Why Leave No Trace Should Be Part of You and Your Family’s Outdoor Practice

If you're a lover of public lands and outdoor recreation, it's more important now than ever for you and your family to embrace and practice Leave No Trace (LNT) principles.

Why Leave No Trace Is Important

The purpose of LNT is to encourage outdoor recreation without altering or damaging the environment, leaving public lands in the same—or better—condition as when you arrived. Leave No Trace began as a concept created by the U.S. Forest Service in the 1960s. In 1994, a nonprofit bearing the Leave No Trace name was organized as a movement to encourage adoption and education of LNT principles among outdoor enthusiasts. Leave No Trace has now been largely adopted as foundational for outdoor recreation.

Agencies and organizations ranging from the National Park Service and state departments of natural resources to retailers like REI and Patagonia encourage adherence to LNT tenets. Practicing LNT ensures that the special places we love and enjoy will be there for our children and future generations to enjoy, as well.

Leave No Trace Principles

There's nothing particularly earth-shattering or complicated about LNT, which is part of what makes it so attractive. It's based on seven foundational principles that require little effort but, when you look at the collective impact that LNT practice can have on the places we love, make a big difference.

Subaru Leave No Trace Traveling Team members Jeanelle Soland and Rob Pelton recently described the seven LNT to principles to me:

1. Plan ahead and prepare: "Do all your research before you arrive: Permits, forecast, food preparation, water filtration, tools, navigation and gear. Check off all the 10 outdoor essentials."

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces: Stay on designated trails and camp in designated areas. When dispersed camping, do so away from trails and water sources, and in an area that will cause the least disturbance to vegetation or the surrounding area.

3. Dispose of Waste Properly: "Plan ahead by having a system to pack out all your trash and food scraps. Use pit toilets for human waste and dispose of grey water properly." If not available, human waste or grey water should be properly buried at least "200 feet away from all water sources" or packed out. Bringing along a bag to pick up trash as you hike is another way to leave a place even better than the way you found it.

4. Leave What you Find: "If you see something extraordinary, take a photo of it, and leave it for someone else to share that same experience. Clean off your hiking boots to stop the spread of invasive species, and use local firewood."

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts: "Gather firewood responsibly (keep in mind the 4 Ds: dead, down, dinky, distant) and keep fires small and properly contained. Check beforehand if there is a fire restriction. Be prepared to use campfire alternatives for warmth, food, light, and camaraderie." Never leave a fire until it's been properly extinguished.

6. Respect Wildlife: "Store food properly, and don't feed, follow, or approach wildlife. Follow food storage regulations. Do this by researching and having a plan." Use containers like bear canisters or provided storage boxes in developed sites. "Keep in mind, storing food properly is not just for bears, but also pesky, skilled opportunist rodents. Never leave food unattended."

7. Be Considerate of Others: Public lands belong to and are shared by all people. "Be friendly, kind, and welcoming to all. Be mindful of noise levels, and keep pets under control at all times to ensure their safety and other visitors' experience. Have a plan for disposing of their waste properly. Pet waste can contaminate water and harm wildlife."

Leave No Trace in Practice

If you're new to the LNT principles, making them part of your outdoor practice requires some intentionality, but it won't take long for them to become second nature. Planning is a big part of LNT: knowing where you're going, what to expect, and what to bring. As Stephanie Frias of Family Travel Nomads puts it, "instead of being spontaneous, let's be intentional."

This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to give up spur-of-the-moment plans. Rather, it simply means you should be ready for them. Have a daypack with all the essentials, like waste disposal bags, ready to go. Make sure you have an app like AllTrails+ on your phone, so you can download trail maps in case you visit a place with no cell service. Being prepared for spontaneity helps ensure that you're ready to put LNT principles in practice when you arrive at your outdoor destination.

Ways to Encourage Kids to Practice LNT Principles

When LNT principles are instilled early on, they become second nature. As Frias points out, "it’s so important to model the behavior you want your kids to have." For Frias and her family, who spent years as full-time travelers, "sustainability has become a way of life, both on and off the road.” 

Leave No Trace is an important component of Frias' sustainability practice. She says they're mindful not to "drop seeds of non-native plants," an important component of leaving what you find.

“When we go to the water, it’s important to pick eco-friendly bug sprays and repellents. Little things we don’t think about, but it’s really easy to make a big difference.”

Making such intentional choices on a regular basis and instilling such an ethos in your children helps to make practicing Leave No Trace an almost unconscious habit.

This article is part of our Known Traveler series where we highlight creators who share inspiring travel and lifestyle content. Check out the full edition for Eco Explorers.