What is Leave No Trace?

If you find yourself in outdoor spaces you’ve probably come across the letters LNT or term leave no trace, but do you know what it means? Leave no trace is a non profit organization that was founded in 1994, although the concept has been around for much longer. It may seem pretty obvious and straight forward but there are some rules that may surprise you or things you may not have considered. Additionally the rules are always adapting and changing as they way people spend their time in the outdoors changes and we learn more about best practices.

If you’re new to the term then this is one of the most important things to familiarize yourself with before your next adventure. With the influx of recreators in the outdoors since the beginning of COVID, our trails have been seeing a lot more traffic and it’s clear that quite a few of the people are unfamiliar with the practice. So what are the seven principles of Leave No Trace?

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare

The first rule of leave no trace is quite possibly the most important. Planning ahead and preparing will help you to easily follow the other rules and stay safe while enjoying the outdoors. So what are some things to consider when planning a trip?

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

Stay on the Trail

Probably the most well known rule in this category is to stay on the trail. Constructed trails are an impact on the land but they do reduce the probability of multiple paths developing through an area. Make sure to be prepared with proper attire for wet and muddy conditions so that you aren’t walking on the edges of the trail causing further erosion. Depending on how muddy the trail is it may be best to come back on another day to not cause harm to the existing trail.

If You Have to go Off Trail

Off-trail travel may be required for more remote areas and finding places to use the restroom. If this is required during your hike try to find surfaces or vegetation that is more durable to walk on and keep the number of people walking off trail to a minimum. Some of the more durable surfaces include rock, sand, gravel, ice, and snow. Try to avoid fragile vegetation, living soil, and desert puddles and mud holes as water is incredibly scarce.

Where to Camp

When camping in remote areas try to minimize the number of times any part of the site is trampled. This may mean spreading out tents, changing the camp site nightly, wearing soft shoes around camp, and carrying containers to minimize the number of trips to water sources. When you’ve finished camping try to return the site as close to what it was when you first arrived. This means removing footprints, replacing cleared rocks and sticks and raking matted grassy areas. This will reduce the likelihood that other campers will see the same spot and camp there, causing further damage to the area.

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

Pack it in Pack it out

You’ve probably already heard that saying, and that’s about as straight forward as it gets! Whatever you bring in with you needs to come out. This includes leftover food, peels, kitchen waste like cooking grease, fishing line, half burnt food in fire pits, wrappers and other trash etc… Make sure to carry plastic bags with you to carry out anything you bring in.

Wastewater

Any time you need to dispose of water, whether it was used to clean yourself, dishes, or anything else, make sure to carry it 200 feet away from any nearby streams or lakes. If necessary, strain the dirty water with a fine mesh strainer and scatter it over a large area. Pack out the remaining waste in the strainer with any leftover food or other waste.

Make sure to minimize the use of soaps as they can affect the quality of the water in lakes and streams. Be conscious of any lotions, sunscreens, bug spray, or other personal hygiene products that may contaminate the water if you choose to swim.

Human Waste

Cat Holes: Cat holes should be dug to approximately 6 inches deep and 6 inches wide, and located at least 200 feet from any water, trails, or camps. When finished, the cat hole should be covered with natural materials. If you’re staying in one place for a while make sure to use multiple cat holes over a larger area so there isn’t too much buildup of human waste in one spot. Try to find a site with deep organic soil and bright sun which will help aid with decomposition. Recently, with certain parks and other areas seeing much higher traffic, some are recommending that you pack out human waste as you would with a dog to reduce the buildup of feces in more populated outdoor areas.

Toilet Paper and other Hygiene Products: Toilet paper should be used sparingly and make sure to use only plain non-perfumed brands. It can be buried in your cat hole with other waste, however, I typically prefer to pack it out in a large plastic bag. You can also use natural “toilet paper” such as leaves, stones, and snow. Tampons should be packed out as they decompose very slowly and animals may dig them up.

4. Leave What You Find

Leave any areas you use for hiking, camping, or other activities as you found them. This includes not digging trenches for tents, tables, chairs or other site “improvements”. If you clear an area to camp in, make sure to return items before leaving.

This is one that unfortunately I have been seeing a lot, but please avoid damaging any trees plants or other natural items. This includes carving initials, cutting branches, and picking flowers.

Lastly, only take with you what you brought in. Removing objects such as twigs, seashells, leaves, etc. may seem non destructive at the time but when multiple people do it, it can severely drain an ecosystem of vital resources. The same rule applies to cultural artifacts found on public lands. These artifacts are protected by the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, which makes it illegal to remove or disturb archeological or historic sites or artifacts. This may include pot shards, arrowheads, structures etc…

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts

Here are some things to consider before building a camp fire…

• What is the potential damage to the backcountry? Is there fire danger for that time of year and the location that you’re in?
• Are there restrictions in place for that area?
• How much wood is in the area? If you use some will it be noticeable? Would the growing conditions for trees and other plant life in the area allow for wood sources to keep pace with the amount of wood taken for fires?
• Are the members in your group skilled enough to safely build a campfire and leave no trace?
• Is there an existing fire ring that can be used to build the fire? This is the safest and least destructive way to build a fire.

Once you’ve determined that it’s safe to build a fire in the location you’re in, it’s time to consider how you will build it and clean up in a way that leaves no trace.

• Use small pieces of dead wood that are smaller than the diameter of your wrist. You should be able to break the wood with your hands.
• Make sure to use local wood. Either buy it from a source near your campsite or gather it where allowed. Do not bring it from home as it can introduce non-native bugs and parasites to the area.
• Burn all the wood to white ash, this includes grinding down the coals to ash as well. Once burned make sure to soak the entire fire with water.
• Never burn plastic and foil. Make sure to pack out any campfire litter and other trash once finished with the fire.

6. Respect Wildlife

When observing wildlife, keep a safe distance. 25 meters is typically recommended for most animals and 100 meters (or 1 football field) is recommended for predators such as bears or wolves. Quick movements and loud noises can cause stress for some animals so try not to make too much noise while traveling and do not force animals out of the area. An exception to this rule would be in bear country where it is recommended to make some noise to alert the bears of your presence.

Do not touch or feed the wild animals. Not only could the animals be carrying harmful diseases but it can be dangerous for animals to become accustomed to humans. Additionally, this can cause some parents to abandon their young even if your intentions were good. If you find an animal you think may be in need contact a game warden so they can properly handle the situation.

7. Be Considerate of Others

This is pretty straight forward but still important to be mindful of. Everyone goes to the outdoors for different reasons so here are some things to consider to make sure you are being respectful

• The size of your group. Is it disruptive to the surrounding environment? Can splitting up into smaller groups be beneficial?
• Technology. Are you being respectful with how you use it? Are you being respectful of others privacy? If you play music is it at a low enough level so that you can still be aware of your surroundings?
• Are you following proper right of way and hiking etiquette?
• Are your pets under control and are you properly cleaning up after them?

Following these simple guidelines will help keep these beautiful places healthy so that we can continue to visit them time and time again!