Leave No Trace - Dolores River Training

This is a guest blog by Jay Loschert, Dolores River Stewardship Assistant for American Whitewater

American Whitewater and Lower Dolores Boating Advocates recently sponsored a Leave No Trace Awareness Workshop on March 31 in Dolores, Colorado. Nine whitewater enthusiasts from the Four Corners area joined Rick Ryan, retired Bureau of Land Management river ranger and Leave No Trace Master Educator for a fun and informative day. Volunteer stewardship activities such as this provide excellent opportunities for AW’s members and affiliate clubs to demonstrate leadership in river protection efforts.



Various hands-on activities reinforced the 7 Leave No Trace principles for western river corridors. Rick did a fabulous job of leading discussions about how they apply specifically to the Dolores River. Of particular concern on the Dolores is the protection of archaeological sites and rock art panels. We also learned how pet owners can help minimize the impacts of their animals. Because the river season is so short, social impacts are often concentrated and crowding can be an issue. Participants shared their own stories and suggestions for addressing these problems. As one volunteer put it, “What really made an impression on me were the exercises Rick involved us in to really help us see how different the same scenario can look through different eyes.”



The highlight of the day was Rick’s demonstration of his movable fire pan system. This drove home the point to many of us that leaving no trace provides pragmatic solutions for camping issues, while protecting the resource at the same time. And the banana boats we cooked in the coals sealed the deal! Thoroughly dousing the fire and straining the coals for proper disposal wrapped up the demonstration. Other activities reinforced the need for good river kitchen practices and proper sanitation.



Participants concluded the day with a discussion of effective ways to share what they learned with others. By communicating our passion for the wild, unspoiled nature of the river canyon, we can gently remind others of the rationale for leaving no trace. We all have stories of how a river trip or canyon hike left an indelible mark on us; drawing out stories from other visitors creates a starting point for discussions about our individual and cumulative impacts.



This project was designed to assist the BLM in managing the river corridor for whitewater recreation. The Tres Rios field office no longer funds a river ranger position, so it is up to the boating community to educate others and ourselves about using the resource responsibly. River stewardship begins at home. Phase 2 of this project will involve outreach to other whitewater enthusiasts at boat launch sites this spring and at the Dolores River Festival on June 2. Who knows, we might even break out the fire pan and make some banana boats!

Teaching kids to appreciate cultural history

We recently did a family raft trip on a river in Utah that was rich with cultural history. Pot shards, rock houses, petroglyphs and other signs of past generations. One particular area was littered with pot shards and all the kids were amazed. They also wanted to each take home one or more pieces, which gave me a great opportunity to help them understand why the pot shards should be left where they were found. It took a little convincing but eventually all the kids (8 of them under the age of eight) decide to leave the artifacts for the next "kids so they could see them." It was great to see little people beginning to develop an outdoor ethic.

Leave No Trace - Now More Than Ever

In the seven years I've been with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, I've provided outreach, education and training to thousands of people all across the U.S. and in many countries around the globe. While on the road, I'm constantly reminded of just how many people are supporters or practitioners of Leave No Trace - a great thing. Particularly when you consider that there are hundreds of millions of recreationists who regularly enjoy all the outdoor opportunities this country has to offer.

Last week I had the opportunity to present to a group of forty river rafting company owners and guides in Oregon about Leave No Trace. All were part of the Headwaters Institute, an organization with a mission to provide education that inspires individuals and communities to care for and connect with their watershed. They were all very supportive of Leave No Trace and in many ways, it was like preaching to the choir. This week, I'm at the American Camp Association conference in Tennessee, and again, I'm interacting with people who are supportive of Leave No Trace. Many of the ACA conference participants are deeply involved in the Leave No Trace program and are actively teaching kids about Leave No Trace. Both of these great organizations are partners of Leave No Trace and actively promote outdoor ethics.

What I keep seeing is more and more support for Leave No Trace from all those who enjoy the out of doors. Now more than ever, Leave No Trace is gaining momentum and educating more people than we ever thought possible. Together we can make a significant difference for the responsible use and active stewardship of our shared outdoor resources. It's not what you did yesterday, it's what you're doing tomorrow.