Leave No Trace - Part 1

Today we are talking about Leave no Trace. What does this mean, why is it important, and how

do we do this with our dogs.

What is it? In the simplest of terms it is best practices we should follow to enjoy

and protect our natural spaces.

There are 7 principles for Leave no trace all proven by years of study to lower the

impact humans (and dogs) have on plants, animals, and even entire ecosystems. With over 100 million visitors on more than 10 billion outings in the U.S each year in state, city and national parks and forests— humans take a toll on the outdoors.

The great outdoors are broken up into two areas, backcountry and frontcountry.

The backcountry, mostly used by overnight hikers or backpackers, these areas are not easy to get to and are not normally crowded.

The Frontcountry is accessible by car for day use or car camping, think state or national parks and forests, some city parks or beaches.

The 7 principles from the NPS website-

● Plan Ahead and Prepare-

1. Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you’ll visit. - look it up online, stop by the welcome center or ranger station for a chat.

2. Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies

3. Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.- bonus less people means for fun!

4. Visit in small groups when possible. Consider splitting larger groups into smaller groups.

5. Repackage food to minimize waste- pre pack your meals into one bag or do some meal prep before leaving. Less work at the camp means more fun.

6. Use a map and compass or GPS to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging. Don’t rely on your cell phone. Know where you are going and how to get there.

● Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces-

1. Durable surfaces include maintained trails and designated campsites, rock, gravel, sand, dry grasses or snow.

2. Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.

3. Good campsites are FOUND, not made! Altering a site is not necessary. In popular areas- concentrate use on existing trails and campsites. Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy. Keep campsite small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent. *

In pristine areas ( this is areas mostly in Backcountry that have not been disturbed by humans)- Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails. Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.

- Dispose of waste properly-

● Pack it in, pack it out. inspect your campsite, food preparation areas, and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out ALL trash, leftover food and litter.

● Utilize toilet facilities whenever possible. Otherwise, deposit solid human (and dog) waste in cat holes dug 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, camp and trails. Cover and disguise the cat hole

when finished. OR bag it and pack it out.

● Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products. EVEN if they are biodegradable. These products will still leave a trace and impact on the land.

● to wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lake and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. scatter STRAINED dishwater.

- Leave What You Find-

● Preserve the past: examine, photograph, but do not touch cultural or historic

structures and artifacts.

● Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.

● Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.

● Do not build structures, furniture or dig trenches.

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