Leave No Trace

"Leave No Trace" is a set of principles and practices that embody proper outdoor ethics to maintain the natural character of the outdoors. Here are the seven main features:
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare

• Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you visit.
• Prepare for extreme weather and emergencies.
• Schedule to avoid times of high use.
• Split larger groups into smaller groups.
• Repackage food before you go to minimize waste at camp.
  
• Use GPS. Avoid use of rock cairns, flags or marking paint.

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

• Camp on established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry grass or snow.
• Camp at least 200 feet from lakes, streams or runoff areas.
  
• Good campsites are found, not made. Avoid altering the landscape.
• Use existing campsites and trails.
• Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even if wet or muddy.
  
• Keep campsites small. Focus activity where vegetation will not be damaged.

In pristine areas:

• Disperse use to prevent the creation of worn trails and campsites.
• Avoid places where impact is beginning to show.

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

• Pack out what you bring, including trash and food. Clean up campsites.
• Poop in catholes 6 to 8 inches deep, 200 feet from water, then cover and disguise.
• Better yet: Use a "poop tube" to pack out human waste and toilet paper.
• Keep dish and bath water 200 feet from streams and lakes. Use biodegradable soap.

4. Leave What You Find

• Examine but don't touch historic structures or artifacts.
• Leave rocks, plants and natural objects where you found them.
• Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species into the wilderness.
  
• Do not build structures, furniture or dig trenches.
  

5. Minimize Fire Impacts

• Campfires scar and sterilize the soil. Use camp stoves and lanterns.
  
• Use established fire rings, fire pans, wash tubs or mound fires.
• Keep fires small. Use only sticks that can be broken by hand.
• Burn wood and coals to ash, put out completely, then scatter when cool.

6. Respect Wildlife

• Keep your distance. Do not follow or approach wildlife.
• Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife alters their natural behavior, harms their health, and exposes them to danger.
• Store food securely from wildlife.
• Leave pets at home, or keep them under control. Keep dogs on a leash.
• Avoid contact with wildlife during mating, raising young or winter times.

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

• Respect other visitors and the quality of their outdoor experience.
• Be courteous. Yield to others, bikers, and horses on trails.
• Step to the downside of the trail when encountering pack animals.
• Camp away from trails and other visitors.
• Use tents and equipment with natural colors, such as greens or browns.
• Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.

Leave No Trace Ethics principles are endorsed by the Boy Scouts of America, the National Parks Service, the Game and Fish Department, the U.S. Forest Service and other organizations who value our wilderness and want to preserve it for generations to come.

For more information:

Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics main website: click here

U.S. Scouts Service Project site has a good summary of principles and is a great scouting resource: click here

For help in Teaching Leave No Trace see the official Scouting site, including activities and resources: click here