We’ve all heard of Leave No Trace. And it means exactly that - NO trace. Not, just a little bit, now and again. No trace, means no trace. And we say this for many good reasons.
We go in to nature to benefit from the scenery and the ‘raw’ experience we get from connecting with the natural occurring environment around us. If we don’t adhere to the Leave No Trace advice, then we change the very environment that we are making such an effort to immerse ourselves in. We are ruining our own experience, and that of others.
The Leave No Trace seven principles are:
(Leave no trace Center for outdoor ethics)
1. Plan ahead and prepare
2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces
3. Dispose of waste properly
4. Leave what you find
5. Minimize campfire impacts
6. Respect wildlife
7. Be considerate of other visitors
On a recent hiking day through the Mournes, I walked by one of my favourite areas, only to see it had been left in a mess. This breaks my heart as it ruins the beautiful views and proves a potential danger for humans and animals. All that rubbish, broken glass, sharp debris, and uncared for natural environment certainly didn’t add to my experience.
Granted, this was probably caused by people who don’t appreciate the environment as much as I do, however it can be easy for all of us to forget ourselves a little bit sometimes, so it’s certainly worth being mindful of the Leave No Trace advice.
Some top tips that we can all do to help adhere to this guidance can include the following easy steps.
1. Reduce the unnecessary items that we bring with us
We can reduce the risk of leaving a trace if we leave behind items that we don’t even need on our adventure. The main culprit is often packaging from food and newly bought items for your trip. Before you sling that bag over your shoulder, just do a quick check to see if you can take food out of pre-packaging, discard the cardboard packaging from your new batteries, or replace your plastic water bottle for a reusable one (empty ones don’t blow away as easily).
2. Take home all rubbish
It seems obvious but it is amazing how often this simple tip isn’t adhered to. Make sure you pop any litter in your bag securely to dispose of when you get home, especially plastic bags! (these become great kites when the wind picks up!). This also includes apple cores and banana skins – if they weren’t there when you arrived, then don’t leave them behind. They weren’t a natural part of that environment so they don’t belong there! Take them home with you and put them in the bin.
3. Don’t feed the wildlife
As cute and exciting as it might be, we shouldn’t be feeding wild animals in the great outdoors. Doing so can alter their health and their behaviour around humans. Be mindful that this doesn’t mean just actively feeding them to get that amazing photo for Facebook! Dropping old food or leaving access to bags with food in it overnight, can also attract wildlife to munch on your hiking goodies.
4. Before and after photos
We all love our photos, especially when out in nature. So, try to get in to the habit of checking your area before moving on, ensuring that you have lifted all your belonging, all your rubbish and it looks just as it did when you arrived and took that first ‘Whaow Moment’ photo.
5. The sounds of nature
The beautiful and natural sounds of the great outdoors really is something to behold and appreciate. However, it can hard to embrace this if there is loud music blasting from an iPhone as you trundle along, or from a portable speaker at a campsite (especially on an evening time!). Bear in mind that although you may be having a great time bopping away in your outdoor disco, the great outdoors is a shared space and others may be trying to have a different kind of experience.
So next time you hit those trails, remember the good old saying, ‘Take only pictures, leave only footprints’.