Many of us have heard the phrase, "Take only pictures, leave only footprints" when it comes to preserving the outdoors for future generations.
Leave No Trace
Leave No Trace, a member-driven organization in all 50 U.S. states and more than 30 countries working to educate people about outdoor ethics, offers seven principles to go by while you're on your next outdoor adventure.Plan ahead and prepareTravel and camp on durable surfaces.Dispose of waste properly.Leave what you find.Minimize campfire impacts.Respect wildlife.Be considerate of other visitors.
The phrase is simple, much like the meaning behind it: if you love a place, avoid leaving an impact that will negatively affect someone else's enjoyment of that area. There are many ways that we can adversely affect trails while hiking or camping, but with a little foresight and planning, we can avoid these mishaps, says Chattanooga's Emily Marr Davis, a Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics master educator.
"Be considerate of other visitors," says Davis. "That beautiful flower you saw, leave that behind for other people to find and enjoy. Don't write on things or carve things into trees. It disturbs other folks' comexperience and has negative effects on the environment."
Though many of us know the basics of being a good steward to the environment, there still are some important facets of respecting natural areas that may not be common knowledge. For example, Davis says that our usual inclination when coming across a muddy patch or puddle on a trail is to walk around it - instead, Leave No Trace supports walking through the obstacle.
"Say you come upon a puddle or mud hole and walk around it. The people behind you may do the same thing and when folks keep walking around it, they'll make the trail wider. The next time it rains, the puddle will get bigger and bigger," she says. "With some planning and preparation, you could wear Gaiters or other shoes to walk straight through that."
Davis says that something as seemingly harmless as talking on the phone while hiking can also be a disturbance to someone else's outdoor experience. "Don't talk on your cell phone loudly or smoke while you're out on the trails," she says. "Some people are out there trying to enjoy nature and they may not be feeling that if they are hearing your phone conversation."
For more information on lowering your impact on the environment or detailed descriptions of the seven principles, visit www.LNT.org.