Training Highlight: AEE offers two new Trainer Courses this spring

The Association for Experiential Education is a dynamic nonprofit professional membership association dedicated to experiential education and the students, educators and practitioners who utilize its philosophy. Leave No Trace ethics are a natural component of outdoor experiential education, and an important part of AEE curriculum. As a nonprofit partner of the Center, AEE is offering pre-conference Leave No Trace Trainer Courses at several of their upcoming regional conferences. As educators converge across the country for professional development networking opportunities, why not add a Leave No Trace Trainer Course to your skill set?

Rocky Mountain | Lander, WY | April 14-15. Learn More
Heartland | Potosi, MO | April 15-16 Learn More

More information can be found on the AEE website: www.aee.org

Dear Education Department: Online Awareness Course

Dear Education Department,

I am very interested in providing Leave No Trace education to my community. However, it’s been awhile since I took a Trainer Course or been involved with the program.

Is there a way I can refresh my knowledge about Leave No Trace practices and programs? Do you offer any online training opportunities or refresher courses? Likewise, do you offer similar opportunities that introduce people to the Leave No Trace program?

Sincerely,

Community Educator

*******

Dear Community Educator,

Thank you for your email and interest in providing education to your community. The Center has begun developing online training opportunities and now has an Online Awareness Course available through the website.

The course tests knowledge of Leave No Trace principles, techniques and programs. It is a great review for individuals that have previously taken a Leave No Trace course/workshop or reviewed the website and slideshow.

Upon completing the course, you are able to print a certificate for your records. We hope to provide more training opportunities through this medium, including a youth-based course.

Enjoy!

The Education Department

Leave No Trace Trainer Course | Oneida, TN

Leave No Trace Trainer Course | Oneida, TN

When: October 16-18, 2009. The course will begin at Friday- 5:30pm-6:30pm for registration at the park office at Bandy Creek campground,

Where: Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area. Directions to Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, can be obtained thru the web, Google, NPS website or Yahoo.com, map quest or by calling the National Park at: (423-286-7275)

Description: The curriculum will focus on the seven principles of Leave No Trace and techniques for teaching them. Participants are asked to come prepared to teach one of the principles or a skill or some other Leave No Trace specific topic approved by the instructor. We will be advising and critiquing each other in an effort to learn more about how to effectively communicate the skills and ethics of Leave no Trace. Please keep in mind that this is a backpacking trip, NOT a backpacking course.The emphasis of this course is Leave No Trace, not backcountry travel skills.

Who: Adults (18+) Girl and Boy Scout leaders, and anyone else needing experience to teach the Leave No Trace Principles to others, who have camping and/or backpacking experience. We will be hiking approximately 5-6 miles over the weekend, with setting up a campsite during Friday and Saturday evening.

Cost: Course cost $50.00 which includes course materials, 1 year individual membership to Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, your membership packet will be mailed to you upon course completion, door prizes, etc.

Equipment: You will be responsible for bringing all of your own equipment that you will need for overnight camping and hiking, including, backpack, tent, stove, sleeping bag, pad, water bottles, rain gear, hiking boots, garbage bags, toiletries and medications you need, etc. You will also need to bring your own bowl, cup and spoon. For more specific information on what to bring, please refer to the gear list which will be sent to you once you register for the course.

Contacts: For more detailed course information, or if you have any further questions or need specific information then contact Nick Myers, Tennessee State Advocate/MasterEducator. E-mail: nmyers@utk.edu or phone wk: (865)-974-5004 or hm: (865)-430-9122.

Whidbey Island Trainer Course

Whidbey Island is a beautiful area in off the coast of Washington. With dense forests, vast beaches, and plenty of recreational opportunities, the island was a perfect location for a trainer course. The weather more than cooperated as we explored Leave No Trace both at the campground at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station and at Deception Pass State Park.

All seven participants on the course were excited to learn ways to incorporate Leave No Trace into their lives, whether it be working with boy scouts, leading mountaineering trips, working with the Washington Trails Association, or teaching their family and friends. Over the two days we all learned and laughed a lot! Some of us had new experiences- SPAM and eggs or banana boats- but all of us enjoyed our first Swedish candle! Thanks again to Dave Myers for all his hard work in setting up this weeks events- you are the best Big Bear!

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

Trainer Course at Student Conservation Association HQ

For our most recent Trainer Course, we headed to Student Conservation Association (SCA) headquarters in Charlestown, NH. In addition to SCA crew leaders, we were joined by several representatives form the White Mountain National Forest and one lone Boy Scout leader. We had a great time, and were excited to meet up with New Hampshire State Advocate, Lew Shelley. Thanks for putting together a great Trainer Course Lew!


Here are a few of our favorite photos from the course!

Leave No Trace Trainer Course :: Comanche Peak Wilderness Area

This past weekend Sarah Folzenlogen, Education Programs Coordinator, and I (Catherine Smith - Community and Partnership Coordinator), had the pleasure of co-leading a 2-day Leave No Trace Trainer Course in the beautiful Comanche Peak Wilderness.  Despite quite a bit of rain, we enjoyed a full weekend of both teaching and learning about Leave No Trace.  There were plenty of teachable moments throughout the course, with a great deal of valuable discussion.  We had a phenomenal group of folks, and were proud to call them Leave No Trace Trainers upon completion of the course.

Here's a quick video of the fun you can have after a day of rain!

Trainer Course Recon

Last week Ben (Education Director), Sarah (Education Programs Coordinator) and I (Community + Partnership Coordinator) ventured outside of the office (gasp!) to explore the Comanche Peak Wilderness area, just north of Estes Park, CO.  We were out scouting the are for an upcoming Leave No Trace Trainer Course that Sarah and I are leading(2 spots left - register today!).  We had a great day in the field, logging over 8 miles on a gorgeous bluebird day.  Here are some pictures of our day in the field ...

TVA Trainer Course

Here are some photos of a Trainer Course we recently completed with one of our new partners, Tennessee Valley Authority. TVA has 290,000 acres of land that offer many recreational opportunities, including water skiing, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing, fishing, swimming, hiking, nature photography, picnicking, birdwatching, and camping. We had lots of fun on this course and were excited to meet and work with all the staff at TVA.

See you out there,

JD and Emily, Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers (Team East)

Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center Trainer Course

This week we headed to Mansfield, Georgia for a Leave No Trace Trainer Course at Charlie Elliot Wildlife Center. Managed by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources this 6,400-acre area offers many recreational opportunities including hiking, fishing, hunting, and several educational programs. Here are some photos from the course.

See you out there,
JD and Emily - Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers (Team East)

Upcoming Colorado Trainer Course

LEAVE NO TRACE TRAINER COURSE | COMANCHE PEAK WILDERNESS AREA, CO

When: Saturday, May 30 – Sunday, May 31

Where: Comanche Peak Wilderness Area, CO

Who: Adults (18+) with some camping and/or backpacking experience.

Description: Offered by Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics staff, this open-enrollment Trainer Course is designed to enhance your understanding of Leave No Trace ethics and to increase your level of expertise and confidence in teaching Leave No Trace skills. Through focused activities, hands-on field experience and both formal and informal discussions, you will be introduced to concepts and methods that will advance your knowledge of Leave No Trace issues, expand your repertoire of low-impact techniques and increase your effectiveness in teaching these important skills to others. Participants should be experienced campers or backpackers and be prepared to backpack up to 2 miles. Instruction will concentrate on the incorporation of low impact techniques in camping and backpacking settings, but we will not be teaching basic camping skills.

Gear: Personal backpacking gear. All group gear, such as stoves, cooking equipment and water treatment will be supplied. Participants should pack a trail lunch for Saturday; all other meals will be provided. At the time of registration participants will receive a planning packet that will include a detailed packing list.

Instructors: Leave No Trace Master Educators Sarah Folzenlogen and Catherine Smith.

Cost: $65.00 The cost covers course materials and meals with the exception of lunch for Saturday (supplied by participant).

Contact: For more information and a registration form please contact Sarah Folzenlogen at sarah@LNT.org.

Montenegro

Recently Education Director Ben Lawhon and I had to the opportunity to travel to Montenegro in Eastern Europe to teach a Master Educator Course and a Trainer Course. We were invited to teach these Leave No Trace courses by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Black Mountain Adventure Travel. It was an awesome experience and a wonderful opportunity to enlarge our community through international training efforts. I would like to thank Jack and Hayley Delf, owners of Black Mountain Adventure Travel for all of their organization, hard work, passion and hospitality. The two of you made our trip very easy!

We had 12 participants on the Master Course and 10 participants on the Trainer Course. Participants included members of mountaineering clubs, tourism agencies, university professors in tourism, the National Tourism Organization in Montenegro, the National Park Service, staff from the UNDP, mountain bike association members and guides. We spent three nights at three different campsites during the Master Course and had an opportunity to hike to a mountain hut run by one of the local mountain clubs on the last night of the course where we had a wonderful feast for the last nights dinner. See the pictures below.

Our time was spent in the Southwest corner of Montenegro in a town called Herceg Novi. The courses took place on Mt. Orjen. The landscape is beautiful. You can start your day on the water near tropical plants in Herceg Novi, on the Adriatic Sea and within a short 30 minute drive up a windy road you are in the mountains amongst all the fall foliage. We had amazing weather too, the entire trip, it was 70 degrees during the day and around 40 at night with clear skies and the full moon’s glow. Must be because Ben bought new rain gear for this trip, since he seems to always get rained on when he teaches course. Thanks Ben!

Many of the course participants stated that they would like to reach the youth of Montenegro with Leave No Trace information during their action plans as they are the future of the outdoor recreation movement. Participants hope to incorporate Leave No Trace into their existing programs and to take the information to the youth so that they can create a connection to the outdoors and so they can teach their families. We look forward to hearing from everyone involved in these courses and know that they will all be great advocates for Leave No Trace.
Congratulations to all who successfully completed this course. We appreciated your enthusiasm for Leave No Trace and for creating an outdoor ethic in Montenegro!

Leave No Trace Trainer Course with Rocky Mountain Youth Corps

This past weekend I had the pleasure of co-instructing a Leave No Trace Trainer Course with the Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer Senior Team, JD Tanner and Emily Ressler.  Over the two day course, we worked with Crew Leaders and employees of the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, in Taos, NM.  

We had a great course in Carson National Forest, enduring some significant rain, learning how to teach Leave No Trace skills and ethics and, of course, having fun.  If you're an educator, youth leader, Boy Scout/Girl Scout leader, or just curious to learn more about Leave No Trace and how to teach others, I encourage you to learn more about the Trainer Course here.

Guest Blog: Off to a Sunny Start!

What do get when you have 8 sea kayakers, 4 Master Educators, and 2 days of beautiful weather? The Washington Water Trails Association 5th annual sea kayaking Trainer Course! Held June 14-15, the course was a wealth of Leave No Trace information, role-playing (how exactly should you “Be Considerate to Others” when they took the available campsites?), and laughter. We paddled from Vashon Island, just off the coast of Seattle, WA, over to Blake Island and then around Blake to return to Vashon. We shared Blake Island with 20 Boy Scouts, 30 motor boaters, and numerous hungry raccoons; a perfect opportunity to practice Authority of the Resource Technique, Dispose of Waste Properly, and Respect Wildlife.

The Trainer Course was also the beginning of the summer work for Washington Water Trails Sound Education and Action (SEA) Kayaker Team. The SEA Team spends Friday-Monday paddling throughout Puget Sound educating folks about Washington Water Trails and how they can practice Leave No Trace while they are exploring the Sound. Washington Water Trails Association is a non-profit partner with the Center and in a unique melding of organizations this year’s SEA Team consists of North Moench and Ella Goodbrod, Traveling Trainers from 2006-2007!

If you are going to be paddling in Washington this summer be sure to check us out and look for future guest blogs about our exploration and adventure in Puget Sound.

--Ella Goodbrod & North Moench, Washington Water Trails Sound Education and Action (SEA) Kayaker Team and former Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers.

Is the Leave No Trace Trainer Course Really Effective?

The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics has developed a variety of printed educational materials and training programs to communicate Leave No Trace practices and ethics for over a decade. There has been little research, however, to evaluate how well these messages are absorbed and used by outdoor visitors. Dr. Jeff Marion and Melissa Daniels completed and published a study to evaluate the effectiveness of the 2-day Leave No Trace Trainer course in order to document and evaluate participants' gain and retention of knowledge, ethics, and reported behavior.

The questionnaires were developed based on the most current Leave No Trace information available in the Leave No Trace Skills & Ethics booklet series and Trainer course materials. Over a five month period, the researchers advertised their study through the database of Master Educators, contacted those who were offering Trainer courses, and asked if they were interested in participating in the study. In all, there were 20 courses that distributed pre-course and post-course questionnaires to the participants; an additional follow-up survey was conducted with these participants 4-5 months later. The researchers received a total of 166 pre-course, 156 post-course, and 112 follow-up surveys.

The Results:

The knowledge section contained 25 items, each counted as correct or incorrect and scored on a 100-point scale. The mean score for all knowledge test items improved significantly from a mean pre-course score of 70 to a post-course score of 82. There was a slight 3-point drop from post-course to follow-up, but the long-term change, pre to follow-up, remained statistically significant. Of the 25 knowledge questions, 17 showed significant improvement pre to post, with the greatest improvements in items related to repacking food, traveling off-trail, and scattering ashes. There were no significant declines pre to post.

The ethics section contained 16 items for which participants rated their agreement on a seven-point scale. These showed a similar pattern to knowledge for overall mean scores. Ethics scores for the pre-course survey were fairly high—5.8 on a scale of one to seven—and improved significantly on the post-course survey. The follow-up showed a significant decline from the post-course survey, but there was still a significant improvement pre- to follow-up.

Reported behavior was assessed at two points in time—pre-course and follow-up. These ten items had three possible responses and space for comments. Responses were scored as one, two, or three based on use of the most acceptable Leave No Trace practice. All mean scores for the items were above the middle response of 2, indicating that most respondents chose the most appropriate or second-most appropriate behavior, even prior to the course.

Summary:

The evaluation of the Trainer course curriculum indicates that it is successful in promoting Leave No Trace practices to participants. Research results revealed statistically significant improvement in Leave No Trace knowledge, ethics and outdoor practices both immediately following the course and 4-5 months later. Findings support the contention that improved Leave No Trace knowledge and ethics lead to the adoption of low impact practices.

For more information or to download the study and the questionnaire, please visit http://lnt.org/training/lntrelatedresearch.php