Wilderness Ethics Explained
If you are going to venture into wild places, you need to become familiar with wilderness ethics. Let's start with your basic definition of ethics- a set of moral principles, especially ones relating to or affirming a specified group, field, or form of conduct. In this post we're going to break down outdoor etiquette and the mission behind why this ideology exists. If you are someone new to the realm of outdoor recreation, it's important to understand the relationship between humans and nature.
Historically, man has developed land with the intent of using it for resources and human needs. We didn't understand the symbiotic relationship of how special and vital these ecosystems were towards a healthy, habitable planet. As we became more intimately involved in experiencing wilderness, it was soon realized that our actions were ultimately going to destroy environments that we rely on to survive. Everything is interconnected and I can't go any further without giving credit to the father of wildlife ecology, Aldo Leopold.
In the early 1900s Aldo Leopold worked for the U.S forestry service and during his career realized that this concept of just using land for our own immediate benefit would be disastrous in the long run. We were ignoring how interconnected our dependence on these environments were. Instead, he introduced an evolved way of thinking- "land ethics" which established a moral code that grows from respecting the interconnectedness of nature and humans. This is the basis of conservation, preservation and our duty to be a steward of the land. Leopold believed the best way to become a steward of the land was to get outside and explore the outdoors for yourself. An undeniable, intimate connection with nature is born when you experience the power of the great outdoors.
The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics
The practice of wilderness ethics aims to sustain outdoor recreation for future generations by lessening our impact on these wild lands today. Leave No Trace is a non-profit organization providing researched-based solutions for the natural world. Their focus is on educating the public on how to care for the outdoors rather than expensive restoration projects and restrictions. To accomplish this, they've created a 7 principle framework of minimum impact practices to follow while recreating outdoors.
The 7 Principles of LNT
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
By adequately preparing ahead of time, you are not only decreasing the risk of needing a rescue (which takes up an astronomical amount of resources) but also minimizes your impact on the land. Poor planning can put you and the rest of your group in danger and just make your experience miserable. The overall goal of every trip should be to enjoy it safely and informed trip planning sets you up for a successful adventure.
Factors to Consider when Planning:
Weather
Location
Terrain
Rules & Regulations
Group Size
Group Experience
Mileage & Elevation Gain
Necessary Equipment
Emergency Evacuation Plan
Objectives for the Trip
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Traveling through natural landscape requires an understanding of the ecosystem at large. When surface vegetation is damaged beyond restoration it causes trails to get shut down and new restrictions to be put in place by different land management agencies. Stay on the trail! It's better to have one well designed route then to create a multitude of ugly social trails.
**Each environment has its own set of ethical practices when it comes to travel so I encourage you to research the area you plan to visit**
Some Common Factors to Consider:
Stay on Designated Trails **Remain in the center even where it's wet, rocky or muddy**
Off-Trail Use **Use the most durable surfaces such as rock, snow, ice, gravel and sand to prevent creating social trails**
Surface Durability **Be aware of the impact your footprint has on the vegetation and soil**
Frequency of Use **Concentrate use in established campsites if possible**
Protect Water Resources **Camp at least 200 ft away unless local guidelines indicate otherwise**
Disperse Use in Pristine Areas **Only visit remote areas if you are committed to LNT in that environment**
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT! Overlooked trash is not only ugly but it can also be deadly to wildlife. Every single thing you bring into the wilderness with you, needs to leave with you- it's as simple as that.
LNT Disposal Techniques:
Plan meals which avoid generating messy, smelly garbage that will attract wildlife.
Carry Plastic Bags for your trash **and maybe trash you find while out there**
Practice Good Sanitation
Dispose of your human waste / pet waste properly **Research the area you plan on visiting to see what their regulations are regarding this**
To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 ft away from streams or lakes to help keep pollutants out of those natural water sources**
4. Leave What you Find
In 2020 there were over 235 million visitors at U.S National Parks. Now Imagine if those statistics continued to exponentially grow annually and each visitor took one rock home with them. By leaving what you find you are passing the gift of discovery to future visitors.
Factors to Consider:
Leave Natural Features Undisturbed **Take Pictures Not Things**
Obtain Permits for Natural Objects you are allowed to collect
Avoid Spreading Non-Native Plants and Animals **Clean your packs, tents, shoes and other equipment to avoid spreading spores to the next area you visit**
Preserve the Past **Archeological artifacts are reminders of rich history**
5. Minimize Campfire Impact
When we think about camping, I think that classic vision of telling stories around a campfire comes to mind for most. However, the truth is many areas have been degraded due to careless use of fires and an over consumption of firewood. More importantly, campfires CAN and DO ignite wildfires. With climate change, we are seeing a trend of less precipitation in our drier regions which causes more risk for wildfires and devastatingly permanent damage on these environments. Many lasting impacts can be avoided by following LNT practices.
LNT Campfire Techniques:
Use a Stove **Do not rely on a campfire to cook your meals, always come prepared with enough fuel for your adventure**
Build a Minimum Impact Fire if allowed.
Research Pertinent Regulations and Campfire Management Techniques for the area you are visiting.
Consider the wind, weather, location and wood availability.
Bring a fire ring, grate or build a mound fire.
Use ONLY dead and downed wood **Do not damage trees**
NEVER leave a fire unattended!
Don't burn garbage!
Burn all wood to ash- stop feeding the fire and let it all burn.
Saturate ash with water and make sure it's COOL TO TOUCH before going to bed or abandoning that campsite.
Restore appearance of site before leaving to make it look as natural and untouched as possible.
6. Respect Wildlife
Animals respond to people in different ways and it is our duty to responsibly coexist with wildlife especially when visiting their homes.
LNT Wildlife Etiquette:
Observe from a distance **Rule of Thumb- if you stick out your "thumbs up" the thumb should be able to cover the animal completely, if it doesn't you are too close and need to back up considerably**
Do not follow or approach wildlife.
Back away if animals react to your presence, even if you must detour from your intended travel direction.
Avoid sensitive times and habitats.
NEVER feed animals **Human food is harmful to wildlife**
Store food and trash securely **Bear Hangs/Bear Canisters*
Control your pet.
7. Be Considerate to Other Visitors
Everyone goes outside for different reasons and we should respect one another while sharing these spaces. Whether you're hiking, camping, mountain biking or something different- you're seeking a unique "sense of freedom" that being one with nature provides. Have an open mind and an open heart when it comes to sharing these spaces so we can all enjoy them.
Some considerations:
Protect the quality of other visitors experience.
Find an established campsite OUT OF SIGHT of other visitors whenever possible**No one is backpacking deep into the wilderness to have neighbors around**
Choose to have a cooperative spirit.
Yield to others **Downhill hikers yield to uphill hikers**
Let nature's sounds prevail **Ditch the speaker and enjoy the sounds of the natural landscape**
Wear earth toned clothing to blend in more with nature.
This is a general overview of the 7 LNT principles. Please note that you can go much deeper within these topics to discover the WHY behind each practice as well as environment specific considerations.
There are 3 different levels of training- LNT Awareness Course, LNT Trainer Course and LNT Master Educator Course. Each level has their own learning requirements, time commitments, and field applications to earn their respective certification. As a LNT Master Educator, I plan on hosting workshops in the future that offer a more comprehensive dive into these topics.
I hope you all enjoyed this post! Being a steward of the land is a key component of making sure these wilderness areas remain pristine for our future generations to explore. Comment, subscribe and share with your friends!
Happy Trails xo Dee
