.
4. Leave What You Find
Remember that you are only a visitor, it is imperative that you leave what you find. You can look but never touch any historical or cultural structures and artifacts as well as natural objects that you find.
- Give other campers, climbers, hikers and visitors a sense of discovery as they find interesting objects, plants, animals, and artifacts around camp or along the trail. You owe them that.
- It may even be illegal to bring artifacts.
- Building structures and furniture should not be done. Digging trenches around your tent is another unadvisable practice.
- Do not transport or introduce non-native species.
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
What’s camping without a campfire? A roaring camp fire is something most beginners have in mind when camping. However, the overuse of fire and the demand for firewood has damaged many areas. If you would really want to build a fire, use an existing fire ring and use dead and downed wood about the size of an adult’s wrist.
- Inside of building a campfire, bring a lightweight camp stove instead. You’ll be able to cook food quicker, and make cleaning up so much easier. There’s also no need for firewood.
- Enjoy your dinner with a candle lantern. A candle-lit dinner while camping sounds romantic.
- If you did build a fire, keep it small and burn all wood and coals to ash. Put it out completely, remove unburned trash and food, and scatter the ashes before leaving camp.
6. Respect Wildlife
In the backcountry where wildlife is in their natural habitat, inconsiderate camper behavior may stress the animals. There are also some safety methods that will your camping experience is not suddenly interrupted by a visit from a bear or wolf.
- Watch wildlife from a distance. Do not try to approach them.
- Steer clear of wildlife during sensitive periods when they are mating, breeding, nesting and birthing.
- Never feed wildlife as this can change their natural behavior and put their health and safety at risk.
- Store your food as well as the trash securely to avoid inviting animals into the camp.
- Control your pet/s at all times.
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors
You are not the only one who loves camping, hiking, trekking, or climbing. There are many outdoor enthusiasts who find pleasure in the Great Outdoors. Sometimes, you may even see each other on the trail or set up camp next to one another. Outdoor ethics is really important.
- Keep your noise down; it not only disturbs fellow campers but wildlife as well.
- Select and set up camp several feet away from another camp.
- Keep the camping party small or in the recommended number by the campground admin.
- Respect other visitors and campers.
Going camping is something like visiting a friend’s house. You extend every courtesy and do your best to leave his home just as you found it when you arrived – no writings on the wall or a messed up guest room.
Leave No Trace aims to teach outdoor enthusiast the proper ethics when enjoying the Great Outdoors. And yes, Leave No Trace really means leave no trace so check your campsite for gum wrappers, cigarette butts, and other trash before heading out.