Leave No Trace - Northeast Edition
Carolyn Lawrence
Humans are, in a word, gross. We litter. We poop. Our dogs poop too, and then we litter that. Inexplicably, we seem to do most of this littering in our favorite outdoor spaces. It doesn’t have to be this way. It’s our duty and responsibility to preserve the environment and natural places we love. The Leave No Trace Center For Outdoor Ethics already has 7 well-established principles about how to be respectful to all of our wild spaces, but we’re going to apply them to your outdoor adventures in the Northeast because it may be different than how you would use them in the desert or other climate. But first, let’s take a refresher course on those 7 principles, shall we?
Plan Ahead and Prepare
Let’s say you’re planning to go on an overnight hike of a section of the Long Trail with some friends. Let’s also say that everyone was busy during the days leading up to the trip, and no one had time to look into the details of your itinerary. Ever the optimists, you all decide to go for it anyway. Once you hit the trail, things get a little hectic. One of your buddies wore flip-flops instead of hiking shoes. You’re checking the map every ten minutes to ensure you’re on the right trail. Wait, who was supposed to bring the water filter? Did anyone look into where we were going to sleep? And now, it’s raining — and no one brought a rain jacket. Proper preparation can prevent these feelings of unease and make for a better experience overall. Here is what LNT.org has to say for planning:
- Identify and record the goals (expectations) of your trip.
- Identify the skill and ability of trip participants.
- Gain knowledge of the area you plan to visit from land managers, maps, and literature.
- Choose equipment and clothing for comfort, safety, and Leave No Trace qualities.
- Plan trip activities to match your goals, skills, and abilities.
- Evaluate your trip upon return note changes you will make next time.
In short, proper preparation is your pal! In the Northeast, it’s especially important to schedule your trip around the frequent trail closures that occur: from peregrine falcon nesting season and mud season to winter road closures, just getting out often isn't as simple as it seems.
Travel and Camp on Durable Ground
This overnight hike you and your friends are doing is happening in early May. It’s just starting to be consistently warm in Vermont, and everyone is itching to cure their cabin fever by spending some time in the woods. But as you gain elevation, you’re noticing that the trails are increasingly softer and muddier — your boots are getting stuck, folks are stepping off-trail to avoid the muck, and before you know it, your socks are soaked through with water and mud. This is the opposite of durable ground:
Don't hike during mud season! Photo by Matt Seymour Durable ground is not something you’ll find much of during springtime in Vermont, or as folks around here affectionately call it: mud season. Most hiking trails in Vermont are closed until Memorial Day to give them time to dry out from the melting snowpack. Hiking through the muck accelerates trail erosion, and stepping off trail to avoid said muck causes trail widening and increases the impact to the ecosystem — two things we want to prevent. TL;DR: Don’t hike during mud season! Let’s see what LNT.org has to say about traveling on durable surfaces:
- Travel on trails whenever possible
- Travel on rock, sand, and gravel when possible
And hiking isn’t all that needs to be kept in mind when referring to finding durable ground. Camping is just as important. After hiking all day, you decide it’s time to set up camp for the night. But, since your trip planning was lackluster, you don’t have an established campsite or shelter to stay and you have to get creative about where to pitch your tent. Taking extra care to practice LNT effectively while camping in a pristine/remote area is imperative. Setting up your tent on an inviting bed of moss is tempting — who wouldn’t want that extra cushion? But moss is a sensitive organism that will be harmed when slept on by a human. To protect the organisms around you, search for hard surfaces such as rock, gravel, or sand to establish camp on. Here are some other great tips from LNT.org when it comes to traveling and camping on durable ground:
- Camp at least 200 feet away from any water edge (whether it’s lake, river, ocean, or other).
- Don’t scrape away leaves or any other ground cover.
- Cover scuffed areas that resulted from your camping. This will help keep it hidden from other campers and reduce soil compaction from additional use as a site.
Dispose of Waste Properly
Nature calls even out on the trail. Since you’re out on an overnight adventure, it’s more than likely that you’ll feel the urge for number 2. But what to do without a toilet? For the love of all that is nature, DIG A HOLE! Yes, for you to poop in. Here’s a quick how-to:
- Poop at least 200 feet away from any water source
- Dig a hole 6-8 inches deep and 4-6 inches in diameter (a protip: One of our staff’s favorite trowels, the Tentlab Deuce #2 , is just about the right length to measure proper cathole depth)
- Fill the hole when you’re done and cover it with organic material
- Try to go in a place with lots of sunlight to help speed the decomposition process
- Avoid any areas where water is visibly flowing
We are fortunate to have lots of rivers in the Northeast, and it’s our duty to keep them clean and unpolluted by doing our business well away from them. No one wants to swim in your feces! Waste also means trash. Never leave trash on the trail, at a campsite, or really anywhere outdoors. If you pack it in, then pack it out. Pro tip: bring a separate bag on your outdoor adventure specifically for trash.
If you carry it in, carry it out! Photo by Cam Bradford Learn more about other ways to handle waste and wastewater at LNT.org.
Leave What You Find
Maybe it’s raining while you’re setting up your campsite on this overnight adventure of yours. You think to yourself, “Wow, it’d be nice to pitch my tent under those trees to try and stay dry.” But, to fit your tent within that tree copse, you’d have to saw and tear some branches out of the way. What do you do? Enter Principle 4: Leave What You Find. Or as we like to think of it, Leave It How You Found It. As tempting as it may be to trim part of the tree to fit your tent beneath the enticing natural rain cover, please refrain. Trees take decades to grow and harming them for one night of additional comfort is rude and can have lasting negative impacts on the tree. Here is the official advice from LNT.org:
- Minimize site alterations
- Avoid damaging live trees and plants
- Leave natural objects and cultural artifacts
Minimize Campfire Impacts
We’ll be the first to admit that a campfire would go a long way toward improving the ambiance of your campsite. After all, who doesn’t love getting cozy with their friends around a fire while accidentally setting various food items aflame? (or purposely, if you’re one of those people who prefers charred marshmallows). That being said, it is crucial to be mindful about when and where fires are built while camping. An easy thing to remember is to always use an existing fire ring if there is one present. There is no need to further damage an ecosystem by building an additional fire site if there already is one! Another great option is using a firepan to minimize impact. An additional critically important fire rule is to listen to our friend, Smokey the Bear. Always check the fire danger before even thinking about building a fire. Remember, only YOU can prevent forest fires.
Only YOU can prevent forest fires! A new development in Vermont specifically is to be extremely careful about where you source your firewood. The nefarious Emerald Ash-Borer Beetle is storming its way through the ash trees of our country, and we need to do all we can to prevent its spread. Always grab your firewood from a local source to reduce the risk of bringing contaminated wood to a campsite. Now that you know how to respectfully build a fire , we recommend you start shopping for your s'mores ingredients.
Respect Wildlife
If you’re lucky, you could see a moose while you’re hiking that section of the Long Trail you chose! As exciting as that may be, Principle 6 of LNT explicitly states not to try and move closer to wildlife for a better look. Attempting to interact with animals is stressful for them — and potentially dangerous for you. Read: moose look cute and gentle but they are enormous and can inflict some serious bodily harm.
Moose are beautiful - just don't get too close. Photo by Lesly Derksen Circling back to Principle 2, camping 200 feet away from water sources is important for our furry and feathered friends. We don’t want to impede their access to water with our presence. It’s also important to keep pets under control at all times, for their sake as well as for wildlife. To sum up: Don’t moose around — keep walking and let her be.
Be Considerate of Other Visitors
I.e., don’t be a jerk. We all share our common outdoor spaces and, in the spirit of sharing, it’s up to us to be respectful of others’ experiences when we are outside. This means extending some common courtesies to others when you’re out on the trail. Step aside to allow uphill travelers to pass on the trail. Don’t blast music in the middle of the woods. Keep your pets under control. Don’t be mean to other folks who are enjoying the outdoors too. Heck, maybe even offer someone a smile and say hello when you go past them! We all love the outdoors, and we all want to protect it so we can continue to enjoy it for generations to come. By practicing these seven LNT principles, we can all be a little less gross and keep nature a little more pristine.
