We're Loving the Backcountry to Death!

by Ted & Lora Krauss

NOLS Master LNT Trainers 

Inland Empire Backcountry Horsemen

Unfortunately, we are using and loving the backcountry to death.  Between 1965 and 1980, backcountry visits jumped from 4 million visitor days per year to 10 million per year.  In 1984, the number grew to 15 million visitor days - up 50 percent in 10 years and 275 percent in less than 20 years!  We must do more than just pick up litter and extinguish campfires; we must learn to maintain the integrity and character of the backcountry experience.  We must all learn to disguise the sight and sound of our passage and leave no sign that we were ever there.  That is why Leave No Trace (LNT) is so important to all of us.

Leave No Trace is a program developed through the cooperation of the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife, and the National Outdoor Leadership School.  Time and experience have proven that people either ignore or modify regulations that are imposed on their use of an area by an agency.  Agencies do not have the money nor the manpower to enforce regulations that they try to impose on the user.  Therefore, the different agencies associated with Leave No Trace have come to the conclusion that education is the key to preserving the health of our wild lands.  Education is more effective than regulation in modifying a backcountry visitor's behavior. 

The 7 Principles of Leave No Trace were developed to help everyone accomplish this goal with helpful guidelines that are easy to follow.  These Principles are just guidelines and not hard and fast rules, so everyone can use them no matter what their skill level, in low impact backcountry use!

Here is a brief outline of the 7 Principles.  Please look them over and see if you and your friends can apply these guidelines on your next trip.

1)  Plan Ahead and Prepare:

Trip Expectations

Meal Planning and food preparation

Knowledge of the area

Temperment and experience of horses / number of horses

Time of year / expected weather

Special horse needs; confining horses in camp / highlines

Type of equipment / clothing needs

Grazing restrains, watering animals and supplemental feed

2)  Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

Utlilize durable ground when traveling and camping: sand, rock, dry grass and pine needles

In popular area, concentrate use in established campsites whenever possible

Stay on trails; do not cut switchbacks or damage pristine areas

In unused areas, spread out; use and choose resilient campsites

Avoid places where impact is just beginning to show

Camp away from trails and water (200 feet minimum)

3)  Dispose of Waste Properly

If you pack it in, you pack it out!

Spread horse manure before leaving

Carry out all trash and garbage (yours and others); never bury food or garbage

In bear country, use appropriate considerations (bear proof containers or cache)

Properly dispose of human waste appropriate for group size (cat hole / latrine)

Scatter fish or hunting remains discretely, well away from campsites

Properly manage waste water from cooking and cleaning

4)  Leave What You Find

Avoid damaging live trees and plants

Leave natural and cultural artifacts alone

Minimize campsite alterations

5)  Minimize Campfire Impacts

Know current regulations and weather conditions

Fire pans / fire blankets are recommended by most agencies

Utilize existing fire pits, do not build new ones

Use only dead and already downed wood of small size

Build mound fires if one new site

6)  Respect Wildlife

Never feed animals or leave food behind

Control pets so they do not harass the wildlife

Observe wildlife from a distance

    It is important to remember that LNT Principles are guidelines, not rules. 
Consider your surroundings, local regulations, weather concerns, and your skill level when choosing the best way to "Leave No Trace".

    If you have any questions about LNT or other related matters,
please feel free to contact Ted or Lora Krauss by e-mail at krauss@icehouse.net or by phone at (509) 448-2122 (evenings only please).

Thought for the day:

IN NATURE, THERE ARE NO REWARDS OR PUNISHMENTS--JUST CONSEQUENCES