Description:
After a long day on the trail, the last thing you want to do is pick up another's trash, find an illegal fire ring, or even worse, step in the remains of someone's personal bathroom. Everyone who heads into the wilderness can benefit from and practice the "leave no trace" ethic. Developed by the National Outdoor Leadership School, this outdoor recreation philosophy emphasizes moving through the land gently so that your trace disappears as quickly as you do. To this end, Annette McGivney offers helpful techniques for low-impact hiking, paddling, camping, and cooking that will enlighten first-time trail users and refresh the minds of seasoned outdoors enthusiasts. Easy-to-follow instructions cover general skills like finding the perfect camp site, building and maintaining a clean fire, and creating a wilderness bathroom. McGivney also details more specific endeavors like traveling through delicate desert and tundra environments. Studies show that more people than ever before are venturing into the wilderness, making it crucial that the "leave no trace" ethic is practiced for the benefit of all. Citing hostilities between outdoor user groups, McGivney reminds readers to consider others while enjoying outdoor recreation: The real danger that comes from this ill will between the many different people visiting the backcountry for different reasons is that it undermines environmental protection for our public lands. While larger threats loom--like irresponsible logging of our national forests and commercial development in and around parks--land managers are distracted by never-ending conflicts between hikers, horseback riders, and mountain bikers. All should heed the wise tenets of Leave No Trace so future generations can experience the call of the wild. --Jenny Burritt
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