Video topic fact sheet: Leave No Trace
Background
How can we enjoy our land and water while keeping it safe and beautiful for all to use? Here are some facts and ideas to help you choose a theme for your video.
Visiting the wilderness? Be sure to:
- Clean your shoe treads before you go to avoid introducing weed seeds to wild areas.
- Stay on designated trails to limit impacts to wildlife and always control your pet.
- Pack water and food in durable, reusable containers to avoid having trash (leave as much packaging at home as you can).
- Bring a grocery bag to pick up pieces of litter you may find and pick up after your dog.
- Put your fruit peels and snack wrappers back in your pack (bring a small bag to hold them).
- If you smoke, carry a metal container (like a mint tin) for your butts.
Staying overnight? Plan ahead:
- Bring a bag from home for trash and recycling and take it back with you.
- Plan for bathroom needs. Bring a trowel to dig an 8” cathole to bury your poop at least 50’ from water bodies. Bring a ziploc labeled for each camper and put your used toilet paper, cotton wipes, and feminine products in it to throw away later. Some people go even more hard core and use smooth rocks or leaves as toilet paper and bring an extra sock to capture drips!
- Bring biodegradable soap. Filter food particles out of your dishwashing water and bury them or use the designated dish wash station at campgrounds.
- Rinse your mouth and toothbrush into the fire pit or spread into soil. Always keep human waste, soap, and wash water out of streams.
- Bring a quick dry camp towel for dishes or for rinsing off your body.
- Pick up microtrash before you leave! Animals often try to eat small bits of plastic and other packaging.
- Find information on the National Park Service website.
