Most People in the Outdoors are Uninformed About Their Impacts to the Environment
The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics provides research, education and initiatives so every person who ventures outside can protect and enjoy our world responsibly.
The Leave No Trace movement began in the 1960s and 1970s due to the large increase of wilderness visitation following the creation of new recreational equipment such as white gas stoves, synthetic tents, and sleeping pads. This began the increased commercial interest in outdoor recreation leading to higher visitation to parks and the outdoors in general. During this time period the United States Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the National Park Service started to teach their visitors how to have a minimal impact on the land. In 1987 these three departments cooperatively developed a pamphlet titled "Leave No Trace Land Ethics". The national education program of Leave No Trace was developed in 1990 by the United States Forest Service in conjunction with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).
Leave No Trace is a set of outdoor ethics promoting conservation in the outdoors. It consists of seven principles:
- plan ahead and prepare,
- travel and camp on durable surfaces,
- dispose of waste properly,
- leave what you find,
- minimize campfire impacts,
- respect wildlife,
- be considerate of other visitors.
Let's all do our part when venturing out into our natural world. Please Leave No Trace!
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