Leave only a Trail

Most Primitive Scouting Experience (MPSE Ireland) has progressed from “LEAVE NO TRACE” to

“LEAVE ONLY A TRAIL”

One of the joys of bush craft is that in its' pursuit we get to spend time out and about in that wonderful variety of habitats and landscapes that together make up this 'green and pleasant land'. However, this is

does effectively sum up in one word the broad range of plants, animals and materials that we encounter and utilise. It's a sad fact that many of these are increasingly under threat from the combination of a changing landscape within a also a pretty crowded island, all of whom are changing climate. directly or indirectly impacting upon the countryside through their demands for food, development and We should therefore ensure that we do not reduce leisure. Add to this the requirements of a diverse any single species' capacity for change itself by range of - increasingly threatened - flora and fauna, overharvesting it or by removing completely mix in a changing climate, and you soon start to potential habitats from an area. So, for example, if realise the enormous pressures that are being foraging for a particular plant, only harvest it if it is brought to bear upon our own local part of the found in abundance, and then take only what you need (and never more than about 10 - 20% of the planet. total). This is especially important if foraging for It is important to recognise that whatever you do un- seeds, roots or fungi as these parts remove the der the guise of bushcraft; be it foraging, fire lighting ability of the individual to reproduce and therefore or tree felling, you, too, will be having an impact. decrease the overall population locally, at least in Luckily, an interest in bushcraft tends to arise from the short term. an innate respect for the natural world and a sympathetic desire to limit personal impacts upon it Likewise, when gathering firewood do not as far as possible. So, as we pursue our craft, if we completely strip one area of every piece of try to observe a few guiding principles we should be deadwood. Instead gather wood randomly from a able to enjoy many guilt-free days out in the woods! much wider area to leave behind both standing and lying deadwood habitat of different sizes for fungi Use resources wisely and invertebrates.

Whilst I find 'resources' a rather impersonal term, it Below is a table listing some of the more popular activities associated with bushcraft, together with their potential impacts, and some ideas of how we may tread more lightly.

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Ways to Minimise Impact(s)

Bushcraft Activity

Potential Impact(s)

Journeying

Disturbance to animal/bird populations Damage

Avoid likely breeding areas, keep to

to plant communities

paths / tracks. Keep to visible paths /

Shelter building

Use of deadwood & leaf litter - wildlife habitats Siting of shelter - disturbance to wildlife Redundant shelters - hazard to wildlife Cordage waste - hazard to wildlife

Fire lighting

Fire damage Fuel wood use Scarring of fire site Enrichment of fire site

tracks.

Only local wood & leaf litter used, returned to area once shelter finished with.

Shelter constructed away from dens, runs and breeding areas.

Shelters broken down and materials scattered after use.

Only biodegradable cordage used / all cordage collected and removed from site Fire use and siting appropriate to location and circumstances. Fire site damped down and scattered after use.

Minimal amount used, deadwood collected if possible. Platform / fire pit used. Fire appropriately sited.

Fire remains scattered widely. Site returned to 'wild look'.

Potentially an 'illegal practice'

Damage to animal/plant populations

Only common species utilised, with respect to individual and population as a whole

Hunting Cooking

Navigation

Fire hazard

(see Fire lighting above)

Fuelwood use

(see Fire lighting above)

Waste generated

Minimal waste generated. All organic waste burnt, inorganic waste removed for later disposal.

Disturbance to animal/plant communities

Potential breeding areas avoided when planning route. Permission sought / only Rights of Way used

Trespass

Water finding / purifying

Use of limited resource (i.e. in drought) Pollution (purifying chemicals) Fire risk Fuelwood use

Tracking Nature Awareness Making cordage

All relevant permissions gained prior to hunting / fishing. Only legal techniques and equipment used.

Water carried in from other source if possible. Correct use of chemicals observed. Waste chemical disposed of correctly (see Fire lighting above) (see Fire lighting above)

Animal/bird disturbance

Breeding areas and animals / birds with young avoided.

Animal/bird disturbance

Breeding dens and areas avoided.

Plant & tree bark collection

Sustainable harvesting - small amounts from several plants / groups of plants. Tree branches utilised for bark rather than main trunks.

Waste wood

All wood used where possible (for fuel, construction etc.)

Wild food gathering

Destruction of animal, bird or plant populations

Only common species chosen, where large population apparent. Only sufficient for use harvested.

Tree felling / wood gathering

Disturbance to breeding animal/bird populations

Trees / wood chosen where no breeding signs (i.e. nests) seen.

Damage to plant communities Removal of live and deadwood habitat

Trees chosen / felled to minimise damage to ground vegetation.

Minimal wood used for task required.

All unused sections stacked and left as wildlife habitat.

Wood Carving / utilization

Local enrichment from waste wood Pollution from oils / finishing products

All shavings etc. disposed of in appropriate location / burnt Only natural oils used. Careful application and removal of spills / waste undertaken.

Leave little trace I believe that one of the ultimate expressions of bushcraft is to have someone struggle to find any evidence of it at all! For instance, it is quite possible with a bit of effort to spend several days in one location and then return it to an almost 'untouched' condition afterwards. Frequently moving your sleeping area around the site helps avoid damaging vegetation by trampling and the careful disposal of ashes and subsequent covering of the fire site should disguise this potential eyesore. Any inorganic waste should be packed out, and organic waste burnt or deeply buried away from watercourses.

This objective can almost be made into an art form in itself; challenge yourself to how little trace of your activities you leave behind. There are often additional benefits to this approach too - cutting wood at ground level not only disguises the action of removing it but for many woody species stimulates regrowth (the reaction utilised when coppicing) and can prolong the life of that individual tree or shrub.

own visual impact on the landscape but you will see far more than you ever thought possible. The wearing of mil itary style camouflage is obviously a very personal choice here, but do be aware that many nonbushcrafters are often wary of camouflage-clad individuals owing to alarmist stories in the 'popular media'!

Finally, compared to many other pursuits and activities which occur within the backdrop of the countryside, bushcraft is perhaps one of the more sympathetic and least damaging. Be proud of this, and continue to strive to reduce your own impacts further still!

Watch more, scare less!

We are fortunate to share this country with a rich variety of wildlife, and indeed for most of us our wildlife encounters are an important part of our experiences.

We do need to be careful, however, that we are not inadvertently causing too much of a disturbance to them as we go about our activities. Particularly during the breeding season it is all too easy to happen upon young birds or mammals or to stray just that bit too close to a nest site. Be conscious of birds or mammals displaying signs of agitation and be prepared to move away yourself.

It's also a good idea to dress in natural hues to blend in with your surroundings; not only do you then reduce your

Permission granted from Huw Woodman huw@bushcraft-magazine.co.uk on 12th July 2010 to MPSE Ireland to circulate this article within Scouting Ireland, mpse@iol.ie.

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