February Bigfoot Challenge Winner, Darcy!

We asked Darcy, our February Bigfoot Challenge winner, to tell us how she got involved with Leave No Trace, and what it means to her. This is what she had to say...

I was born and raised in Sparks, Nevada. I love outdoor photography - I collect retro-style Lomographic and Holga cameras, and keep my camera bag in my car so I can pull over and snap if the mood strikes. I'm an AmeriCorps volunteer out of Nevada Outdoor School and my host site is Friends of Nevada Wilderness. As Stewardship Technician, I run our social media sites, act as videographer, issue press releases and updates, write our monthly stewardship newsletter, and assist on field projects. Later this month, we're leading an "Alternative Spring Break" in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge where I will be shooting footage for an upcoming Public Service Announcement.

Leave No Trace is not just about environmental impact, it's about safety too. I spend a fair amount of time in the Sierras, which is prime bear country, and knowing about bear bags and proper feminine hygiene product disposal can save your life. I work with volunteers of all ages, and sometimes it's the adults that are hardest to get through to! Sometimes you forget they want to touch the stalactite, or get real close to the antelope, and you have to use your 'kid voice' to remind them they aren't above the Leave No Trace principles!

"Leave what you find" is the most important principle because it’s about more than not taking souvenirs. Leaving what you find means everyone that comes after you can enjoy it too. We have a serious problem with vandalism to petroglyphs in southern Nevada - no one is removing them, but using them for shooting practice - leaving large bullet gouges - or drawing their own interpretation of the glyphs, which definitely isn't leaving what you find.

-Darcy Shepard

Thank you Darcy!

Take the Bigfoot Challenge today!