Other Beings Live Here Too! An Exploration of Responsible Outdoor Recreation

By East Underwood

Whether it be a walk in the woods, a swim in a local lake, or perhaps a run down your favorite ski trail, interaction with nature is a fundamental component of life for many in the United States. So much so, in fact, that we are often oblivious to the impacts of our recreation on the surrounding environment. The impacts of ski lifts, mountain bike paths, and hiking trails all remain somewhat unnoticed. Have you ever considered how these fixtures of human recreation coexist with—or perhaps impede upon— natural phenomena? In the past few decades, there have been immense increases in the attendance of outdoor recreation spaces worldwide. High volumes of traffic display nature’s limited ability to withstand impeding human presence without consequence. If humanity continues to seek entertainment from recreational spaces, we must decide as a society to be conscious of our impacts during our time spent outdoors.

In 2020, recreation in the United States and across the globe hit an all-time low. During the height of the pandemic, participation in activities that seemed mundane suddenly posed great risks to human health. As societies begin to emerge from lockdown regulations, National Parks and other public outdoor spaces are suddenly seeing unprecedented attendance numbers. Recently, parks such as Yellowstone and Yosemite have been forced to turn away visitors in peak season due to a lack of available parking. What kind of impact does this constant flow of people have on the non-human species that dwell within these parks? According to the National Park Service, interactions with humans can have serious implications for wildlife health. Their website states that “there are many examples of wildlife in parks dying from diseases given to them by pets and humans.” Large inflows of people transport human-borne illnesses that put native species at risk.

Many similar concerns have been raised as issues with unpredictability and a lack of control over visitors rise.

Visitors have been known to take things from parks, wander off trails, leave trash, and commit other offenses that cannot be easily monitored. Pinecones may seem like great souvenirs, but they are a key food source for critters like squirrels and vital for tree reproduction. Leaving things that do not belong within parks is just as impactful to species’ survival as removing them. Trash and wrappers can easily be confused as food, putting animals in danger of choking or poisoning. Food remnants also put other visitors in danger. Bears can smell leftover food from miles away, putting campers in danger.

In Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park, journalists from the Guardian observed that “a pack of wolves just visible in the distance drew a swarm of vehicles.” This type of crowding not only endangers species such as wolves, but also places ignorant tourists in danger. There are still many questions about how effects like these can be minimized while still allowing everyone to enjoy their time outside.

Dave Kaufman, a Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Senior Lecturer at The University of Vermont, has some nuanced perspectives on environmental grievances. With over 30 years of experience in the Vermont tourism industry, Kaufman is an expert on human relations to the environment. He feels the misuse of recreational resources is due to a lack of environmental understanding and is a significant issue in the tourism industry. Hiking trails are accessible to the public, but even though you can place an informative sign to educate hikers, you cannot guarantee they will read or follow it.

When one considers participating in outdoor activities, climate implications cannot be ignored. Anthropogenic climate change is an issue that plagues the environment and challenges humans’ ability to sustain their way of life. The impacts of human action are already evident in recreational sports, especially in the state of Vermont. Shorter ski seasons and less-than-ideal conditions are issues that jeopardy of the ski industry’s future, Kaufman is not at all concerned with the future of recreation. When prompted about the human ability to recreate due to a warming planet, he states, “[people] are always adapting and a shorter ski season will just create an extended mountain bike season.”

Although Kaufman is optimistic regarding the future adaptability of human recreation, he says that considerable changes must be made to the way that humans interact with the environment if we are to sustain existing resourc pact recreation are sloganed as attempts at “eco-tourism.” How does one become an eco-tourist? Well, there are many brought outdoors.

Another seemingly simple but incredibly vital practice is to follow given markings and trail signs in any area. These signs are in place for a reason, and by obeying their guidelines you can protect the complex ecosystems that surround these destinations. Additionally, most individ- timent of “leave no trace,” which pertains to carrying out equipment, trash, and anything else that might have been uals opt to take their automobiles to any given location due to convenience. Next time you partake in recreational outdoor activities, consider utilizing public transportation, biking, or walking.

The final piece of easily adoptable advice when participating in outdoor activities is to consider the time at which you choose to do so. Going at an irregular hour and avoiding mid-day crowds could provide you and the creatures that reside there with a far more enjoyable experience and lower volumes of pedestrian traffic. The variety of actions that individuals can take to reduce their negative impact is limitless; even the smallest considerations can contribute to positive results. Outdoor recreation is a gift and privilege many people in the United States take for granted. In order to continue enjoying the wonders that natural resources provide, we must make efforts to deserve them. H