What does ‘No Trace Left Behind’ Really Mean?
If you’ve ever gone hiking or camping, you’ve probably been told to ‘leave no trace.’ While many people assume that this just means not leaving trash on the trail, there is actually so much more that goes into leaving no trace.
‘Leave No Trace’ is something that you can practice anywhere in nature, from your own backyard to your next beach vacation. As we all know, it’s super important that we protect the beautiful nature that we have so that everyone gets to enjoy our beautiful planet for years to come. Read on to learn how you can do your part and ‘Leave No Trace’ on your next wilderness adventure!
Plan Ahead and Prepare
When you plan to visit a nature area, you should already be thinking about Leave No Trace. By starting to plan and get ready early, you can make sure that you have everything you need, and you don’t have to make a choice that could damage the environment. Also, planning ahead can keep you safe too, as you'll have time to learn about any hazards, extreme weather, or special rules for the area you are going to be visiting.
To leave the smallest impact, you’ll want to schedule your visit during a time when the area is less busy, which has the added bonus of fewer crowds. It’s also better to visit in smaller groups, so planning ahead gives you time to split bigger parties into smaller groups for camping or hiking. Learn how to read a map of the area so you don’t have to mark your trail with flags or paint. If you have time, it’s also a great idea to put packaged food into reusable containers so that there’s less chance of leaving food wrappers and other garbage behind.
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
One of the big reasons why we want to leave no trace on nature is so that we don’t cause damage to the land, plants or water. Traveling, both in cars and on foot, can damage plants that get trampled and wreck paths. The same can happen where you choose to set up your tent. By making sure that you stay on durable surfaces, you limit the amount of damage you do by traveling. In this case, a durable surface counts as established hiking trails, campsites, gravel, dry grasses, snow, and paved roads.
At the very least, you want to stick to trails and campsites that already exist, and keep off of areas that look like they have never been walked on. Try to keep your campsite small and don’t clear any plants away for extra space. Remember: a good campsite is found, not made. If you are camping near a river or stream, make sure to set up your campsite at least 200 feet away, to protect this delicate environment. And if you are in areas that don’t have marked campsites or trails, try to find durable surfaces to travel on, like rocks, sand or gravel.
Throw Out Your Waste The Right Way
This is probably what you think about first when you hear ‘Leave No Trace.’ The waste that we humans make while enjoying the great outdoors can really hurt the environment if we don’t throw it out properly. It’s always a good idea to check out any campsites or trails that you plan on visiting ahead of time, so that you’ll know if there are bathrooms and garbage cans available.
If you are going somewhere with no garbage cans, you need to take all of your garbage with you. Yes, this does include food waste too. Even if it can be composted, leaving food waste can disrupt animals and delicate ecosystems. You should never burn trash. If you don’t have a bathroom available, dig a hole that is at least 6-8 inches deep and 200 feet away from water, camp and any trails. Bury any toilet paper in the hole, fill it in, and cover it when you’re finished doing your business. Finally, when you wash dishes (or yourself), keep your water 200 feet away from lakes or streams and use biodegradable soap. Any dirty dishwater should be scattered, not dumped in one place.
Leave What You Find
While we don’t want to leave anything in the natural areas we visit, we also can’t take anything extra with us. It might be tempting to take a cool rock as a souvenir or build a shelter with some branches lying around, but everything you see has an important role to play in the ecosystem and shouldn’t be disturbed. Plus, if you take the coolest fossil with you, then the next person who comes down the trail will miss out on seeing it!
If you come across cultural or historical artifact, be it in nature or at a historical site, don’t touch it! Just take a look or a photo. Leave natural objects like rocks, sticks, and plants where you found them too. You should also never plant non-native species of plants or release non-native animals into a new ecosystem. Ecosystems have a delicate balance that can easily be upset by a new plant or animal. In fact, even building a fort or digging a trench can hurt ecosystems, so leave things the way that you found them.
Lower The Impact of Your Campfires
Don’t worry, we’re not going to tell you that leaving no trace means no more campfires. But there are some tips and tricks you can use to lessen the impact that your campfire has on nature. There are three big ways that campfires can cause damage: forest fires, high demand for firewood, and invasive species. If you can, it’s always better to use a camping stove for cooking and a candle or lantern for light to cut down on the amount of fires you are lighting.
When lighting a fire, make sure to use fire rings, pans, or mound fires that have already been set up in your campsite. These are always the best places to build your fire. Keep your fires small and extinguish them with water, not dirt, once you’re done using them. A good rule of thumb to follow is to only use sticks you find on the ground that are small enough to break with your hands. To stop the spread of invasive species that like to hide in firewood, wait until you get closer to your final destination before buying firewood (generally within 50 miles). Burn all the wood in your fire down to ash to make sure the fire is completely burnt out and NEVER leave a fire unattended.
Respect Wildlife
Whenever you visit nature, it’s important to remember that you also are visiting the home of many wild animals. Not respecting the rules of leave no trace can lead to more aggressive animals, negative human-wildlife interactions, and animals having to be relocated because they lose their habitats. We can keep our animal friends safe by respecting wildlife whenever we head out into nature.
If you see animals in nature, watch them from a safe distance and don’t try to follow them. Never try to feed animals or leave them food either. It damages their health and can change their behavior, exposing them to new dangers and predators. If you choose to bring your pets with you, you must be able to keep them under control so they don’t disturb any wild animals. You should always avoid animals during winter, mating, or nesting seasons, and stay away if you see any animals raising young. These are times when animals are the most sensitive.
Be Considerate of Others
Finally, one of the most important parts of leaving no trace is taking care of and being kind to your fellow human. This makes sure that everyone is having a good time enjoying nature. Damaging your surroundings, not controlling your pets, and making too much noise can ruin the experience for others around you. Being considerate to others lets everyone enjoy nature in their own way.
Speak with and interact with other people respectfully so that everyone can have a great experience. Make sure to share the trail and ask what side of the trail to move to if you see people coming in the opposite direction. Take breaks and set up your camp far away from trails and other people to give them and yourself privacy. And try to keep your voice down and don’t play loud music. Wild animals and any people camping nearby will thank you!