Interview with Author of Leave No Trace in the Outdoors
LNT: a three-letter law that applies to hikers, campers and backpackers. In fact, any outdoor lover should be familiar with “Leave No Trace” principles; adherence to LNT guidelines ensures that the wilderness we know and love stays wild – and accessible – for future generations. We spoke with Ph.D. and author of Leave No Trace in the Outdoors, Jeff Marion, about the 7 LNT principles, where to start and his thoughts on what we need to do better.
Active Junky: What is the central, unifying theme of LNT's seven principles?
Jeff Marion: That education is the best means to encourage visitors to adopt low-impact practices that avoid or minimize the negative impacts of their visits to protected natural areas. The Leave No Trace program is dedicated to the responsible enjoyment and active stewardship of the outdoors through education founded on outdoor ethics.
AJ: Which (or the opposite behaviors, really) has done the most damage in the last 5-10 years?
JM: I would say that unskilled and uninformed outdoor practices and behaviors have caused the most harm to our protected natural areas. A great majority of outdoor visitors care deeply about the protection of the natural areas they visit but many are unaware of the negative impacts that may be associated with their visits. While many visitors may equate “low-impact camping” primarily with packing out their trash, many park and forest managers are equally concerned with impacts like creating new trails, campsites, or fire pits, disturbing wildlife or allowing them access to their food or trash, or polluting water resources with soap and human waste.
AJ: Which principle is the best place to start?
JM: Plan Ahead and Prepare. As stated in the book: “Successful outings require good planning and preparation. Every outdoor visit is enhanced when we take time to improve our outdoor knowledge and skills, learn about the area we will visit, carefully plan our trip, and bring the right equipment.”
Taking the time to conduct good trip planning will help visitors ensure that they achieve all their personal objectives for a fun-filled outdoor trip while also having the right gear and knowledge to Leave No Trace of their visit. All the other Leave No Trace principles depend on this.
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