Why Leave No Trace Matters
No matter where you are or what you’re doing, humans have the power to impact the world around us in all sorts of ways. A small impact may seem insignificant on its own, but it can add up over the long term for the flora and fauna of a place.
Whether it’s a river, ocean, desert, forest, peak, or local park, Leave No Trace is a practice of making minimal impact for maximum preservation. Nobody wants to show up at a park or trail to find leftover trash from the people who came before. And there are few things more passively destructive than people walking around mud puddles on a trail, creating ever-widening paths that trample the plants beside them.
The 7 Principles of Leave No Trace are the foundational framework of the concept. These principles are the steps we can take to care for the environments we love to play in — and they’re also great for our own adventure preparation. They really go hand in hand.
Plan ahead and prepare. This minimizes the need for extra impacts while also making your adventure go more smoothly.
Travel and camp on durable surfaces. Minimal impact — and more safety for you and your campsite, too. This goes for biking and driving on trails as well. The desert may look tough, but the surface is delicate, and your tire tracks will likely be there for decades just because you wanted to take a shortcut.
Dispose of waste properly. Pack it in, pack it out, and leave it better than you found it. This also keeps wildlife from becoming a nuisance — or a danger — and can save animals’ lives. If human waste is a question, find out what the area you’re visiting requires or requests before you head out, so you have a plan and the right supplies.
Leave what you find. Take only pictures. We know this one can be tough when you spot a cool flower or a perfectly heart-shaped rock, but it’s important — and it matters even more now, with more people heading outdoors than ever.
Minimize fire impacts. On a large scale, we’ve seen the devastating impact of human-caused fires gone rogue as Western wildfires have grown over recent years. On a small scale — say, your local campsite — keeping that footprint small (or nonexistent) makes a difference. Keep fires in a fire ring, use only dead-and-down wood (or buy it from the campground), or use your own contained device.
Respect wildlife. This one goes without saying. Wildlife isn’t there for our entertainment or an epic social-media shot. They’re wild, even if they seem used to human presence. Respect their space and their habitat, and your adventure will be much more enjoyable.
Be considerate of other visitors. Trail etiquette, loud music, quiet hours, engines and generators, and more. There’s a time and place for most of that, but empathy and kindness go a long way toward helping everyone enjoy their time outdoors and feel comfortable there.
Leave No Trace is really an exercise in building good habits into our outdoor recreation. These practices keep the places we love healthy and enjoyable for generations to come — especially as more people than ever head outside. Let’s work together to make a difference.
