THREE MONTHs of LEAVE NO TRACE
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10 VIDEOS
RADICAL RESEARCH FROM LEAVE NO TRACE SHARABLE SKILLS FOR 2016
EDUCATION IN MOTION Find out when Leave No Trace will be in your neck of the woods.
JANUARY 2016 | www.LNT.org
JANUARY 2016
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the fantastic 4 Updates for outstanding outdoor advocates.
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super skills to share in 2016 Help others have a fun and safe 2016 with these Leave No Trace skills.
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3 months of leave no trace Your membership at work January through March.
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traveling trainer tech tips Light up your campsite, beat boredom, and more helpful hacks!
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new research is here From trail use to bouldering in Rocky Mountain National Park, take a look at what we have learned.
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Top 10 videos of 2015 Picked just for you by Leave No Trace. Cover photo: Leave No Trace Trainer atop Emory Peak in Big Bend National Park, Texas. Big Bend embodies more than 1,200 species of plants and more than 56 species of reptiles. Additionally, Big Bend is the largest protected area within the Chihuahuan Desert in the United States.
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Leave No Trace Pro Shop Stay hydrated with new water bottles on sale this season!
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the fAntAstic Updates you need to know right now
In November, Leave No Trace joined the U.S. Forest Service and select non-governmental organizations, in Washington D.C., to work on trail sustainability strategies. At four recent athletic races, Leave No Trace taught 24,600 participants and spectators how to minimize their impacts on race day and beyond.
During Louisiana’s Hot Spot, Leave No Trace and volunteers collected 1,500 pounds of garbage from the Bayou Teche, one of the newest, nationally designated paddle trails. In partnership with Penn State University, the Center finalized a cuttingedge youth focused study that will begin in 2016. A volunteer braves an oncoming storm to participate in a river clean-up during the 2015 Bayou Teche Hot Spot week. Bayou Teche was one of 12 Leave No Trace Hot Spots in 2015. The Center has just released the locations of the 16 Hot Spots for 2016.
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skills to pass on in 2016
For over 20 years, the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics has had strong relationships with our public lands managers. In numerous conversations with our agency partners, whether at the federal level, like the National Park Service, or Bureau of Land Management, or at the regional and local level, like State, County, and City Parks, land managers seem to consistently struggle with similar managerial and educational problems. Lack of planning and preparation on the part of visitors, improper disposal of human waste, and negative human/wildlife encounters routinely rise to the top of their list of concerns. Remember, very few recreation impacts are due to malicious intent. As in the cases outlined above, it’s typically that an individual isn’t aware of the long-term, cumulative effects of their impacts. Once people understand the reasoning behind various recommendations or regulations, they are often much more likely to change their behavior. Here are a few simple skills for you to share with others in the new year:
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Know local land manager regulations. Depending on what public lands you’re recreating on, the regulations regarding campfires, pets, permitting and camping, visitor-fees, etc. could vary widely. Doing a little research, either online, using a guidebook, or even a simple phone call to the visitor center or a local guide or outfitter could save you a mountain of uncertainty, ensure you’re more prepared, and help ensure that a safe and enjoyable experience is had by all.
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Know the weather. Perhaps no greater planning error leads to more incidents than lack of proper preparation for weather. Online weather resources like www.weather.gov can be very location specific and are becoming extremely accurate. Never venture out for an outing without a good understanding of the expected weather and the appropriate gear.
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Dispose of human waste properly. If you are unaware of the local regulations, or are not near a provided facility please use the following objectives to make the best decision on disposing of human waste properly. 1) Prevent contamination of water sources by disposing of waste at least 200 feet from water sources. 2) Prevent the spread of disease by ensuring that waste is properly buried and inaccessible to animals. 3) Minimize aesthetic impact by buring waste away from recreational areas. 4) Maximize decomposition rate by taking oxygen, UV light, and moisture into consideration when deciding where to dispose of waste.
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Don’t burn TP. Numerous brush and forest fires have been directly attributed to the attempted burning of used toilet paper. While well intentioned, in reality this practice is not recommended for a couple reasons. 1) Used, dirty, wet toilet paper simply does not burn well or completely, and 2) Toilet paper is easily carried away by wind, increasing the likelihood of a burning wad getting away. Instead of burning toilet paper, either pack it out or bury it deeply in a cathole.
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Habituated Wildlife. Perhaps no other user impact has such long term negative implications as the intentional or inadvertent feeding of wildlife. Be sure to follow local land manager recommendations related to food storage, whether that’s storing items in your vehicle, in provided bear bins/canisters, or utilizing a bear hang.
THREE MONTHS OF LEAVE NO TRACE by: Dana Watts, executive director
2015 seems like a distant memory, yet it was a monumental year for Leave No Trace for three important reasons. First, we launched a critical, multi-year campaign, Leave No Trace in Every Park that works to provide Leave No Trace education to everyone who visits and spends time in parks, forests and protected areas in the United States. Second: we debuted the Leave No Trace for Every Kid Campaign that works to bring training and education to the places where kids experience the outdoors, primarily at camps and outdoor youth programs. The third and final reason is YOU. Your dedication and belief that Leave No Trace makes a positive difference on the lands that we all share and love made 2015 a success. You made it possible to reach more than one-million kids last year. You supported research projects to ensure effective Leave No Trace messaging that works, and you helped Leave No Trace social media to surpass the 150,000 friends and followers mark.
Dana Watts and her dog, Coozie, venture out onto Boulder’s Mount Sanitas. Mount Sanitas is located within the foothills of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains and is a popular recreation area for hikers, runners, boulderers, and more.
Throughout 2016, we will again look to involve you to make all that we do possible and build on our two earth-changing educational and outreach campaigns. Here are some highlights of Leave No Trace in action this quarter. We have a running start this month as the Leave No Trace team meets with over 100 of our most critical and loyal partners in the outdoor industry to discuss how they can support training programs for parks, forests and protected areas. We then head to Washington D.C. to further solidify Leave No Trace’s place on the ground at the parks you care about. Later in the month, we bring together the country’s key organizations that provide high-level Leave No Trace education to share ideas and strategies to educate more people in Leave No Trace communities like yours. Photo taken in Mount Rainier National Park, where the Center has worked with park officials, volunteers and the public to rehabilitate the highly impacted Paradise Area.
In February, we will unveil our new Leave No Trace Kids’ Curriculum to the American Camp Association. This curriculum is designed specifically for camp leaders to forward the Leave No Trace for Every Kid initiative. The curriculum also includes a new engagement called Nature Keeper, which challenges kids to practice different principles of Leave No Trace and rewards them after each challenge is completed. Also in February and to support Leave No Trace in Every Park, we will build on our newly created inventory of parks and protected areas that use Leave No Trace. This inventory works to create a minimum standard for a park to be considered a Leave No Trace area. Included in the minimum standard will be the use of Leave No Trace on trail signage, on park websites and the availability of messaging through visitor centers. Come March, look for three new Traveling Trainer teams to join our staff and start traveling the country bringing training and education to millions. Our teams will also kick off three Hotspot programs in California, Georgia and Nevada. Hotspots have proven to be a critical formula for areas that are literally being loved to death. Teams work directly with community leaders, land managers, area volunteers and others to devise a comprehensive Leave No Trace outreach plan and then stay on site to help execute the plan. Hot Spot areas are damaged but can recover and become healthy again after specific Leave No Trace applications. Throughout 2016, we will be working with sixteen Hot Spots across the nation as we rapidly move toward recovering and protecting the places we cherish for future generations. (View the complete 2016 schedule of Hotspots here).
Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers, Steph Whatton and Andy Mossey lead an Awareness Workshop for students at Christianburg Elementary School during the 2015 McAfee Knob Hot Spot week.
These programs provide a snapshot of your membership dollars at work in the first quarter to protect the lands we love. The Center is ramping up its work on public lands to ensure that when you visit a national park, state park, local park or other public lands, Leave No Trace is present with the information you need to make your trip a healthy and safe one for you and for the land. These and all Leave No Trace programs for 2016 are dependent on you — your involvement and support makes it all happen and for that we are grateful. Together we are seeing and experiencing the outcomes of Leave No Trace across the country with healthier lands for us to enjoy — now and into the future. Thank you for walking this trail with us. Have a wonderful 2016!
Applicants wanted! The Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer Program is seeking passionate educators with a road warrior mentality. Deadline: January 25th
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TECH TIPS Did you know that in 2015 the Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers visited 314 parks, spent 645 nights sleeping under the stars, and cooked 934 meals on a camp stove? These outdoor experts know just about every Leave No Trace trick in the book; here are Leave No Trace tech tips perfect for your next adventure.
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Did you remember to bring your camp lantern for hanging around the picnic table at night with friends? If not, we have got you covered. A gallon of water and a headlamp are the only tools you need for your camp made lantern. Simply take your headlamp and wrap it around your water gallon container, facing the light towards the container. Voila, let there be light!
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Making your list and checking it twice? Always remember your favorite lightweight games when gearing up for camping. Any wannabe musicians in your party? Bring the flute and harmonize on! Caught up in your favorite murder mystery novel? Pack it in and relax into the pages. Trust us, with a little bit of prep and imagination, you’ll be hard pressed to find yourself bored while camping under the stars.
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Dog waste is a breeder of disease and germs, such as E. coli, Giardia, Salmonella, roundworms, and Cryptosporidium. These diseases can be passed from animals to humans in areas contaminated with infectious waste of dogs, including playgrounds and sand boxes. What can you do to stop the spread? Simple - bag it out.
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It can be tough packing light and being sure you are well prepared for long hiking adventures. If chilly nights are a possibility and fires are not, find items you can dual purpose for warmth: extra socks become gloves, bandanas double as wind protectors for your cheeks/nose and your buff transforms into a hat. Planning ahead and preparing will maximize your comfort/fun and will also minimize unnecessary impacts!
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Latest Research from Leave No Trace ! The Center’s approach is data-driven, whether conducting its own studies, or drawing from the findings of recent research. The Center utilizes empirical data to ensure strong education programs, highquality training, and sound best practices. The Center is using an approach to explore Leave No Trace-related behaviors of interest which has primarily consisted of visitor observation coupled with survey data. This methodology provides the opportunity to ask study participants what they would do while also observing what they actually do in a park or protected area context. Through a multi-method, experimental design, these kinds of studies allow for the examination of attitudes and motivations that lead to a reduction of recreation-related impact. Check out our video on the latest research from Leave No Trace featuring issues such as undesignated trail use and boulderers’ perceptions of Leave No Trace in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park.
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Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers, Pat & TJ Beezley participate in Fall Seeds, a program for a group of home school students in San Antonio, Texas. During Fall Seeds students make seed balls to throw in areas that need vegetation to help with erosion.
Top 10 videos of 2015
Cheers to a new year! Leave No Trace has selected our favorite videos of 2015 to share with you and fellow outdoor advocates.
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7 1. Leave No Trace Success 2. Top 5 Camping Apps 3. Mount Saint Helen’s Hot Spot Week 4. Bigfoot at the Office - Part 1 5. Bigfoot at the Office - Part 2 6. Nordhouse Dunes Hot Spot Week 7. Leave No Trace at Festivals 8. Disposing of Toothpaste in the Backcountry 9. Camping Considerations: Ladies Only Part 1 10. Camping Considerations: Ladies Only Part 2
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT
with Leave No Trace Community Partners
The City of Greenbelt is in history books as one of the first planned communities in the United States. Greenbelt is unique in that it shares a border with Greenbelt Park, featuring 1,100 acres that contain facilities for camping, hiking, biking, and other outdoor recreation. The City of Greenbelt Recreation Department aims not only to enrich the individual, but to help build community. Alison Longworth, Recreation Coordinator from the City of Greenbelt Recreation Department answers:
Q: Our Leave No Trace partnership will... A: allow us to connect with every citizen and make a positive difference in the environment. Q: Why Leave No Trace? A: To preserve our green space and keep our community beautiful. Q: Favorite outdoor memory? A: Working as a ski instructor in Crested Butte, Colorado in the winter of 2010. Q: Perfect Day: A: Depending on the season: a morning snowboard or stand up paddleboard session followed by an afternoon mountain bike ride.
Leave No Trace Community Partners – businesses, organizations, colleges, universities, non-profits, agencies and others whether directly involved in the outdoors or not, that hold conservation, education and community as core values. Community Partners around the country can play a significant role in the conservation of our shared natural resources, and are vital in sharing and delivering Leave No Trace education, outreach, and training.
Angora Lakes Resort Located in South Tahoe Lake, California, Angora Lakes Resort has been providing unique and quality vacations since the 1920’s. Whether you plan on visiting for the day or spending a week in a cozy cabin, Angora Lakes Resort encourages all users to follow the seven principles of Leave No Trace.
Q: Proudest accomplishment as an organization: A: Our family business as well as our USFS partnership have made for superb Tahoe memories for almost 100 years!
Judith Hildinger from Angora Lakes Resort answers:
Q: Our Leave No Trace partnership... A: dovetails perfectly with our mission to provide a quality experience to visitors as we maintain the beauty of the natural environment.
Q: Why Leave No Trace? A: Why ever not? Be considerate of other visitors - let nature’s sound prevail!
Q: Best trail snack: A: An egg salad sandwich and a strawberry lemonade popsicle at trail’s end.
PRO SHOP SALE The NEW Leave No Trace water bottle is on sale through January! Go far with the new Leave No Trace water bottle! This 24 ounce, BPA free bottle will have you hydrating in style. Grab one before the sale is over!
Education near YOU The Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers are conducting the following events across the country this season. Find out more about how you can get involved by checking out the event calendar. Arizona:
Georgia:
North Carolina:
California:
Missouri:
Pennsylvania:
- Red Rock Ranger District, Sedona, Feb. 3 - Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona, Tucson, Feb. 25
- Vernon E. Greer Elementary School & Valley Oaks Elementary School, Galt, Jan. 21 - Sacramento Valley Conservancy, Sacramento, Jan. 28 - Sierra Academy, Grass Valley, Feb. 4
Colorado:
- Ouray Ice Festival, Ouray, Jan. 14-17 - Student Outdoor Learning Experience Center, Colorado Springs, Jan. 26
- Girl Scout Troop 11808, Alpharetta, Jan. 10 - The North Face Workshop, Atlanta, Jan. 23
- Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri D9 Adult Weekend, Troy, Mar. 18-20
New Mexico:
- Red River Ski Area, Red River, Jan. 29-30
New York:
- Adirondack Mountain Club Winterfest, Lake Placid, Jan. 9 - SUNY Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, Jan. 26
- Mountain Discovery Charter School, Bryson City, Jan. 19 - Base Camp Cullowhee, Cullowhee, Jan. 20
- Wilderness Education Assoc. 2016 International Conference on Outdoor Leadership, California, Jan. 25-27
Washington D.C.:
- The North Face Endurance Challenge, D.C., Dec. 9