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"Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are
beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home: that wildness is a
necessity ... " — John Muir
At Sierra Club Outings, we take great pride in our respect for the Earth's
wild places. To that end, we aim to show our members how to minimize their
impact on the land.
In 1970, the Outing Committee and the Sierra Club Foundation commissioned
Dr. Richard Hartesveldt, Dr. H. Tom Harvey, and Dr. John Stanley of San Jose
State
University to study our
program's effect on the environment. Published in 1978, this study
provided the first comprehensive look at the program's environmental impacts—and
the ways in which these impacts could be minimized.
Since then, our understanding of mankind's relationship with the wild has
deepened, and a few bedrock truths have emerged. Wilderness use increases every
year,
and it's become clear that practices that were once
acceptable are no longer sustainable. Human exploration is changing entire
ecosystems;
the ability of wild places to recover from human damage decreases dramatically
as use increases.
Simply put, to minimize our impact we must refine
our wilderness practices. Building on these discoveries, the National Outdoor
Leadership School
(NOLS)
has developed
an
educational
program known as Leave No Trace™.
Good
wilderness manners include the following principles, which are designed
to be universal
concepts for all outdoors people. Minimizing our impact depends
on
attitude,
awareness, judgment, and experience. Necessarily, our practices
depend on where we're traveling—each wilderness area's soil, vegetation,
wildlife, moisture levels, and the amount and effect of prior
use inform our approach.
As outdoor
enthusiasts, we should embrace the principles below to minimize our impact
whenever we get outdoors.
"Wilderness may be used and enjoyed by such means and in such manner
as will leave it unimpaired for future generations." — Richard
M. Leonard
Plan Ahead and Prepare
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Check with the local public land agencies. They can offer
advice and inform you of regulations specific to a particular area.
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Know the area and what to expect. Take weather, crowding, and terrain
into account. When visiting popular areas that are highly impacted, prepare
to see other people and camp in existing campsites rather than impact a new
area. Conversely, in pristine, little-visited areas,
prepare to use techniques that leave no trace of your stay.
Carpool to the trailhead. If your trip is a traverse from point A to point B, a vehicle exchange works well and saves time, fuel, and money.
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Plan travel distances and activities. Be sure to leave adequate
daylight and energy to address minimal impact considerations (such as locating
durable
tent sites). A time-control plan is essential to having enough energy at the
end of the day. Fatigue, bad weather, and tardiness are not acceptable excuses
for choosing a poor or fragile campsite.
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Select the proper equipment for your activity. Bring equipment
that anticipates area conditions. For example, shared tents minimize the
need to select marginal sites; gaiters allow for travel across snow or through
muddy trails rather than creating multiple trails by skirting such obstacles;
collapsible water jugs allow for the acquisition of large quantities of water
at one time, minimizing the frequency of trampling sensitive streamside
ecosystems.
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Repackage food. Plan meal portions carefully and repackage ingredients into
reusable containers or plastic bags to minimize garbage.
Travel on Durable Surfaces
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In popular areas, concentrate use. Hike on existing trails and camp in existing
campsites.
Hike on existing trails to minimize impacts on soils and wildlife. Walking outside the tread widens the trail and furthers impact. Never cut across switchbacks.
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Pull off the trail for rest breaks. Make sure that other
hikers are not forced to leave the trail to go around you. Again, choose a
durable surface, preferably one with no vegetation, lots of privacy, and a
great view.
Keep your
collapsible water jug handy so one person can travel to collect water for the
group.
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Give packstock the right of way and plenty of room. Your
entire party should move to the same side of the trail, preferably the downhill
side. Remain quiet, as packstock frighten easily.
Camp on Durable Surfaces
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Select an appropriate campsite. Choose a site that is not visible to others
and is 200 feet from water and trails. If you choose your campsite appropriately,
you can achieve a sense of solitude even in popular areas.
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When selecting an undisturbed campsite, choose one with a
durable surface. Choose a durable surface—such
as sand, gravel, or rock outcroppings—with no snow or vegetation.
A durable vegetation cover, such as
short grasses, is an acceptable secondary choice. The kitchen is
a high-traffic area; pay special attention
to its placement. Spread out tents and avoid repetitive
traffic routes.
The
objective is to minimize the number of times any part of the site is trampled.
Always wear soft
shoes around camp. It is best to move camps every night.
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When going off-trail, spread use to avoid
trampling vegetation (except in the desert). Hike in small groups
of 4-6 people, where each group takes a slightly different route and none
follow in the footsteps
of another. This reduces the impact on any one spot. Avoid developing user-created
trail systems by resisting travel in wet areas and unstable slopes. Durable
hiking areas include rock; sand; snow; ice; and stable, non-vegetated surfaces.
Unstable areas have loose or wet soils or fragile vegetation, such as biogenic
desert soils, alpine vegetation, and tall grass meadows.
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In the desert, watch your step. Biogenic soils take
centuries to re-vegetate after even a single footstep. To avoid harming these
fragile soils, travel on the most durable surfaces, such as rocks or dry
drainages.
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Avoid areas that show wear-and-tear. Avoid
campsites and trails that show slight signs of use to allow them
time to recover. Most areas can recover from a certain amount of use; there
is a tipping point, however, after which the area will deteriorate rapidly.
This is how
established trails and campsites are formed.
Pack It In, Pack It Out
Reduce litter at the source. Repackage food into reusable containers or combine ingredients in plastic bags. This not only helps avoid inadvertently leaving litter behind, but also reduces the weight of the food packed in and the amount of garbage packed out.
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Carry out all trash. Carefully plan meals to have exactly
the correct portions for every trip member. The plastic bags used to repackage
meals double as trash bags. Do not burn or bury food. Thoroughly burning
food requires an extraordinarily hot fire; burying food is inappropriate,
as animals simply dig it up. Keeping food waste away from animals is important,
as they easily become habituated to people as a food source. To prevent
animal visits and habituation, take care to remove
crumbs and cooking splashes.
Properly Dispose of What You Can’t Pack Out
Disperse urine properly. Urine has minimal impact on vegetation and soils. Occasionally, animals are attracted to the salts in urine and may dig up the soil. For this reason, it is best to urinate on rocks and other durable surfaces.
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Bury human feces in individual catholes. Even though burial
of human feces slows down decomposition, it is still considered the best disposal
method. To dig a
cathole: With a garden trowel, dig a hole 6-8 inches deep and 4-6 inches
round.
Disguise
catholes with natural materials when done. Pathogens can survive for a year
or more, so it is important to dig catholes at least 200 feet
from water, trails, and campsites. If you are staying in one camp for more
than a few nights, it's best to dig a group latrine. In this case,
select your latrine site the same way you would a cathole.
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Use toilet paper sparingly. Carry out all used toilet paper
(opaque plastic bags containing a drop of bleach make this a more pleasant
task). Do not burn toilet paper, as this can start forest
fires; burying toilet paper in catholes is unacceptable, as it doesn't decompose.
Experiment
with natural toilet paper substitutes—such as stones, vegetation, and
snow—which can be buried
in a cathole. Be sure you know what you are using, though:
Poison ivy and stinging nettle don't make good TP substitutes!
Tampons and menstrual pads must always be carried out as trash. Contrary to popular opinion, animals are not attracted to menstrual odors.
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Keep cooking and waste water away from water sources. On
personal trips, soap is unnecessary for most dishwashing jobs. If soap is
needed to address health concerns, use biodegradable soap. After washing
dishes, run the
wastewater through
a sieve to remove all food particles. The water can then be scattered
over a wide area away from camp and water sources. In areas with grizzly
bears,
it may
be
best
to dispose
of wastewater in a sump hole far from camp; otherwise, bears might dig up
large areas of ground.
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If bathing with soap is necessary, make sure it is biodegradable. Wash
at least 200 feet from water sources and rinse off with water carried to
the wash site. Soap must never enter lakes or streams: It causes algae bloom,
which competes for oxygen and can kill fish and other inhabitants.
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Dispose of fishing and hunting waste far from campsites and trails. Viscera
are a natural part of the ecosystem and tend to attract predators, especially
bears. Viscera should be broadly scattered in areas where they are unlikely
to be seen. In high-use areas it is considerate to bury viscera in a cathole.
Do not throw viscera into lakes and streams, as the water's lower temperatures
slow down decomposition.
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Learn the special considerations for bear country. Contact
the local public land agencies for advice and resources.
Minimize Use and Impact of Fires
Use stoves for cooking. If you choose to build an occasional fire, determine whether it is appropriate and build one that minimizes impact. The most important factors are:
- Administrative restrictions
- Wind conditions and overall fire danger
Never leave obvious ashes or build a fire ring. In heavily-used
areas, use pre-existing fire rings. Where several fire rings exist in one camp,
learn how to remove all but one and return the area to a more natural state.
Build a mound fire:
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Collect mineral soil (light-colored soil found below the layer of rich,
organic topsoil), sand, or gravel from already-disturbed areas such as overturned
trees or stream beds.
Lay a ground cloth over the fire site to make it easier to clean up.
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Mound the mineral soil over the ground cloth. The mound should be 6-8
inches thick to insulate the ground cloth and the soil beneath it. To prevent
the spreading of coals, the circumference
of the mound should be larger than your intended fire.
Construct your fire with downed wood less than 1.5 inches in
diameter. Keep the fire small.
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When the fire is out, scatter the ashes in a highly-vegetated area and return
the mineral soil, sand, or gravel to its source.
Leave What You Find
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Respect wildlife. Animals have their own daily patterns and
are instinctively afraid of humans. Our presence disrupts their routines and
may
affect their health. When wildlife view humans as a source of food, they lose
their fear of humans and become habituated. Habituated animals become problem
animals, which often must be shot or relocated. Leave the wildness in wildlife
and don't contribute to habituation through poor wilderness practices.
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Minimize campsite alterations. Don't dig trenches, build
fire rings, or construct camp "furniture." Choose your site carefully so it
is comfortable without alterations. When you must remove a rock, replace it
as
soon as possible to avoid altering the micro-ecosystem surrounding the rock.
Good campsites are found, not made.
Avoid damaging live trees and plants. Consider the alteration of living things an impact. Even picking a few flowers or removing deadwood from tree trunks has a significant impact.
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Leave natural and cultural artifacts. In most places it is
illegal to remove natural objects or pick wildflowers. Federal law
makes removing cultural artifacts and fossils from a site illegal. Regardless
of legality, however, leave objects where you find them so others may enjoy
them.
Be Considerate of Others
We all visit the wilderness to have a unique experience with nature. For some
the goal is solitude; for others, the pursuit of a sport. Be sure to choose
secluded camps, take rest breaks in secluded areas not visible from the trail,
travel
in small groups, and leave items such as radios at home. Most of all, use common
sense.
Be Considerate of Other Cultures
Encourage local support for the preservation of nature, cultural traditions, and historical sites. Avoid sensitive areas such as those discussed above. When visiting other cultures, pay special attention to sacred sites and local customs.
Take the time to learn about local environment and conservation issues, including
the status of endangered species and impacted habitats. Avoid purchasing products
that
exploit these species or habitats.
"In wildness is the preservation of the world." —
Thoreau
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