LEAVE NO TRACE
Since I was a young girl, I have loved being outside.
Growing up you could find me at the stables, covered in mud, or cantering along the beach at a staggeringly slow pace. (I’ve always been a bit of a scaredy cat)
Fast forward 20 something years, and although life looks a bit different, being outside is always what makes me feel most alive.
Better yet, I love learning to push myself outside of my comfort zone, spending time in the worlds most beautiful places, forever in awe of our incredible planet.
I was recently thinking about how special hiking is. How some of the world’s best kept secrets are only accessible by foot. How you have to work hard and break a sweat to reach them, and how these places are so far removed from the world we have created, that you can truly sit in silence and feel like you are the only person around for miles.
Unfortunately though, on some recent hikes, I’ve started to notice more and more litter.
Plastic water bottles left at the top of summits, and face masks everywhere. On a trip to New Hampshire in 2020, I counted 5 masks on a single trail. I’d like to think that these weren’t dropped on purpose, but regardless, we really must take better care.
So, it got me thinking. . . . What can I do, to take better care of the trails?
Leave No Trace is a non-profit organisation, dedicated to their mission of protecting the outdoors by teaching and inspiring people to enjoy it responsibly.
If you are interested in learning more about safeguarding the outdoors, I would highly recommend taking a look at their website, as they provide an enormous wealth of scientific education and information.
Ultimately though, Leave No Trace is built upon an easy to follow framework of 7 principles.
To prevent the need to be rescued, ensure you have the right clothing (including footwear), be aware of your skills and abilities as well as those in your group, consider the weather and have food and plenty of water.
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Stick to the trails to minimise footpath erosion and scarring to the landscape. Avoid camping close to trails and water sources. Choose a campsite that is already so heavily impacted that further careful use will cause no noticeable damage.
If you bring it with you, take it home with you. In other words, ‘pack it in, pack it out’. If you need to go to the bathroom in the wilderness, there is a bunch of information on digging ‘cat holes’, what to do with toilet paper, and how to dilute urine.
Don’t pick flowers, don’t damage trees and leave the sticks alone! In many national parks, it is illegal to remove natural objects.
Stick to using stoves for minimal impact cooking, and build fires only within existing fire rings. Don’t leave fires unattended, and make sure you extinguish them properly.
Observe wildlife from a distance so that they don’t feel afraid as well as ensuing your own safety. Do not feed the animals, partly to prevent association of food with humans, and also to keep the animals healthy. In Yosemite National Park, I saw the most overweight squirrels you have ever seen (all because we feed them).
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors
Leave no trace consider this to be one of the most important elements of outdoor ethics. Maintaining courtesy to others ensures enjoyment for everyone.
I’ve barely scratched the surface here. There really is so much information provided by Leave No Trace provide that you can dive into.
I’d bet every single one of us can learn something new from their guidance – whether you are a well-seasoned backpacker or new to the hiking world. In actual fact, I’d say these principals can be applied to pretty much anywhere, so we can all start looking after our beautiful planet together.
If you’d like to support Leave No Trace further, you can donate to their efforts here. You can even join their membership scheme, and receive a heap of additional benefits such as discounts on your favourite outdoor brands.
See you on the trails