What is Leave No Trace CanadaWhat is Leave No Trace Canada

National non-profit charitable organizationNational non-profit charitable organization

Branch – Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor EthicsBranch – Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics

Vision:Vision:

To take the lead role in addressing and mitigating To take the lead role in addressing and mitigating recreational impacts on Canada’s wilderness and recreational impacts on Canada’s wilderness and natural area recreation resources.natural area recreation resources.

Mission:Mission:

Promote and inspire responsible outdoor recreation Promote and inspire responsible outdoor recreation through education, research and partnerships. through education, research and partnerships.

Leave No Trace Leave No Trace Canada:Canada:

Develops and delivers Develops and delivers environmental programsenvironmental programs

Teaches awareness and Teaches awareness and respect for wilderness and respect for wilderness and natural areas.natural areas.

Works with diverse Works with diverse populationspopulations

Promotes a national Promotes a national set of skill and ethicsset of skill and ethics

Basic messagesBasic messages Pack it in, pack it out.Pack it in, pack it out.

Leave No Trace applies to:

• Canada’s varied ecosystems and

• All self-propelled, non-motorized outdoor activities

Photos: Parks Canada, Environment Canada

Leave No Trace is Research Leave No Trace is Research BasedBased

• Recreation ecology tells us about recreation impacts and how they can be reduced by managers and visitors.

• Social science research tells us about visitors’ experience and perceptions.

Why Leave No Trace?

Increasing use of Recreational Increasing use of Recreational LandsLands

Over 80% of Canadians engage in Over 80% of Canadians engage in nature related activities nature related activities (Environment (Environment Canada, 1999)Canada, 1999)

115,323,513 Visitor days spent in 115,323,513 Visitor days spent in National Parks, Provincial Parks National Parks, Provincial Parks and Wilderness Areas and Wilderness Areas (Eagles et al., (Eagles et al., 2000)2000)

Canada’s National Parks = 24 Canada’s National Parks = 24 million visits per yr. million visits per yr. (Parks Canada (Parks Canada Agency, 2000)Agency, 2000)

Increasing at 4.5 % per yrIncreasing at 4.5 % per yr

Canadian ecotourism has grown Canadian ecotourism has grown by 29% by 29% (World Tourism Organization, 2002)(World Tourism Organization, 2002)

Why Leave No Trace?

We all have taken a pine cone, veered off the trail, or left an apple core behind. While these actions seem harmless at the time, until

we learn to reduce our impact, the quality of our

outdoor experiences, vegetation, and wildlife

habitat are at risk.

Why Leave No Trace?Why Leave No Trace?

Visitor ImpactsVisitor Impacts

► EcologicalEcological Soil CompactionSoil Compaction Vegetation lossVegetation loss Water contaminationWater contamination Wildlife disturbance, Wildlife disturbance,

harassment and habitat harassment and habitat destructiondestruction

Why Leave No Trace?Why Leave No Trace?

► SocialSocial Reduced wilderness experienceReduced wilderness experience Conflict between usersConflict between users CrowdingCrowding Degraded aesthetic appealDegraded aesthetic appeal

Why Leave No Trace?Why Leave No Trace?

► Need to maintain Need to maintain ecological integrityecological integrity

► Avoid restrictive Avoid restrictive actionsactions

► Preserve access to Preserve access to popular outdoor popular outdoor recreation areas by recreation areas by reducing impactsreducing impacts

The SolutionThe Solution

► Leave No Trace Canada believes that the solution is simple:

change behavior through partnerships, research and education, one person at a time.

“Wilderness management is 80-90% education and information, and 10% regulation.”

Max Peterson, former Chief of U.S. Forest Service

Leave No Trace PrinciplesLeave No Trace Principles► Plan Ahead and PreparePlan Ahead and Prepare

► Travel and Camp on Durable Travel and Camp on Durable SurfacesSurfaces

► Dispose of Waste ProperlyDispose of Waste Properly

► Leave What You FindLeave What You Find

► Minimize Campfire ImpactsMinimize Campfire Impacts

► Respect WildlifeRespect Wildlife

► Be Considerate of OthersBe Considerate of Others

Continue to TrainingSee Principles in detail

Plan Ahead and PreparePlan Ahead and Prepare► Know the regulations and special Know the regulations and special

concerns for the area you’ll visit.concerns for the area you’ll visit.

► Prepare for extreme weather, Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, emergencies and to Leave hazards, emergencies and to Leave No Trace.No Trace.

► Schedule your trip to avoid times of Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.high use.

► Visit in small groups. Split larger Visit in small groups. Split larger parties into groups of 4-6.parties into groups of 4-6.

► Repackage food to minimize waste.Repackage food to minimize waste.

► Use a map and compass to Use a map and compass to eliminate the use of rock cairns, eliminate the use of rock cairns, flagging or marking paint.flagging or marking paint.

Travel and Camp on Travel and Camp on Durable SurfacesDurable Surfaces

Durable surfaces include Durable surfaces include established trails and established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses or snow.grasses or snow.

Protect riparian areas by Protect riparian areas by camping at least 60 meters camping at least 60 meters from lakes and streams.from lakes and streams.

Good campsites are found, Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not made. Altering a site is not necessary.not necessary.

Travel and Camp on Travel and Camp on Durable SurfacesDurable Surfaces

In popular areas:In popular areas:

Concentrate use on Concentrate use on existing trails and existing trails and campsites.campsites.

Walk single file in the Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.when wet or muddy.

Keep campsites small. Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas Focus activity in areas where vegetation is where vegetation is absent.absent.

Travel and Camp on Travel and Camp on Durable SurfacesDurable Surfaces

In Pristine Areas:In Pristine Areas:

Disperse use to Disperse use to prevent the creation prevent the creation of campsites and of campsites and trailstrails

Avoid places where Avoid places where impacts are just impacts are just beginningbeginning

Dispose of Waste ProperlyDispose of Waste Properly Pack it in, pack it out.Pack it in, pack it out.

TrashTrash Food wasteFood waste Toilet paper and hygiene productsToilet paper and hygiene products

Deposit solid human waste in Deposit solid human waste in catholescatholes 15 to 20 cm’s deep 15 to 20 cm’s deep 60 meters from water, camp and 60 meters from water, camp and

trails. trails.

Avoid contaminating waterAvoid contaminating water Wash yourself and your dishes 60 Wash yourself and your dishes 60

meters away meters away Use small amounts of Use small amounts of

biodegradable soap biodegradable soap Scatter strained dishwaterScatter strained dishwater

Leave What You FindLeave What You Find

► Preserve the past: Preserve the past: OObserve, but do not touch, bserve, but do not touch,

cultural or historic cultural or historic structures or artifacts.structures or artifacts.

Leave rocks, plants and Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you other natural objects as you find them.find them.

Avoid introducing or Avoid introducing or transporting non-native transporting non-native species.species.

Do not build structures, Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.furniture, or dig trenches.

Minimize Campfire Minimize Campfire ImpactsImpacts

Use a lightweight stove for cookingUse a lightweight stove for cooking Where fires are permitted, use Where fires are permitted, use

established fire rings, fire pans or established fire rings, fire pans or mound fires.mound fires.

Keep fires small. Keep fires small.

Only use fallen dead wood where Only use fallen dead wood where permittedpermitted

Consider the alternatives to Consider the alternatives to campfirescampfires

Leave campfire pits in a clean state Leave campfire pits in a clean state for the next userfor the next user

Respect WildlifeRespect Wildlife Avoid wildlife during Avoid wildlife during

sensitive times:sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, mating, nesting, raising young,

or winter.or winter.

Observe wildlife from a Observe wildlife from a distancedistance

Do not follow or approach Do not follow or approach wildlifewildlife

Never feed animals. Never feed animals.

Store food and trash Store food and trash securelysecurely

Control pets at all timesControl pets at all times

Be Considerate of OthersBe Considerate of Others

Respect other visitors and Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their protect the quality of their experience.experience.

Be courteous. Yield to other Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.users on the trail.

Step to the downhill side of the Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack trail when encountering pack stock.stock.

Take breaks and camp away Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.from trails and other visitors.

Let nature’s sounds prevail. Let nature’s sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.Avoid loud voices and noises.

Benefits of Applying Leave No TraceBenefits of Applying Leave No Trace

Safer and higher quality Safer and higher quality experiences. experiences.

Prevents avoidable impacts Prevents avoidable impacts and minimizes unavoidable.and minimizes unavoidable.

Protects the quality of Protects the quality of natural environments natural environments

Preserves the quality of Preserves the quality of recreation experiencesrecreation experiences

Avoids the need for Avoids the need for restrictive regulations and restrictive regulations and use limits.use limits.

The Leave No Trace The Leave No Trace ChallengeChallenge

Prevent avoidable Prevent avoidable resource and social resource and social impactsimpacts

Minimize unavoidable Minimize unavoidable impactsimpacts

Preserve the quality Preserve the quality of resources and of resources and recreation recreation experiencesexperiences

Leave No Trace TrainingLeave No Trace Training

Awareness Awareness WorkshopsWorkshops

Trainer CoursesTrainer Courses

Master Educator Master Educator CoursesCourses

Leave No Trace TrainingLeave No Trace Training Awareness Workshops

Any type of formal Leave No Trace training that is one-day or less in length.

Trainer Courses Are typically two-day trainings put on in an outdoor setting by

Master Educators. Trainer courses are designed to help you better understand and teach Leave No Trace skills and ethics.

Master Educator Courses A Master Educator course is typically five-days in length and

designed for people who are actively teaching others backcountry skills or providing recreation information to the public. Successful graduates of the Master Educator course have the ability to train others in Leave No Trace skills as well as facilitate trainer courses. Master Educator courses are offered by selected Authorized Providers across Canada

How You Can Help!How You Can Help!

Become trained in Leave No Become trained in Leave No Trace skills and ethicsTrace skills and ethics

Become a member of Leave No Become a member of Leave No Trace CanadaTrace Canada

Volunteer for Leave No Trace Volunteer for Leave No Trace CanadaCanada

Become an official partner with Become an official partner with Leave No Trace CanadaLeave No Trace Canada

Be an advocate for Leave No Be an advocate for Leave No TraceTrace

Founding Partners

www.leavenotrace.ca

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