Leave No Trace for the Boy Scouts of America A National Education Program Designed to Teach Stewardship, Land Ethics, and Outdoor Skills

The Need for Leave No Trace Outdoor Skills & Ethics

Presentation Objectives  Review the resource impacts that can result from outdoor recreational activities.  Describe the level of BSA outdoor use and our reputation among land managers.  Describe WHY a national Leave No Trace educational program is needed.

Leave No Trace “Virtual” Campfire Overview of Visitor Impacts

Vegetation Impacts Vegetation loss Spread of non-native species Tree damage

Soil Impacts Loss of organic litter Soil compaction Soil erosion

Water Resource Impacts Turbidity, sedimentation Soap & fecal wastes

Wildlife Impacts Disturbance of wildlife Altered behavior Reduced health & reproduction

Social Impacts Crowding Conflicts

Cultural Resource Impacts Theft of artifacts Damage to historic structures Damage to cultural features

Are recreation impacts really a problem?

Improving the Reputation of Scouts Troop 375

Loving Our Public Lands To Death? Increasing visitation Increasing visitation = Increasing impacts? 50,000+ Troops & 17,000+ Crews = 300,000+ weekend trips 10,000+ weekend multi-group trips 5,000+ week-long trips 1,000+ week-long multi-group trips Estimated annual outdoor BSA use on public/private recreation lands: Over 15 million user days! BSA: > 5 million members, 308 Councils, 138,000 units

Why Leave No Trace ? Why Leave No Trace ?  One poorly located campsite or campfire may have little significance, but thousands of such instances seriously degrade our natural resources.  To protect our resources we must assume the responsibility to educate ourselves and practice the skills and ethics necessary to Leave No Trace.  Leave No Trace might seem unimportant until you consider the combined effects of millions of outdoor visitors.

 Prevent avoidable resource and social impacts  Minimize unavoidable impacts  Preserve the quality of resources and recreation experiences The LNT Challenge

The Seven LNT Principles 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

 Better planning leads to safer trips and lighter packs  Prevents avoidable impacts, minimizes unavoidable impacts  Protects the quality of natural environments and recreation experiences Benefits of Applying LNT  Avoids or minimizes the need for restrictive management regulations or use limitations

The End The End Happy trails and remember to... Happy trails and remember to... Leave No Trace !