Leave No Trace
7 practices for enjoying our parks
by jennifer scully
If you ’ ve heard about the “ Seven Leave No Trace Principles ,” a vision of wilderness backpacking probably comes to mind , or maybe an image of the dreaded cathole . And if you ‘ re wondering what on earth a cathole is , here ’ s everything you need to know about it … and more . Leave No Trace Principles are a set of ethics meant to guide our behavior in Nature . They are not rules . By adopting them , we can move safely through the natural world in a way that creates minimal impacts on natural resources , wildlife and fellow visitors , no matter the park or the activity .
If you imagine a park to be your grandma ’ s house , I doubt most people would visit grandma and throw garbage in her living room , draw on her walls , steal her favorite knickknacks , or head out the front door to defecate on her lawn . Yet , this kind of behavior happens in our parks every day . A likely first reaction to this analogy is that bad people must be doing these things . While there is criminal activity happening on our public lands , most “ infractions ” against Nature emerge from of a lack of knowledge and limited experience in Nature .
At Black Hill Regional Park , it ’ s our mission to grow community around the park so that visitors are empowered to take care of it . Local residents and visitors from all over the world come here to fish , boat , bike , have a picnic , or just to fly a kite . Leave No Trace Principles can be applied to all of these activities . They are research-based and have evolved over time to meet the needs of our public lands and user groups . Essentially , the Principles serve as a guide for being a true steward of our shared outdoor spaces .
As park professionals and outdoor enthusiasts it is our responsibility to welcome everyone to our public lands while recognizing that people enjoy being outdoors in different ways . So I take every opportunity to encourage visitors to see the ethics of Leave No Trace as an opportunity to find commonality between people — we all want to enjoy our parklands .
So let ’ s dig into the Seven Principles to understand how they help everyone have a safer , more enjoyable and less damaging visit to our area parks .
-1- Plan Ahead and Prepare
This first principle is critical , especially during COVID . Go online or call ahead to make sure the facilities and locations you are planning to visit are open . What is your plan if there are no bathrooms on site ? Are there specific regulations or policies regarding masks or group size ? This information should be available on that park agency ’ s website , but I also recommend checking specific county / state COVID-19 information as well .
Check the weather before arriving at your destination . This is especially true if you are planning any type of activity on or near water . We have frequent high winds and summer thunderstorms at Black Hill . Once I went paddleboarding and I didn ’ t think to check the weather . When high winds came up I got into trouble , and it is probably the reason I will never grace a paddleboard again !
Do you have access to a map of the site ? Realize that Wi-Fi and cell service are often lacking on public lands . Print out maps and other information ahead of time .
Are pets allowed at the site ? Some parks do not permit dogs or only allow them during certain seasons . If you do plan on bringing your best four-legged friend , do you have water , a leash , and a way to pick up and dispose of their waste ? I keep a small doggy backpack in my car that has a collapsible water bowl , a jug of water , poop bags , and a towel for muddy paws . Between our jobs as first responders and our backpacking adventures , my husband and I are first-aid kit nerds , and you can be
26 plenty I Summer growing 2021