If you have spent any time in or around the outdoors, hopefully you have heard of Leave No Trace. What exactly is Leave No Trace and why is it important? Leave No Trace is an organization that traces its roots back to the conservation movement of the 1960’s and 1970’s. The modern organization was borne of a partnership between the United States Forest Service, The National Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management as a means to educate outdoor users rather than regulate, or over-regulate, the outdoors.
The conservation movement found momentum and continued to grow and expand throughout the 1980’s. In 1990 Leave No Trace (LNT) was selected as the name for an expanded national program. The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) was tapped to develop LNT educational material and training courses. NOLS taught the first LNT Master Educator course in the Wind River Range in 1991.
Today the organization sponsors a number of efforts including the Leave No Trace Travelling Trainers, co-sponsored by Subaru USA. The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics sponsors and conducts scientific studies and research further expanding on the body of knowledge related to land ethics.
For more information about the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, visit their website.
Land Ethics
The Land Ethic is a change in how we relate to the land, a paradigm shift of sorts. It helps us move from a “conqueror and user” of the land, to a “member and citizen” of the land. It implies that the land has a right to be respected and continue to exist.
“The Land Ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plant, and animals, or collectively; the land.”
Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1949), 204.
Ethical decision making as related to the outdoors considers a desired action and what impact it has on the land, identifies alternatives, and chooses the on of least impact.
“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.”
Ibid., 224–225.
The first step to embracing outdoor ethics is to recognize that outdoor activities cause an impact to the land, water, natural resources, animals, and people. Once one accepts this, one can then realize choices exist that increase, neutralize, or remove that impact. Practicing outdoor ethics is the art of recognizing these choices and selecting the action that reduces impacts when possible.
The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace
#1 – Plan Ahead and Prepare
#2 – Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
#3 – Dispose of Waste Properly
#4 – Leave What You Find
#5 – Minimize Campfire Impacts
#6 – Respect Wildlife
#7 – Be Considerate of Other Visitors
