By Eric Fies, Leave No Trace Master Educator
When Robert Frost wrote this iconic stanza in 1916, I’m certain his mind’s eye didn’t picture a trail eroded by overuse, rife with way-trails forged out of convenience, and dotted with bits of pocket litter. He most definitely didn’t imagine the blaring ringtones and loud one-sided conversations from cell phones.
With more people than ever enjoying the trails and natural spaces of our great nation, instilling outdoor ethics in every user is a daunting task—one that is critical in preserving our wilderness experiences and environment. This is where you and Leave No Trace can make a difference.
Many of you are hardy veterans of Leave No Trace, able to recite the Seven Principles verbatim, capable of traversing the forest as if you were Bigfoot himself, and sharing your deep sense of ethics with all whom you come into contact. Others reading this article might be the type who note, mentally, a violation of “what feels right” on the trail but don’t understand what their place is in the Leave No Trace effort or, perhaps, how to correct other people’s behavior.
Understanding the philosophy of Leave No Trace and setting the proper example for others to follow can help foster a sense of stewardship in all people. By sharing these concepts with the people in your life—friends, relatives, and others—the word will spread. When you’re ready, you can give this gift of knowledge to a stranger on the trail and change the world—one person at a time.
The first step is awareness. Take a few moments to learn more about Leave No Trace by taking the Online Awareness Course at https://lnt.org/learn/online-awareness-course. Discuss the Seven Principles with your trail mates and fellow explorers, share Leave No Trace with a passerby, print out and post information on outdoor ethics at trailheads and campgrounds, and take every step as if the entire world were walking behind you, emulating your every move.
My name is Eric Fies, and I’m a Leave No Trace Master Educator. Through these articles, group events, and workshops—and while on the trail—I look forward to interacting with each and every one of you, sharing my love of the outdoors and how together we can learn, practice, and promote outdoor ethics. To learn more, visit www.explorenorthstar.com, join me on Twitter @RangerFies, and look for future articles here in The Keystone Hiker.
Note: The member-driven Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics teaches people how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly. Any copyrighted information has been reprinted with permission from the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: www.LNT.org.