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As more people use parks and recreation facilities, LEAVE NO
TRACE® guidelines become even more important for outdoor
visitors.
Leave No Trace is a plan that helps people to be more concerned
about their environment and to help them protect it for future
generations. Leave No Trace applies in a backyard or local park (frontcountry)
as much as it does in the wilderness (backcountry).
We should practice Leave No Trace in our attitude and
actions--wherever we go. Understanding nature strengthens our
respect toward the environment. One person with thoughtless
behavior or one shortcut on a trail can spoil the outdoor
experience for others.
Help protect the environment by remembering that while you are
there, you are a visitor. When you visit the outdoors, take
special care of the area. Leave everything just as you find it.
Hiking and camping without a trace are signs of a considerate
outdoorsman who cares for the environment. Travel lightly on the
land.
Watch for hazards and follow all the
rules of the park or outdoor facility. Remember proper clothing,
sunscreen, hats, first aid kits, and plenty of drinking water. Use
the buddy system. Make sure you carry your family's name, phone
number, and address.
Stay on marked trails whenever
possible. Short-cutting trails causes the soil to wear away or to
be packed, which eventually kills trees and other vegetation.
Trampled wildflowers and vegetation take years to recover. Stick
to trails!
Managing your pet will keep people,
dogs, livestock, and wildlife from feeling threatened. Make sure
your pet is on a leash or controlled at all times. Do not let your
pet approach or chase wildlife. When animals are chased or
disturbed, they change eating patterns and use more energy that
may result in poor health or death.
Take care of your pet's waste. Take a
small shovel or scoop and a pick-up bag to pick up your pet's
waste— wherever it's left. Place the waste bags in a trash can
for disposal.
When visiting any outdoor area, try
to leave it the same as you find it. The less impact we each make,
the longer we will enjoy what we have. Even picking flowers denies
others the opportunity to see them and reduces seeds, which means
fewer plants next year.
Use established restrooms. Graffiti
and vandalism have no place anywhere, and they spoil the
experience for others. Leave your mark by doing an approved
conservation project.
Expect to meet other visitors. Be
courteous and make room for others. Control your speed when biking
or running. Pass with care and let others know before you pass.
Avoid disturbing others by making noise or playing loud music.
Respect "No Trespassing"
signs. If property boundaries are unclear, do not enter the area.
Make sure all trash is put in a bag
or trash receptacle. Trash is unsightly and ruins everyone's
outdoor experience. Your trash can kill wildlife. Even materials,
such as orange peels, apple cores and food scraps, take years to
break down and may attract unwanted pests that could become a
problem.
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- Discuss with your leader or parent/guardian the
importance of the Leave No Trace frontcountry
guidelines.
- On three separate outings, practice the frontcountry
guidelines of Leave No Trace.
- Boys in a Tiger Cub den complete the activities for
Achievement 5, Let's Go Outdoors; boys in a Wolf den
complete Requirement 7, Your Living World; boys in a
Bear den complete Requirement 12, Family Outdoor
Adventures; boys in a Webelos den earn the Outdoorsman
activity badge.
- Participate in a Leave No Trace-related service
project.
- Promise to practice the Leave No Trace frontcountry
guidelines by signing the Cub Scout Leave No Trace
Pledge.
- Draw a poster to illustrate the Leave No Trace
frontcountry guidelines and display it at a pack
meeting.
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- Discuss with your den's Cub Scouts or your pack's
leaders the importance of the Leave No Trace
frontcountry guidelines.
- On three separate outings demonstrate and practice
the frontcountry guidelines of Leave No Trace.
- Participate in presenting a den, pack, district, or
council awareness session on Leave No Trace
frontcountry guidelines.
- Participate in a Leave No Trace-related service
project.
- Commit yourself to the Leave No Trace frontcountry
guidelines by signing the Cub Scout Leave No Trace
Pledge.
- Assist at least three boys in earning Cub Scouting's
Leave No Trace Awareness Award.
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Patches (catalog number 08797) are available through your
local council.
You can take the pledge to practice the Leave No Trace
frontcountry guidelines wherever you go. Just review the
guidelines and promise to practice them in your frontcountry
outings.
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| I promise to practice the Leave No Trace
frontcountry guidelines wherever I go: |
- Plan ahead.
- Stick to trails.
- Manage your pet.
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- Leave what you find.
- Respect other visitors.
- Trash your trash.
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