The 7 Principles of Leave No Tra
The goal of travel outdoors is to move through natural areas while avoiding damage to the land, foliage, or waterways. Understanding how travel causes impacts is necessary to accomplish this goal. Travel damage occurs when surface vegetation or communities of organisms are trampled beyond recovery. After traveling to an area, we can have a significant effect on where we decide to camp. The resulting barren area leads to soil erosion and the development of undesirable trails or trampled areas. By understanding the best practices to travel and camp on durable surfaces responsibly, we can minimize human impact on outdoor spaces.
The Basics:
- Durable surfaces include established trails, campsites, rock, gravel, and dry grasses or snow.
- Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.
- Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary.
In popular areas
- Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.
- Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.
- Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent.
In undisturbed areas
- Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.
- Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.
durable
/ˈdʊrəbl/
staying in good condition for a long time, even if used a lot
foliage
/ˈfoʊliɪdʒ/
the leaves of a plant
dense green foliage
茂密的绿叶
trample
/ˈtræmpl/
verb
to step heavily on something, so that you crush it with your feet
踩，践踏
There was a small fence to stop people trampling on the flowers.
有一道小小的围栏，防止人们践踏花草。
soil erosion
/ɪˈroʊʒn/
水土流失
gravel
/ˈɡrævl/
small stones, often used to make the surface of paths and roads
沙砾；砾石；石子
a gravel path
石子小道
riparian
/raɪˈperiən/
on, near or relating to the bank of a river
disperse
/dɪˈspɜːrs/
When something disperses or when you disperse it, it spreads over a wide area.
（使）分散;（使）散布
Because the town sits in a valley, air pollution is not easily dispersed. [VERB noun]
因为小镇坐落在山谷中，空气污染不太容易散去。
