Thank You Donors!

The e-tour would love to thank all the generous donors who have been giving towards our educational mission to bring Leave No Trace to deserving youth around the country. We are excited to have such ardent believers in making meaningful connections to our environment possible for kids everywhere. The both of us are genuinely grateful for your messages of encouragement and patronage.

If you're a fan of Leave No Trace support the e-tour for a day, a week, or more!

Mark and Tara

2011 e-tour team

Great American Backyard Campout

Medfield, Massachusetts -

Last weekend we had the opportunity to connect with families who were enjoying new outdoor activities together at the Great American Backyard Campout. The event was held at the Rocky Woods reservation and organized by The Trustees of Reservations and our organizational partner REI. Balmy summer temperatures and intermittent rain showers did not discourage the families from learning more about responsible outdoor recreation and the basics of activities such as hiking, fishing, and camping.

During our Awareness Workshop with the group, we enjoyed educational activities from the PEAK program such as "What Principle Am I?," "Minimum Impact Match," and "Watch Your Step" with the families. In the top photo a family is exploring what "durable surfaces" are and how to identify them when selecting a site to pitch a tent or go hiking. Each activity was focused on applying the seven Leave No Trace principles to all the outdoor recreation skills the families would be learning in sessions with the REI Outdoor School over the weekend.

Many thanks to all who worked and attended this event for allowing us to bring Leave No Trace to the weekend activities!

All the best,

Jason and Agata

Red, White, Blue, and GREEN!

This weekend, Team West will be heading to High Sierra Music Festival to provide education and outreach to thousands of festival goers. With all of these people coming out to enjoy music and to camp out under the Sierra Stars, it is so important to practice Leave No Trace. We will be running the Red, White, Blue, and Green Campsite Challenge, where festivarians will be encourage to keep their sites clean, sustainable, and creative!
How many of you are camping this 4th of July weekend? Check out these greening tips that can be applied to your next camping/festival adventure!
Have a wonderful and adventurous weekend.
Explore Responsibly...Kate and Tracy

Bigfoot Sightings in Seattle

Greetings from Seattle!

Both the Outreach and Education Departments are up in the Evergreen State this week taking part in Seattle Backyard Sessions. The Sessions are aimed at increasing networking and volunteer opportunities amongst Leave No Trace community members, as well as highlighting our important work with Mt. Rainier National Park as part of the Hot Spot program.

Here's a glimpse of the event last night - as expected, Bigfoot made an appearance.

For more information, be sure to read the upcoming eNews which will highlight our partner organizations, as well as our work with Mt. Rainier.

If you are in the Seattle area today, come check out the second session at the REI store in downtown Seattle. The event starts at 6:00 PM. See you then!

Sarah

Leave No Trace in Washington State

Backyard Session at the Seattle Mountaineers June 27th

Bigfoot made a visit to say hello to Washington Leave No Trace supporters!

Last week in Seattle, volunteers, activists, partners and staff joined together for two

Leave No Trace

Backyard Sessions. Outreach Manager Dave Winter, Education Programs Manager Sarah Folzenlogen, and Washington State Advocate Jon Wilmot led the events. These evening sessions provided an important opportunity to network with over 50 existing Master Educators, Trainers, members and partners. Leave No Trace Partners from Seattle (Cascade Designs, Outdoor Research, myscenicedrives.com, Eddie Bauer, The Mountaineers, Washington Water Trails Association) set up small displays and provided giveaways for those in attendance. Attendees were encouraged to get involved and were introduced to some new volunteer opportunities within Mount Rainier National Park this summer.

The park service has three great opportunities for you to get involved if you live in the Seattle area. Mount Rainier National Park is looking for over 40 volunteers to help with routing trails through the snow at Paradise, assisting the revegetation crews with planting and with outreach during the Keep Wild Life Wild weekend in August. If you are interested in any of these volunteer opportunities please email Dave@LNT.org.

Washington Volunteer State Advocate Jon Wilmot was pleased

to meet many new key volunteers, including

Rangers from the park and to

learn more about the Centers work with Mt Rainier

. Jon is planning on building on these two sessions and is looking forward to hosting a Leave No Trace Backyard Session this summer in his hometown of Spokane Washington.

These two sessions provided the following updates on the Centers work so far with Mt. Rainier in 2011.

Mt. Rainier National Park Hot Spot Update– The Center has been working with staff from the National Park Service (NPS) on strategies for minimizing recreation-related impacts in the Paradise area of the Park. In consultation with NPS staff, the Center will provide the following services for the Park (some of this work is already underway):

1. Provide training for key park staff and volunteers. Center staff provided Leave No Trace training for both existing and new volunteers, known as Meadow Rovers, at the Park on June 25th and 26th. Theses trainings aimed at better integrating Leave No Trace into the work of the Meadow Rovers. Both trainings had over 40 attendees who left the training with new tools to effectively disseminating Leave No Trace information to park visitors.
2. Provide expert review of the situation at Paradise. Center staff enlisted the expertise of leading recreation ecologists and protected area managers to provide input and advise for strategies on minimizing the recreation-related impacts at Paradise. These experts reviewed the situation at the Park and provided consultation on both direct and indirect management actions that could minimize and/or mitigate the damage from off-trail hiking.

3. Draft recommendations and language for signage to be placed in the Paradise area to help keep visitors on trails and off the fragile meadows found in the area. Center staff drafted a comprehensive suite of recommendations for Park managers, from which managers can make better-informed decisions based on new research for dealing with the impacts at Paradise.

4. The Center will provide funding for the production of signage for use in the Paradise area in order to keep visitors on designated trails.

5. Generate significant media coverage. The Center has distributed two national press releases about Mt. Rainier’s Hot Spot designation, which have been run by over a dozen newspapers in western Washington and other print media outlets. Additionally, the Center will leverage its social media network of over 75,000 individuals to further raise awareness about Paradise.

Meadow Rovers discuss ethics and how they can help visitors build their own outdoor ethic.

Education in Motion: Where to find the Traveling Trainers in JULY

The Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers as well as The e-tour Team are conducting the following training events across the country in July. For more information about these or to attend, visit their calendars.

Team East July Calendar – http://tinyurl.com/6aa2wu7
Team West July Calendar - http://tinyurl.com/6ywz5pa
Leave No Trace e-tour Calendar – http://tinyurl.com/5r2w93j

California:

• High Sierra Music Festival - Quincy
• Tahoe Rim Trail - Tahoe

Colorado:

• Bluff Lake Nature Center - Aurora
• Rocky Grass Festival - Lyons
• Outdoor Nation Summer Fun Day - Denver

Florida:

• Boy Scouts of America pack 128 - Jacksonville
• Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches, Caruth Camp - Inglis

Georgia:

• Panola Mountain State Park - Stockbridge
• Outdoor Nation Summer Fun Day - Atlanta
• REI - Atlanta
• Cub Scout Twilight Camp - Atlanta
• Backyard Session - Brunswick

Iowa:

• Hickory Ridge Camp - Lake Red Rock

Michigan:

• Great Lake Naval Memorial & Museum - Muskegon
• Chaco - Rockford

Minnesota:

• Outdoor Nation Summer Fun Day - St. Paul

North Carolina:

• Buckeye Recreation Center Day Camp - Beech Mountain
• Daniel Boone Council - Asheville

Oregon:

• Wallowa State Park - Joseph
• Tumalo State Park - Bend
• REI - Bend
• Timberline Lodge - Mt. Hood
• Detroit Lake State Park - Detroit

Pennsylvania:

• Conestoga Cub Scout Day Camp - South Park

Virginia:

• ATC's 38th Biennial Conference - Abingdon
  

West Virginia:

• Order of the Arrow Summit Corps - Glen Jean

Respect Wildlife: Food storage and easy steps for hanging a bear bag

As we are in the midst of camping and hiking season, it’s important to remember how we can minimize our impact on the wildlife that we encounter in the outdoors—particularly in regards to food and trash. At parks and natural areas where there are facilities, it’s as simple as throwing away our trash and taking home what we brought with us.

When camping in more remote areas, we have to use a different set of skills to ensure that our food and trash are stored properly. Human food and trash can cause many problems for wildlife, particularly bears. When wildlife obtains, become accustomed to, and seeks out human foods and trash it can quickly lose its natural instincts, such as foraging or hunting.

Also, you will have a much more enjoyable and safe trip if your food and trash is kept out of reach of animals!

One method for properly storing food, trash and other smelly items is called a bear bag hang. Here are simple steps to successfully completing a single tree hang.

1. First make sure you have equipment you can use, which includes: durable Bags—nylon stuff sacks work well; 50 ft of rope; carabiners—this will help you clip your bags together and on to the rope.
2. Gather all of your smellable items to store in the bags. This includes food, trash, dirty dishes and cookware, deodorant, toothpaste and bug repellant.
3. Choose a tree that is 200+ ft. away from the cooking and sleeping areas of your campsite. Ideally, the cooking, sleeping and bear bag areas will form a triangle with 200ft. along each side (show picture on white board).
4. Choose a tree with a sturdy branch at least 12 ft. off the ground, and a minimum of 6 ft. from the trunk of the tree or nearest branch.
5. Attach a rock to one end of the rope and throw over the 12ft. branch, making sure it is 6 ft or more from the trunk. (This may take a few tries. Remember, safety is important, so make sure to clear the area of people when throwing the rock).
6. A variety of knots can be used at the end of the rope to attach the bag(s). Then clip the bags together and to the knot using your carabineers. Hoist the bags into the air—again, 12 ft. up and 6 ft. out. You may need a friend or two to help with this part.
7. Tie the free end of the rope to the tree, making sure it is secure and will not become undone overnight.

Remember, this bear bag hang is just one way you can properly store your food, trash and other smelly items during an overnight camping trip in the backcountry. By following these simple steps and using a few materials from your backpack, you can do your part to help Respect Wildlife.

Photo of the Week 6.26.11

Buttermilk Falls, Ithaca, NY

Mark and Tara

2011 e-tour team

Adventures NYC

Yesterday the e-tour joined City of New York Parks and Recreation, Backpacker Magazine, and The North Face at Adventures NYC in Central Park. Beautiful weather and the Unified Bouldering Championships brought the crowds out in force. We challenged people to Dispose of Waste Properly while investigating how long common trash items last when left outside. Many folks were shocked at the idea that landfills hamper decomposition, even for food scrap items and other 'natural' waste.

This puppy enjoyed the festivities while catching a ride and keeping cool. It's easy to dispose of your pet waste properly when they are kept on a leash... or in a stroller:)

Mark and Tara

2011 e-tour team

500 Year Flood In Bismarck!

Bismarck, ND.  This week, we spent two full days educating local boy and girl scouts and leaders on the importance practicing leave no trace on their outings.  Along with leave no trace, the brownies, juniors, and cadets of Camp Okancusa are learning many other skills including campfire building, meal planning and preparation, and first aid.  There was a great energy at camp despite having to move indoors because of the relentless rains.  Luckily, by the end of this week, the storm will pass and the sun will be shining as the culminating campout approaches.

During two evening presentations with other local scouts and leaders, we played “What Principle Am I?”,  “How Long Does It Last”, and “Minimum Impact Match” to reinforce the strong leave no trace foundation that already existed within the group. 

Our time in Bismarck was made extremely comfortable due to the hospitality of Mary Kay and her husband Dave.  Also, a special thank-you to Kathy, Doreen, Janelle, and Patty for making our events well attended and successful!

We are now en route to Boise Idaho for the Boise Rec Fest happening this weekend.  Come check it out!

Explore Responsibly…Kate and Tracy

Team East Visits Acadia National Park

Bar Harbor, Maine-

Earlier this week Team East enjoyed the abundance of sunshine and spectacular views offered from atop the coastal mountains of Maine on Mount Desert Island. During the visit we had the opportunity to connect with staff from Acadia National Park and Baxter State Park to facilitate a two-day trainer course to instruct the basics of how to practice and teach Leave No Trace. The photo above captures the crew as they have a little fun up high on Schoodic Mountain. The group was a pleasure to work with and offered many insightful questions and observations about educating the collective millions (literally) of people that will visit their parks in 2011.

In the photo above, a moment of hands on learning takes the shape of a mound fire as a participant teaches the group about the principle Minimize Campfire Impacts. We also had the chance to interact with the general public and offer educational materials and information about Leave No Trace at the Visitors Center in Acadia National Park.
Looking ahead in June we will be traveling south to Massachusetts for the Great American Backyard Campout with our partner REI.

All the best,

Jason and Agata

Sustainable Festivation at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival

This past weekend, staff from the Leave No Trace headquarters in Boulder, CO had the opportunity to climb out from behind their desks, and offer quality booth outreach at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Invited back by our good friends at Planet Bluegrass, we had the opportunity to conduct our 5th annual How Green Is Your Grass? Campsite Challenge to extend the spirit of sustainable festivation into the campgrounds. This now annual contest encourages all of us to raise the bar for sustainable camping by honoring campsites that excel in achieving the highest levels of the Leave No Trace festival philosophy. With a sold out crowd of 11,500 festivarians from all over the world, simple steps such as separating campsite compost/recycling/trash, reusing cups/dishes, using alternative forms of energy, and buying camp food and produce from local vendors, drastically reduced the footprint of the festivarian campers. Thank you to all who participated...it's not too early to start planning for next year!

The GRAND PRIZE campsite challenge winner for two Town Park camping passes will be announced shortly!

Hickory Ridge camp opens, July 22-23 - Lake Red Rock, Iowa

Hickory Ridge camp opens, July 22-23, with outdoor events, training.

The public is invited to celebrate the successful protection of Hickory Ridge Camp at Lake Red Rock, July 22-23, with a weekend of free outdoor fun and outdoor training.

From Friday afternoon through Saturday evening, the camp project’s partners will host a variety of activities as part of the camp’s official opening and dedication. There will be nature and bird hikes, paddling trainings and tour, a barbecue, campfire and more. A program of dedication and celebration with thanks to donors and volunteers is planned for Saturday at 10:00 a.m. More details on the schedule and plans for the weekend are available at: www.inhf.org/hickoryridge

One of the weekend’s special highlights will be a series of short workshops led by national staff of Leave No Trace (www.LNT.org) — a national nonprofit organization that promotes responsible enjoyment and active stewardship of the outdoors. The organization often partners with others, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to get its message to the public and outdoor user groups.

Hickory Ridge is located on a quiet cove south of the Whitebreast Recreation Area, north of Knoxville and west of Pella. The soon-to-be-opened 200-acre public camping area is being created as a place on the lake for enjoyment of nature, with primitive camping available for scouts, paddlers and others. The camp is expected to be a favorite overnight spot on the new 37-mile roundtrip water trail.

In keeping with the primitive aspects of the camp, the opening weekend’s activities will have a casual, roughing-it flavor, with a focus on outdoor fun and learning. This will include designation of a new Lake Red Rock Water Trail, with a paddling tour of scenic sections of the lake where new informative kiosks are being installed. The kiosks will provide information about the lake and its history, user guidelines, water access points, safety tips and wildlife to watch for in the area.

To protect the Hickory Ridge camp, the Red Rock Lake Association teamed up with the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, a statewide nonprofit conservation organization, and the federal U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The groups coordinated a two-year effort to fund the purchase and restoration of the area, reaching the project goal of $405,000 this past winter after receiving a major grant from Prairie Meadows. More than 130 contributors included 32 major donors of over $1,000. The Iowa DNR’s River Programs provided $33,000 in grant assistance and the water trails conservation crew and local volunteers designed and constructed the landing beach, trails and campsites.

According to Jamie Gyolai, the USACE’s Hickory Ridge project leader, “The Corps is glad to be able to help make Hickory Ridge available for public use. We look forward to the dedication as a chance to acknowledge the wonderful support that has made the project possible. We are also excited to be able to have the unique opportunity to offer the Leave No Trace workshops and water trail-related events as part of the weekend.”

CONTACT: Anita O’Gara or Ann Robinson, INHF: 800-475-1846 or 515-288-1846 or Jamie Gyolai, USACE: 641-828-7522

Coleman Bug Spray: You'll Be Buggin if You Leave Home Without It!

Rock Harbor, MI.  Mosquitoes.  Tis the season for hatching and harassing.  If these little buggers are already on your last nerve, the solution is within reach.  We recently enjoyed the opportunity to backpack  at Isle Royal National Park located on Lake Superior (our 46th and final National Park in the continental U.S.!).  The mosquitoes are out in full force on the island.  In the spirit of Plan Ahead and Prepare, we were ready for them.  A few squirts of this product effectively put a forcefield around us for ten glorious hours!  If you are hitting the trails anywhere that those pesky buggers are on the prowl, be sure to grab your Coleman Bug Spray and throw it in your pack.  Thank-you to Coleman Outdoor Products for supporting the Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer program!

Explore Responsibly...Kate and Tracy

The urban-wildland interface

From Seminole County Florida...

Photo of the Week 6.18.11

The e-tour strolled around the grounds at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA. Thousands of species of flora, impressive vegetable plantings, water gardens, forested knolls and many engaging exhibits for children allowed for hours of sensory excitement. We found their attention to the auditory experience a fresh approach to the old standby of a garden stroll. Wood block instruments, chimes, fountains, and insects provided a pleasing soundtrack to the meandering paths throughout the property.

Mark and Tara

2011 e-tour team

Christodora-Manice Education Center

Florida, MA. The e-tour provided a Leave No Trace Awareness Workshop to the seasonal staff of the Manice Education Center in the Berkshire mountains of Northwest Massachusetts. They are preparing for their first round of campers to arrive to participate in environmental education and leadership development courses including multi-day excursions into wilderness settings. Most of the campers they see have never left New York City before and no one is denied participation due to financial need. The staff will be teaching their campers how to Leave No Trace on their trips backpacking and canoeing while encouraging a spirit of cooperation and self-confidence guiding participants toward a broader understanding of themselves, their environment and their community.

Thanks for such a great visit!

Mark and Tara

2011 e-tour team

Bigfoot spotted again!

Greenbrier State Park, MD. Last weekend the e-tour found Bigfoot coming off the Appalachian Trail to meet up with his friends at the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) Day and Picnic. The PATC, operated by large committees of dedicated and energetic volunteers, maintain 240 miles of the Appalachian Trail (stretching 2175 miles between Maine and Georgia) and also maintain other regional trails totalling over 1000 miles.

Bigfoot checks out a map with Trail Patrol members Courtney, Barb, Murry, Bob and Cindy.

We enjoyed three days of engaging conversation, laughs, and yummy food with the Trail Patrol committee who is the education and outreach section of the PATC. Throughout the year they offer a number of outdoor skills classes for the public including backpacking, hike leadership, CPR, backcountry first aid and Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics! Thank you to all our new Potomac Appalachian Trail Club friends for the hard work you continue to accomplish!

Get outside and take a class to have some fun and improve your skills!

Mark and Tara

2011 e-tour team

Picture of the Week 6/17/11

                                         Sunset over the boundary waters in Northern Minnesota.

Massachusetts International Academy

Marlborough, Massachusetts-

Earlier this week we had the chance to introduce Leave No Trace to twelve international students at the Massachusetts International Academy just outside of Boston, MA. The 18-21 year old students in our morning session are preparing for university life in New England through a variety of modern and diverse preparatory academic programs.
The students were challenged throughout our PEAK activities to develop an understanding of ethics focused on enjoying the outdoors responsibly. Each student had the chance to teach us all about considering the 7 principles of our educational program during an entertaining round of Minimum Impact Match.
Thanks to Becky Lawrence for the opportunity to meet and learn with the students and staff on campus. Looking down the road Team East is heading up to Maine for a week of training and outreach in Acadia National Park.

All the best,

Jason and Agata

A Wilderness Quest in Minnesota

International Falls, MN.  Kids all across the country are beaming with delight as the final bell of the school year rings in two months of walking barefoot, warm summer days, and exploring the natural world.  Summer camp season is upon us.  Camps Kooch-i-ching and Ogichi Daa Kwe on the boundary waters of International Falls, MN welcomed us for an unprecedented eight day stay.  While we were on the island and mainland where the camps operate, we had the opportunity to train all of the trip leaders and assistant staff -the men of Camp Kooch-i-ching and the women of Ogichi. 

We provided a Trainer Course for the trip leaders that will be bringing young campers on multi week canoe and backpacking trips in the upcoming weeks. 

All of the assistant leaders at camp spent two hours learning how to relay the principles of Leave No Trace to their campers in a fun and interactive manner.

Finally, across the harbor at Ogichi, we provided the girls camp with tools and techniques to seamlessly incorporate Leave No Trace into their everyday routines throughout the summer. 

The majestic boundry waters were a close companion to us  during our stay.  We certainly made time to explore the many coves, islands, and tributaries that make up the Land of 10,000 Lakes.  The sun seems to linger a bit longer on the HORIZON in this north woods territory.   The wildlife is abundant in this region.  We respectfully observed TURTLES, numerous deer, and a snake slithering across the top of the water in between two islands!

A special thanks to J.R. VerKamp and his staff for all their hospitality and we wish Camp Kooch the best as you continue "to inspire the growth of young men through fun, challenging, wilderness adventures that promote self discovery, teamwork, and service to others" for the next 87 years! 

Finally, we would like to applaud all the hard work of Kathy Dix and her crew as they “encourage young women to continue to become educated, and inspire others, through thoughtful actions that promote responsible stewardship of the natural environment.”  Keep it up ladies!

Explore Responsibly…Kate and Tracy

Create a moment and Clif Bar will Donate $5 to Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics

If you have not created your first Moment, go to www.MeettheMoment.com or download the mobile app and create your first Moment. For Every Moment created, CLIF Bar will donate $5 to The Center to help protect the Places we Play.

If you’ve already created your Moment, be sure to tell your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers, to go to www.MeettheMoment.com.

Every time you upload a Moment you will be entered to win your next great adventure like trekking the Amazon or chasing the Tour de France - it’s up to you!"

Please help get the word out and help us Protect the Places we Play!

2011 Saco River Cleanup

Fryeburg, Maine -

Leave No Trace's Team East recently supported the Saco River Recreation Council, The Nature Conservancy, Boy Scouts of America, American Rivers, and numerous individual volunteers from around New England, who gathered for a day of cleaning up the river. Michelle Boyer, the event organizer, made the opportunity educational and enjoyable as she coordinated the various groups and explained the focus of the day as well as the long term goals for advocating responsible recreation along the Saco River.

The opportunity to canoe and clean up the sections of river most heavily impacted offered many teachable moments for the volunteers, and everyone involved left with a renewed sense of stewardship for a river so many people visit throughout the summer season.

Following the day on the river we held an Awareness Workshop with the Boy Scouts and volunteers at the campground and an engaging discussion evolved about how to utilize the seven principles of Leave No Trace in any outdoor setting.
Many thanks to Michelle and all the volunteers whose efforts and dedication made this event a huge success!

All the best,

Jason and Agata

Local Trash Clean-Up

This past weekend was the Lyons Outdoor Games, held in Lyons, Colorado. This is an event that has hosted the Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers in the past but they didn't attend this year. However, because of the Leave No Trace influence over the years, the Games has institutionalized a river clean-up along the St. Vrain River in Lyons.

More than 30 volunteers turned out for this year's clean-up and picked up numerous bags of trash along the river. Once done with the trash pick-up all volunteers were treated to a wonderful catered breakfast provided by Boulder-based A Spice Of Life Catering. Owner Dan Bruckner said of the clean-up, "This is a great local event to get folks out to do local community service and to help take care of this amazing river that we have right here in our backyard." It's great to see the lasting impression that Leave No Trace can have on not only an individual but on big organized events as well. Thanks to all the great volunteers who helped out this year!

The North Face Endurance Challenge: D.C.

Bigfoot broke a sweat catching up with athletes at the latest installment of The North Face Endurance Challenge series. Just outside our nation's capitol along the banks of the Potomac River participants took to the trails at Algonkian Regional Park in races ranging from 5 km to 50 miles. After crossing the finish line and catching their breath many of the runners marveled at the hard work of The North Face's Leave No Trace volunteers who kept the course clean all weekend long. While Bigfoot posed on the podium the e-tour team educated and entertained the youth in attendance with interactive games illustrating the importance of recreating responsibly.

Mark and Tara

2011 e-tour team

FREE National Park Day!

In addition to marking the first day of Summer, June 21st should also be marked in your calendar as a play day.  The National Park service is providing free entrance for all 394 National Park units!  That's right FREE.  This is your chance to roll up to  the splendid terrain that this beautiful country has to offer and explore until the sun goes down without being charged a dime at the entrance.  To find a park near you, click here!

In addition to June 21st, these days in 2011 will also be FREE:

• September 24
  (Public Lands Day)
• November 11-13
  (Veterans Day weekend)

Have fun out there!

Explore Responsibly...Kate and Tracy

How Long Does it Last?

6/7/11. The e-tour spent a couple hours after school with students at Digital Harbor High School in Baltimore, MD. Many of the students at the workshop were gearing up and preparing for summer and fall adventures with Baltimore Inner City Outings (BICO). Founded in 1999, the goal of BICO is to provide under-served Baltimore City youth with educational, enjoyable and safe experiences at no cost to them.

The students reflected on how important it is to Trash Your Trash by considering how long it really takes for some of our common trash and recyclables to break down in nature and played an exciting game of Step on It! Challenging themselves to understand which surfaces are more durable while they Stick to Trails.

Mark and Tara

2011 e-tour team

Photo of the Week 6.12.11

The e-tour took a morning stroll at Patapsco Valley State Park and found the "Swinging Bridge" to be a welcome respite from the hot, humid weather that Maryland has been having lately. The bridge was originally constructed to allow passage for the Orange Grove mill workers to pass between their settlement and the mill. The remnants of their historic workplace can still be inspected by visitors to this cool and shady retreat only minutes from downtown Baltimore. We were thrilled to see bicyclists striving to Be Considerate Of Other Visitors, obeying signage asking two wheeled travelers to walk their bike across the span. It's a long way down to the waters of the Patapsco River, and as you can see, space on the narrow bridge is at a premium.

Mark and Tara

2011 e-tour team

Leave No Trace Volunteers in Action

Leave No Trace Partner Highlight: Saco River Recreational Council

Today is the...

5th annual Saco River Spring cleanup Saturday. We have about 60 volunteers including two scout groups from Upton, Ma and Milton, NH along with the National/Subaru Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers from Bouldor, CO. Everyone is gathering at Swans Falls at 9 am for photo ops etc. This will be a great day cleaning the river and enjoying our environment. We will gather at the end of the day for pasta dinner, a campfire circle open to the public to discuss our finds, roast marshmellows, and play some games with prizes. This is a great event and together we are making a difference. We will be posting pictures on our Facebook page today as well. sacoriverrecreationalcouncil on FB. Michelle Broyer Saco River Recreational Council Conservation Education program PO Box 600 Fryeburg, Maine 04037 207-256-7158 sacorivercouncil.org

BLACK DESPAIR IN THE WHITE MOUNTAINS - Guest Blog from Robert Stieve, editor-in-chief, Arizona Highways

As editor-in-chief of Arizona Highways, I’m often asked about my favorite place in the state. It’s an impossible question, because there are so many places, but when I’m pushed, I usually admit it’s a tossup between the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and Hannagan Meadow in the White Mountains. Unfortunately, because of the cataclysm known as the Wallow Fire, there’s no longer a debate. It’s hard to imagine there will be anything left of Hannagan Meadow and the surrounding forests by the time the fire is finally put out.

As I write this blog, the blaze, which began on May 29, has already consumed 336,000 acres, and the wind gusts of more than 60 mph are making matters worse. At this point, zero percent of the fire has been contained. Zero percent. The fire is now the second largest in Arizona history, and it’s probably only a matter of time before it surpasses Rodeo-Chediski — two fires, both caused by human negligence, that merged as one.

It seems like just yesterday when that inferno was raging, but it’s been almost 10 years. And time isn’t healing the wound. Not for me, anyway. I still get heavy-hearted when I drive across the Mogollon Rim and see the apocalyptic devastation. It’s upsetting, and so is the Wallow Fire. Upsetting, depressing, sorrowful ... there aren’t any words strong enough to describe what I'm feeling. I never thought I’d live to see anything as bad as Rodeo-Chediski, much less something worse. But that’s how the Wallow Fire is playing out, and like Rodeo-Chediski, we’re all in a state of shock.

It’s the same shock we feel during any other disaster. Certainly, you can’t compare Engelmann spruce and Douglas firs to the victims of a tsunami or an earthquake, but there is a similar feeling of helplessness and hopelessness when you see the dramatic photos, and when you think about what’s been lost and how that will decimate the local economies. And just when you think you couldn’t feel any worse, you think about how the Wallow Fire shouldn’t be burning at all. Although lightning fires do occur, this one was started by someone who forgot to pack his thinking cap when he headed into the great outdoors.

The details of how the fire got started are still being investigated, but according to officials of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, it was caused by a human being. Whether it was ignited by a cigarette butt, fireworks, an unattended campfire … we don’t know. Either way, somebody made a mistake. A big mistake. I was fortunate enough to be raised by an avid outdoorsman who taught me how to be careful in the forest and how to properly extinguish a campfire. But even without that training, you’d think common sense would prevail when it comes to fire. It doesn’t. It certainly didn’t for the person or persons responsible for the Wallow Fire. Or the person or persons responsible for the Horseshoe Two Fire in the Chiricahua Mountains, the Murphy Fire in the Atascosa Mountains, and all the others.

Ironically, unlike a raging forest fire, it's pretty simple to put out a campfire. However, before you even think about firing up a portable stove or building a campfire, check with the area's governing agency beforehand. Fire restrictions may apply during times of high fire danger. Times like now. DO NOT IGNORE THE WARNINGS.

When there aren't any fire restrictions in place, and you're at a campsite where fires are allowed, use only established fire pits, and put out your fire at least 60 minutes before you start to break camp. Let the fire die down, then pour water over the wood and ashes. Mix the water and ashes until the fire and any embers are completely out. Then, wait around for at least another hour to make sure it's safe to leave. Again, use common sense and always adhere to the Leave No Trace Ethics (www.LNT.org).

If there’s a bright side to the Wallow Fire, it’s that no one has been seriously injured so far. Some of that is luck, but most of it is a credit to the incredible men and women who risk their lives to save our forests and our cabins and our favorite places. Last summer, almost to the day, I was stranded at Hannagan Meadow Lodge because of the Paradise Fire, which was burning in the adjacent Blue Range Primitive Area. The firefighters used the lodge as a staging area, and I had an opportunity to interact with many of them and talk about their heroic efforts. Of course, they didn’t see themselves as heroes. It was just another day on the job for them. But they are heroes, and we owe them a sincere debt of gratitude — for what they’ve accomplished so far, and for what lies ahead.

Time will tell what’s left of the woods when the Wallow Fire has finally finished burning, but this much we know: One of the most beautiful places in the world, one of my favorite places in Arizona, is being destroyed, and it’ll never be the same. Not in my lifetime, not in your lifetime, and not in the lifetime of the perpetrator who ignited this mess. I have no expectation that the authorities will ever track down the people responsible for the three large fires now burning in Arizona, but at the very least, I hope they're sitting at home, glued to their televisions and thinking, How in the hell could I have been so stupid?

Let's learn from their mistakes, and let's hope history quits repeating itself. Meanwhile, let's all pray for rain.

— Robert Stieve, editor-in-chief, Arizona Highways

Dolores, Colorado: Spreading River Love

This past weekend, we had the honor of traveling down to provide outreach and Leave No Trace awareness to the good folks of Dolores, Colorado for the Dolores River Festival. The Dolores River Festival is a community celebration of the Dolores River and the many ways it connects us to each other, the environment, and our resources. Although this community boasts a population of only 800, the festival air was alive with music, river adventures, and booths of vendors from around the state. Many thanks to one of our corporate sponsors, Osprey Packs, who invited us down and hosted our booth space. We were able to reach many folks throughout the day on the importance of practicing Leave No Trace while recreating, to protect and preserve the places that we all love to play. Spreading river love.. and loving every minute of it.
Please practice Leave No Trace.