Leave No Trace is Alive and Well in Alabama

By Skip Essman, Alabama State Advocate

I have had the position as State Advocate since 2002 when Ben Lawhon asked me to take it. Even though I was only a Trainer and at that time the requirement said you should be a Master Educator he said the Center thought I had what it took to hold the position, so I said OK and have never regretted my decision.

Since holding the position I have had many opportunities opened to me that I don’t think would have if I didn’t hold the position. If anyone ever asks you to hold the State Advocate position jump at it and you won’t regret it either.

We (myself and many of the Trainers and Master Educators) have been invited to Outdoor Expos, many training events for Scouting, meetings that the State of Alabama have and numerous events for hiking clubs and outdoor organizations.

Now here we are in January 2009 and the calendar is filling up quick. I will be attending a meeting held by Conservation Alabama Foundation where they plan on uniting all conservation minded groups and work together to the betterment of Alabama and Conservation.

Then in February I will be attending a meeting of all the Superintendents of the State Parks and will speak to them about their involvement with Leave No Trace as a Partner. I am really looking forward to that as I already know several of these leaders and supervisors.

We will again be hosting a Trainer Course in February at Camp Tukabatchee with several of the state trainers and Master Educators as instructors.

As was stated earlier, I was a Trainer when I first became State Advocate, but as of November 2008 I became a Master Educator. This was in part to the hard work of Charlie Thorpe and Ken Bauer both Master Educators here in Alabama. The course was held a weekend in October and one in November. I truly feel now that I qualify as State Advocate.

Throughout these years I have tried to contact many outdoor groups such as Bassmasters and Buckmasters with almost no luck with response. However a few years ago I received a Bassmaster magazine and saw where a member in Delaware was complaining about the trash in the water. He mentions about hikers packing it in and packing it out and why couldn’t fisherman do the same. I responded with the LNT message and it was printed in the next edition. So if you don’t get responses one way don’t give up, your chance might come in a different way.

Just think how clear and clean our hiking trails and streams would be if everyone would just carry a large trash bag into the woods with them everytime they went and took out everything that didn’t belong there. SO THE NEXT TIME YOU GO INTO THE WOODS THINK ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD FEEL IF SOMEONE CAME INTO YOUR HOME AND THREW TRASH ALL OVER THE HOUSE. We are visitors in nature’s home let’s act like it and be kind to her.

So in closing this I would like to thank Ben for offering the position years ago and I will continue as long as you all want me to do this rewarding undertaking. Thanks again and I’ll see you down the trail or wherever we meet.