For many, getting outdoors has been an excellent way to fight the doldrums of pandemic restrictions and prevent the inevitable weight gain of staying at home on the couch too much. But it has been noted that those now participating in outdoor recreation have perhaps not been educated in the need to “leave no trace,” resulting in a heavy impact on local natural spaces and national parks and forests. But, as the saying goes, “Bigfoot has been doing it for years! So can you.” If he left a trace, someone would have found him by now, right?

The 7 Leave No Trace principles are suggested ways to reduce our impact on the natural places we love to visit. They include such concepts as “Know Before You Go” - making sure you understand where you are going and what the regulations are at that location. Is this place easy to find? Are the trails well-marked? Can you bring dogs? Are there restrooms? Do you have to pack out everything you pack in, including waste products? Is this going to be a strenuous hike that I might not be ready for? Will I need to bring special supplies? Is there potable (drinkable) water at this place? These are all fairly important things to know before you head off to your adventure.

Another principle “Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces” talks about staying on trails when they are provided and determining the best places to walk when trails aren’t provided. Trails can be a safety factor for people and the environment - often trails lead to places where you might find other people should you need help; they are the first place people look when you aren’t where you should be; and if we stay on trails, sensitive vegetation and other species are protected from being trampled. If there aren’t trails, staying on durable surfaces keeps the surrounding area looking as nice for the next person as it looked when you got there.

These are just the first 2 of the 7 principles. If you want to know more or you want to share with friends and family, there are some great books available for all ages to help in the learning process. You can find them on the LNT website: https://shop.lnt.org/collections/booklets-and-books or you can look them up online. Just make sure the books you find are about sustainable outdoor practices and not getting away with murder!

Learning more about reducing our impact on the world around us and teaching our youth to do the same will move our world in a positive direction so we leave something wonderful for the next generations to enjoy.

As always, if you would like to order books to learn more, Canterbury is happy to help you navigate that process!