Resources for Outdoor Recreation

With summertime recreation in full swing, it's exciting to see the variety of resources available to support outdoor programs, specifically those focused on youth. The Center offers a number of successful programs that promote responsible recreation to all ages and recreation groups.

PEAK (Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids) is a great resource for educators, providing kid-friendly activities to teach the principles of Leave No Trace. The e-tour is on the road, conducting fun, family-friendly workshops and presentations. Finally, the Center's Grants and Scholarships help support local initiative programs and training that educate the public about Leave No Trace.

In 2010, the Center received a generation donation from Gear to Grow, a non-profit program that acquires donated gear - such as backpacks - from outdoor retailers and manufacturers and places them into the hands of non-profits that promote outdoor recreation. Gear to Grow has also worked with several of the Center's grant recipients, including: Big City Mountaineers and cityWILD.

This year, Gear to Grow will be hosting a gear-drive at this year’s Outdoor Retailer Summer Market August 4-7.INVISTA’s CORDURA® brand booth (#38213) will serve as the official collection site for Gear to Grow’s Summer Market gear-drive. Exhibitors are encouraged to participate by dropping off surplus samples and equipment at the CORDURA® brand booth (#38213) during show hours. Additionally, exhibitors can ship donations prior to the show along with gear they plan to exhibit.

If you are at the show, support this great initiative and let other know about this available resource. For more information, email: contact@geartogrow.org.

Video: OKay! or No Way! PEAK Activity for Youth

Okay! or No Way! is a new downloadable activity through the Leave No Trace PEAK program. For more information, contact the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics at www.LNT.org.

A Third Deadline for Leave No Trace Connect Grants

Connect Grants for Culturally Diverse Communities—Extended Deadline Nov. 1, 2009

Connect Grants help support Leave No Trace education and outreach in multicultural communities. Grants can be directed toward educational materials, teaching resources, training and course scholarships, as well as partnership with the Center. Please note, these grants specifically focus on programs within the United States. The Center is unable to award international grants at this time.

To apply, please visit our online application: http://lnt.org/programs/grantproposal.php
More more information about Connect Grants, please visit: http://lnt.org/programs/connect_grants.php

For questions or inquiries, please email or call Sarah Folzenlogen in the Education Department at 303.442.8222 x 107.

How to Green Your Camping Trip

As much as I hate to admit it, Summer is more than halfway over. It seems that August is a month imbued with the imagery of "reintegration"... probably from 20-odd years of going back to school at this point in the year. Before your summer is over and your own reintegration begins - in to school or just in to the final stretch of the year - challenge yourself to get outside for at least one more excursion.

While you're at it, why not take it back to the basics of good old fashioned camping. In and of itself, camping is a great tradition to carry from year to year as part of your seasonal repertoire because of the ease of access in most parts of the country to good camping areas, and the ability to create a memorable experience that ranges in depth from a frontcountry car camp to a backcountry backpacking trip.

One advantage to an easier camping trip is that it doubles as a fantastic platform for teaching Leave No Trace to your family (and friends, for that matter) in a non-intimidating and hands-on way. Getting your Leave No Trace techniques dialed when you're close to home, and in a somewhat familiar environment, ensures that you'll be that much more of a habit in future outdoor excursions.

Recently, a coworker circulated "Take Only Photographs, Leave Only Catholes," an article that discusses Leave No Trace and camping. The author, Nina Shen Rastogi, touches on a wide array of ways that she was able to integrate Leave No Trace in to her family's recent camping trip, both at the campsite and on the way there.

What are some of the ways that you Leave No Trace when you're camping close to home? How does this help you prepare for trips that are a little further in to the backcountry?

Take a Kid to Camp

I received an email last week from the organization cityWILD. They were selected as one of 10 organizations nationwide that would be benefiting from Mountain Hardwear's "Send a Kid to Camp" campaign.

cityWILD was a Connect Grant recipient through the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, as well as Outdoor Outreach, another organization selected to be part of this campaign.

"Send a Kid to Camp" is a great example of the outdoor industry giving back to its community. Here is a summary of the program from the Mountain Hardwear website:

YOUR click can help Send a Kid to Camp. For every visitor to the Send a Kid to Camp site, Mountain Hardwear will donate $1 towards this program. Help us spread the word. Between now and April 15th, you and your friends can click to Send a Kid to Camp. You may return every day to donate!

As the website mentions, you can click through once a day until April 15th. It's an easy way to show your support for outdoor youth programs in your region, and it makes you feel good!

Click away!