Looking out my back door

Hope you are having a wonderful holiday season! Probably like me, many of your are taking this time to relax, reorganize and reinvigorate.

I've been going through my photos from the last twelve months and there were a lot of great trips and memories! However, this photo was, by far, one of my favorites - my backyard in the summer time.

Rarely does Denver look this green but we were pretty fortunate to have a wet late Spring, which means tree plantings and thriving vegetable gardens.

Here's to your favorite green space, be it your backyard, or the backcountry. Thanks for helping support Leave No Trace in 2010 - see you next year!

Sarah

A short history of Leave No Trace

Leave No Trace was incorporated as a 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization in 1994, though the Leave No Trace concept is over 40 years old. Leave No Trace was formally conceived of by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service in the 1960’s. However, as public land use expanded and land managers witnessed the biophysical effects of this use, the Forest Service along with the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management developed early wilderness ethics practices.

By the mid-1980’s, the Forest Service had a formal “No-Trace” program emphasizing the cultivation of new wilderness ethics and sustainable no-trace travel and camping practices. The success of this program lead to cooperation among the Forest Service, National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management’s authorship of a pamphlet entitled “Leave No Trace Land Ethics.” In the early 1990s, the Forest Service worked with the National Outdoor Leadership School to develop hands-on, science-based minimum impact education training for non-motorized recreational activities.

An outdoor recreation summit was convened in 1993 including the various outdoor industry and sporting trade associations, NOLS, nonprofit organizations, outdoor manufacturer and federal land management agencies to create an independent 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization called Leave No Trace, Inc. The organization, now known as the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics (the Center), was incorporated to develop and expand Leave No Trace training and educational resources, spread the general program components, and engage a diverse range of partners from the federal land management agencies and outdoor industry corporations to nonprofit environmental and outdoor organizations and youth-serving groups.

In 2000, the Center entered into the first of a series of Memorandums of Understandings with four primary federal land management agencies including the United States Department of Agriculture — Forest Service and the United States Department of the Interior — Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park Service. In 2007, the National Association of State Parks Directors, the governing organization for state parks in the United States, and Leave No Trace created a formal affiliate partnership to expand the possible use of the Leave No Trace program on state park lands.

In just over a decade, the Center has developed a comprehensive, three-tiered training system, encompassing field courses such as the five-day Master Educator course and workshops that range from an hour to two days. The Center also expanded Leave No Trace teaching tools adding educational activity guides, reference cards for various types of outdoor use, and expanding on the Leave No Trace Skills & Ethics booklet series for distinct activities and ecosystems.

Major program development in the last decade has focused on providing quality Leave No Trace education while broadening the program’s reach including: 1) A Traveling Trainer Program that has grown to three teams of mobile educators that travel throughout the continental United States teaching Leave No Trace and providing grassroots support to build Leave No Trace education and outreach programs at the local level. In 2007, a mobile summer educational program called the “e-tour” was added to the Center’s traveling educational offerings; 2) A youth program called PEAK — Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids — that reaches over 100,000 diverse youth annually with direct programming; 3) Custom frontcountry programs for regional, state and city parks; 4) Complex community initiatives including a State Advocate program that encourages localized support and training as well as regional volunteerism; 5) International programs, training options and branch organizations in Australia, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand; 6) and an extensive scholarship program for various training as well as materials grants for educators.

Today, the program reaches millions of Americans and dozens of countries each year with minimum impact training, educational tools and information. Corporate partners, individual members, foundation support and the sale of Leave No Trace educational materials provide the primary support for the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. A national, voluntary Board of Directors made up of leaders from the outdoor industry, national youth-serving organizations, nonprofit organizations and the scientific community provide strategic leadership and set policy. Staff headquartered in Boulder, Colorado carry out the organization’s programs and mission-related work.

For more reading, and a link to the extended history, see our website.

Prince William Forest Park takes 1st Place with their Leave No Trace themed float!

Recently Jenn Kays, Park Ranger - Interpretation/Volunteers-In-Parks Coordinator from Prince William Forest Park, took part in a holiday parade in Dumfries, Virginia . Jenn, co-workers, and volunteers decorated a bunch of electric vehicles like reindeer and each one represented one way William Forest Park 'goes green.'

Prince William Forest Park staff and volunteers were awarded first prize in the business/organization category for their entry! To learn more, click here. Way to go crew!

Happy Holiday Season to all Leave No Trace Supporters! Hope you have a great winter season!

Leave No Trace DVD - Short, Inspiring, and nearly FREE for you

Leading a presentation? Need to jump start your inspiration?

Presented by the National Park Service, this 9 minutes and 30 second video is an inspiring testimony of individuals who love the land. It introduces the ideas and principles of Leave No Trace and the importance of taking a personal role in preserving the outdoor experience for future generations. Under special agreement with the National Park Service, we are distributing this video for a small fee to cover shipping and handling.

Pick up your copy here:

https://store.lnt.org/teach

Burning Trash

Thanks to all of you who posted comments on our recent Facebook question: Is it ever OK to burn trash in your campfire? Why or why not?


How many of us have seen a trashed fire ring? Trash begets trash. It's just a fact. Ideally, all trash should be packed out, every time, everywhere. Burning trash is generally not acceptable under any circumstances. Even paper products, while combustible, don't always burn completely and can lead to flying embers. Another item that shouldn't be burned is food. It generally takes a hot fire to fully combust foods, and leftover food scraps are a strong attractant to wildlife.

Another issue is the toxins released from burning different items. The Missoula Technology and Development Center (MTDC), a USDA Forest Service research facility, released a study in 2004 on campfire toxins which can be viewed here: http://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs/htmlpubs/htm04712833/index.php

For more research on campfire impacts, visit: http://www.springerlink.com/content/m533171002750054/

For your next campfire, keep the following in mind:

• Ask about pertinent regulations and campfire management techniques.
• Judge the wind, weather, location, and wood availability. Decide whether it’s safe and responsible to build a campfire.
• Where there are no fire rings or grates, bring a fire pan or set aside time to build a mound fire.
• Have a trowel or small shovel and a container for saturating the ashes with water.
• Never leave a fire unattended.
• Don’t try to burn foil-lined packets, leftover food, or other garbage that would have to be removed later.
• Burn the wood completely to ash: Stop feeding the fire, and give yourself an hour or more to add all the unburned stick ends.
• Saturate the ash with water. Make sure it’s cool to the touch, and remove any trash.
• Scatter all the ashes widely with a small shovel or pot lid.
• Restore the appearance of the fire site.

RippleLife.org

Early in 2010, Curtis Baffic contacted Leave No Trace with a benefit fundraising idea that was realized as RippleLife.org.

Now, RippleLIfe.org takes on a variety of environmental issues with the goal of cleaning up the outdoors. The latest is a Cigarette Butt Redemption and Recycling Program that you can learn about on his website. You can even donate proceeds to the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics through this initiative. Curtis's innovative cigarette butt initiative and concept are worth learning more about.

2011 Membership T-shirts

That's right 2011 Membership T-shirts are in stock and rolling out the door as we speak. How do you get your hands on one? Well its easy! Just click here and sign up to become a member of Leave No Trace. If you donate $35 or more you to can show your activism and stewardship. Already a member? Don't wait, renew NOW and extend it by another year. Oh yeh we also have female sizes!!!


In addition to the T-shirt your membership includes the following benefits:

• One year subscription to Learn.Network.Together., Leave No Trace's electronic newsletters that keep you updated on programs;
• Personalized Leave No Trace membership card;
• Membership Resource Guide to help you get involved and stay connected;
• Invitations to attend events and presentations in your area by others in the Leave No Trace community;
• 10% discounts on Leave No Trace educational materials and merchandise;
• 10% off your gourmet backcountry purchase at PackIt Gourmet [email us for your password].
• Leave No Trace bumper sticker and reference card;
• Eligibility for the Subaru VIP Partners Program after six months of being a member, helping you save as much as $3,300 when you purchase or lease a new Subaru;
• Unique discount opportunities from other Leave No Trace partners for cool schwag and gear;
• Access to the on-line Coleman Pro Store to take advantage of exclusive prices on quality outdoor gear and accessories; (email us for your password)
• Satisfaction that you are furthering your essential role in spreading Leave No Trace.

Campsite of the Year Survey

On Tuesday, we asked our readers to vote for the most inviting campsite out of four choices, Long Key State Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Lake Wenatchee State Park, and Monument Valley. We received 42 votes and the campsite of the year was Lake Wenatchee State Park with 23 votes. Monument Valley trailed behind in second place with 9 votes and Long Key State Park and Joshua Tree tied for third place with 5 votes each.


We stayed at Lake Wenatchee State Park in March of this year and it was a remarkable spot. The campground was still in winter mode, which basically means that you have a limited number of spots to choose from but there was still a heated bathhouse available (after a year on the road we have really learned to appreciate a nice, clean campground bathroom with hot water). There was only one other group at the campground, and as you can see from the photo the reflection of the snow covered peaks in the lake was simply breathtaking.




All the best,

Agata and Jason

Boy Scout Training in the Sunshine State and Beyond

"Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I will remember. Let me do, and I will understand."
-Confucius

Throughout the 2010 Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer season, we worked closely with the Boy Scouts of America to share the fundamentals of practicing and teaching Leave No Trace in the scouting community. We led awareness workshops for packs and troops, attended regional camporees in ten different states, facilitated workshops with leaders, provided ten days of outreach at the National Boy Scout Jamboree, and most recently instructed our first Boy Scout and leader only Trainer Course.

The Boy Scouts of America have an estimated 4.5 million members nationally and as one of the nation’s largest youth serving organizations the fact that the BSA is adopting the Leave No Trace program as an organizational norm is critical for the outdoor recreation community.

In 2010, the unveiling of new awards and leadership positions within the ranks of the Boy Scouts of America has created a consistent demand for Leave No Trace Trainer Courses to be offered around the country to Scouts of all ages and experience levels. Last November, we facilitated a Trainer Course with Boy Scouts and leaders from various councils throughout the state of Florida. The 16-hour course focused on instructing the fundamentals required to teach others the skills and ethics of Leave No Trace. Throughout the course we drew on the words of Confucius as the Scouts enjoyed experiential learning opportunities and personally connected with the idea "Let me do, and I will understand." The participants were introduced to various methods to minimize impacts on the outdoors, and each led a lesson covering a different principle or topic for the whole group.

For the new position of Leave No Trace Trainer within a troop, completing a Trainer Course is required. The Trainer Course assists the student participants in learning more about the seven principles of Leave No Trace and techniques for disseminating these low impact skills. Opportunities for experiential education in the outdoors create connections between the human and natural communities for Scouts of all ages. Learning through doing develops the ethics behind taking on individual responsibility and a sense of stewardship for public lands. Trainer Courses also offer diverse student groupings with students of various ages and experience levels and allow for a unique learning dynamic promoting exploration and dialogue from varied life perspectives.

With so many millions of Scouts enjoying the outdoors with Leave No Trace in mind, outdoor recreation adventures can be safer and more responsible experiences for Scouts of all ages. With eight new Leave No Trace Trainers in the state of Florida, the Leave No Trace program will be taught to many new Scouts in several councils.

Student help hikers "Know Before They Go"

Students from Glen Cove Elementary in Roanoke, VA adopted their local Appalachian Trail Kiosk and gave it some much needed attention.

Check out the photos:

Before

After

Thanks to these students local hikers can learn how to take care of our shared public lands by leaving no trace. Glen Cove Elementary was a Leave No Trace grant recipient and also worked with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's "A Trail to Every Classroom" program.

Our 2010 grant recipients have done some amazing work in their local communities and we'd like to thank them for all of their volunteer work! Check back in January for 2011 grant deadlines.

Campsite of the Year Survey

It's survey time! This year, we've traveled through 36 states and camped almost 100 nights. We've stayed at many different campsites and we'd like you to pick your favorite. Take a close look at the following four pictures, follow the link at the bottom of the blog, and choose the campsite that is the most inviting to you.

Long Key State Park, FL

Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Lake Wenatchee State Park, WA

Monument Valley, AZ

Tell us what you think. Take the survey here.

All the best,

Agata and Jason

Leave No Trace Polo Shirts have Arrived!!

Now you can look your best, and promote your favorite cause at the same time. Great for the casual days in the office, or presenting Leave No Trace when a t-shirt isn't appropriate.

These super comfortable Polo shirts are made by Econscious out of 100% organic cotton, and are durable, comfortable, and great looking!

You can find them in our online store.

Leave No Trace Video by Michael Ramsey

Leave No Trace from Michael Ramsey on Vimeo.

The North Face Endurance Challenge-San Francisco, CA

Ultramarathon Man Dean Karnzes prepares kids for the half mile Karno Kids Run.

The fifth and final stop of The North Face Endurance Challenge took place at the beautiful Marin Headlands in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area just north of San Francisco. On Saturday, runners braved the elements as they tackled the Gore-tex 50 mile race, 50k race, or the full marathon. The athletes exhibited unbelievable endurance and strength as they, one by one, triumphantly crossed the finish line. An addition to the race line-up was the Karno Kids Run. Led by ultra-marathon runner and North Face athlete Dean Karnazes, who is best known for epic journey completing 50 marathons in 50 days, the Karno Kids Race challenged children to a 1/2 mile run around the festival grounds. The children had a blast running and receiving their medals as they crossed the finish line.

Sunday was dedicated to the half marathon, 10k, and 5k races. With approximately 2,000 athletes on the course over the weekend, The North Face encourages all participants to practice Leave No Trace during the race, and to pack it in, pack it out.

Whether you are an ultra-marathon runner or a once in a while jogger, The North Face Endurance Challenge embraces all athletes in their quest to "run farther than you ever have". Check out The North Face website for dates of the 2011 series!

Happy Adventuring...Kate & Tracy

Most Impact - Kitchen or Sleeping Area?

Thanks to all of you who posted comments on our recent Facebook question: Which area of your camp receives the most use –sleeping area or kitchen?

Generally speaking, the camp kitchen receives more impact than sleeping areas. While there are certainly exceptions to the rule, the majority of time in camp, for most groups, is spent in the kitchen area. This is particularly true if there is a fire ring in the kitchen area - think about all those feet moving around the campfire trying to avoid the smoke ("I hate white rabbits, I hate white rabbits..."). For most sleeping areas, whether using a tent or not, there is generally minimal impact in terms of trampling, scuffing, micro-trash, damaging disturbance of vegetation, etc. Whereas in the kitchen, it's the gathering place, especially when you're with a larger group. The kitchen is where not only the cooking takes place but also where groups tend to congregate, socialize, move around, walk around, sit, stand, scuff feet, etc.



From the Leave No Trace North American Skills & Ethics Booklet:

Wherever you camp, use surfaces that are resistant to impact such as rock outcrops, sand, gravel, dry grasses, snow or water.

Concentrate use in popular areas. In popular areas, concentrate use on trails, established campsites, and other developed sites such as trailheads and picnic areas. Concentrating use in these areas and, if necessary, on the surfaces mentioned earlier, will minimize disturbances to soils and vegetation. Because animals learn to expect people on trails, they’re less disturbed by encounters with people on-trail than off.

Use established campsites. Choose a well-established campsite that’s big enough for your group. Some popular areas have officially designated campsites, shelters or platforms. Use of these amenities can reduce damage to vegetation and other natural features. Where campsites are not formally designated, look for and use sites where the ground cover is already worn away. Wear soft-soled shoes and concentrate your activities in the center of the site to avoid enlarging it.

In bear country, it is advisable to separate the sleeping and cooking areas. Otherwise, tents, packs, gear, and the kitchen area should be concentrated in one area on previously compacted, naturally resistant, or reinforced surfaces. This approach protects surrounding vegetation and prevents development of “satellite” sites.

Also consider your visual impact on other users or wildlife. Take advantage of opportunities to tuck your tent out of view behind natural screening such as trees or rocks.

Good campsites are found, not made. What makes the perfect campsite? Safety, privacy, and comfort never go out of style, and securing such amenities does not entail a major remodeling effort. We can bring our own lightweight furniture and conveniences along to eliminate the need to create them on-site. Camp stoves, mattresses, tables, chairs, lanterns—even solar showers—are readily available at reasonable prices, and they pack in and out with ease.

Leave your campsite clean and natural looking—naturalize it. In wildlands, we are visitors, but we are also hosts to those who follow. They will notice our hospitality, or lack of it. Litter, graffiti, tree damage, visible human and pet waste, unsightly fire rings and the like are senseless acts. By taking the time to pick up after ourselves and others, if necessary, we’ll all benefit.

Even in campsites, leave the area as natural as possible. Breaking off a tree branch for firewood creates an ugly scar and opens the tree to disease. Proper firewood collection is discussed under Minimize Campfire Impacts.

Disperse use in pristine areas. Proliferation of trails and campsites has alarmed both resource managers and travelers across North America. Even where visitor use has remained relatively stable, such as the Spanish Peaks Wilderness, MT, campsites are sprouting up in traditionally low use areas. Visit remote or pristine areas only if you are committed to Leave No Trace in that environment. Using established routes, trails and campsites is always preferable to pioneering new ones.

Campsites. Select the most durable camping location possible. In pristine areas, pre-existing camping spots, even those that are lightly used, should be left alone to recover. Before unpacking your tent, look for obvious bird nesting activity and other signs of animals. Choose an area that seems safe, free of wildlife, and well suited to low-impact camping. Look for a large rock slab, a graveled area, or other equally durable space to locate your kitchen. Concentrate your activities on this surface whenever possible to protect more fragile areas. If necessary, reserve less durable ground for your sleeping area.

In pristine areas, impacts can often be avoided by staying only one night. In these areas, vary your route to water, to the “bathroom” and to sleeping areas to prevent trails from forming. In general, manage your activity to avoid harming the natural features of the site, especially those that do not regenerate or do so very slowly—such as lichens and trees.

Breaking camp. Before departing, naturalize and disguise the site by replacing any rocks or sticks you may have moved. Re-cover scuffed-up areas with leaf litter or pine needles. Fluff up matted grass and make the place less obvious as a campsite. As long as overall visitor use is very low, the site will retain its best qualities. Ideally, no trails or campsites will be created if visitors disperse their activities.

Obviously every camping situation is different, and depending on your particular style you may create more or less impact than another group in your kitchen and/or sleeping area. However, knowing how to make the best decisions with regards to where you locate your kitchen and sleeping area, i.e. using durable surfaces, previously impacted surfaces, designated sites, etc., will go a long way towards minimizing your overall impact.

Second Online Auction

We are excited to announce the launch of our 2nd Annual Online Auction!

By participating you are making a direct difference in the success of Leave No Trace kids programs and initiatives. All proceeds from the event will go directly toward expanding education and outreach initiatives from the Center, to our youth community. It’s as easy as 1.2.3…

1. Take a Good Look

2. Make Your Bid.

3. Tell Your Friends.

Click here to view the Auction Catalog

So what are you waiting for? Bid now!

Auction ends December 8th 9:00pm EST

Online Auction Open Now!

It's Holiday Auction Time!

Bid on great gifts for the holidays while supporting Leave No Trace. Bid Now!

Westfield State University

Earlier this week, we visited Professor Kevin Tatsugawa at Westfield State University in western Massachusetts. We met with four different classes, Wilderness Leadership Techniques, two sections of Wilderness Experiences, and Outdoor Experiences. After introducing the Leave No Trace program and the seven principles to the students, we talked about how the program is intended to develop an ethic of stewardship for the outdoors. In the photo above we have a discussion about "why we do the things we do" and how that applies to our enjoyment of outdoor recreation.

Thanks to Kevin Tatsugawa for hosting our very last event in 2010!

All the best,

Agata and Jason