If you look back over all the other posts we have made in this blog you'll see that Recreate Responsibly must be about going outdoors and being smart about it.
Correct!
As more and more people head outdoors (National Park numbers) and the same amount of rangers are out in the field, it gets harder and harder for land management to keep an eye on things. Less babysitters!
But without those rangers out and about to help educate (and stop people) about destructive behaviors, most of which visitors don't realize they are doing, then bad things happens. Think about the names carved in rocks, the stolen artifacts, the Goblin Topplers, the illegal activities, and so on and so forth.
People need to realize that, yes this land is your land, but it is also the land of the other 313.9 million people who live in the U.S. And since it is literally a piece of earth, then it is to be enjoyed by everyone on the Earth. One individual's actions can destroy it for the other 7 billion people on this Earth.
So, in the outdoor industry we talk about creating an outdoor ethic.
Luckily for the world there is an organization to help teach and educate: Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. And as a major part of the Recreate Responsibly Day at SUU we will emphasize this organization and its 7 Principles of an outdoor ethic.
The principles are:
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
- Dispose of Waste Properly
- Leave What You Find
- Minimize Campfire Impact
- Respect Wildlife
- Be Considerate of Others
We'll teach about each one individually in the next seven posts. So, in the mean time lets look at a brief history of the organization.
The mission of LNT is to teach people how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly.
Wow, that's like the perfect mission statement for Recreate Responsibly too.
Back in the 1960's the Forest Service realized that land use was increasing and something had to be done. So the concepts of Leave No Trace were created. The idea spread and the concepts grew and changed into the principles of today.
It wasn't until 1994 that the organization made a full leap to be a non-profit organization. Once that happened the organization mobilized -- literally when it partnered with Subaru.
The organization today reaches millions of Americans and many international crowds to educate on the reason behind an outdoor ethic.
Everyone should learn develop an outdoor ethic.
Lets jump back to the beginning of this post about how land management officials haven't increased, but visitors have skyrocketed! Well if everyone developed a good outdoor ethic then there wouldn't be a need for law enforcement or babysitters when you're outside.
Think about it?
The member-driven Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics teaches people how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly. This copyrighted information has been reprinted with permission from the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: www.LNT.org
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