Conversation with Peter Newman, Ph.D., about his Leave No Trace Research

Leave No Trace relies on research to help define its educational programming. Check out this recent conversation Dana Watts, Leave No Trace's executive director, had with Colorado State University's Peter Newman, Ph.D. about his recent Leave No Trace research at Rocky Mountain National Park.

New Research at Colorado State University

Yesterday, Dana Watts and I travelled to the Colorado State University campus in Fort Collins, to talk with Dr. Peter Newman, Ph.D, about his recent work. Newman has been conducting research in Rocky Mountain National Park about use, impacts and human behavior in protected areas.

Even if use in national parks is leveling off, over 300+ million people are visiting national parks each year. Newman made the point that where there is extraordinarily high use, there are also inevitable impacts. His research is helping to identify that relationship between use and impact, as well as the best methods to mitigate those impacts.

Newman believes that Leave No Trace is a very important way to help people think about what they’re doing in protected areas as well as how they are doing it. This, in turn, will help people protect those areas. His research will be used by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics to refine and revise education, tools and communication, thus we greatly anticipate his next set of outcomes.