U.S.
Dept. of Agriculture Forest Service
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
THE ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT OF OUTDOOR RECREATION
Impact
Visual Impact
Audible Impact
Physcial Imact
What can be Done about Impact
Ethic
Methods
Backcountry
Travel
Campsites
Campfires
Sanitation
CONCLUSION
WORKS CITED
There are many reasons to be concerned with the amount of impact that visitors place on the wilderness. The amount of wilderness that is left is decreasing every day with the expansions of suburbia America. If proper care is not taken of what little we have left, there will be even less for our children and their children to enjoy. "Campsites in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Minnesota have suffered an 80 percent loss of vegetation. So many hikers have traversed the Old Bridle Path up New Hampshire's Mount Lafayette that the trail has eroded into a gully four feet deep prompting trail crews to call it the Old Bridle Trench" (Soft Paths 13).
Damage to the wild caused by careless impact causes visitors to lose a since of discovery when enjoying the outdoors. This is what social impact is all about, effecting those visiting the outdoors. One must remember that he or she is a visitor in the wilderness. It is the home of the wild animals. Our homes are in the cities. It is common etiquette not to disturb another person's home, this same etiquette should be observed in the home of the animals. For example, would one throw a piece of trash on the floor of another person's house? Of course not, the same should be observed when visiting the homes of our friends in the wilderness. As can be seen in figure one below, the amount of visitors in the outdoors is on an increasing trend. This increase in visitors marks an increase in impact as well.
U.S.
Dept. of Agriculture Forest Service
Audible Impact - Audible impact is any noise made that is not heard in the normal day to day life of the wilderness. Again take the example of the careless visitors camped near the lake. Even at greatest attempts to remain quiet, they still create considerable audible impact. Pots clanging, people talking, and the rustle of the tent material in the wind make for an unnatural setting that impacts both social and wilderness levels. Visitors who stay up late at night making loud noise can effect other people who are trying to sleep. The noise also scares away wildlife.
Physical Impact - Physical impact is the result of damage to the wilderness. Anything that does not leave with the visitor is physical impact. This is perhaps the most severe of the types of impact. It can remain for hundreds of years after the visitor has left and affect far many more people and wildlife. Fires are the largest culprits of physical impact, but fault should not be placed on the fires as much as the people who use them incorrectly. Even if the fire is used and disposed of correctly, the simple act of gathering firewood creates irreparable amounts of impact. The area where the firewood is gathered is now absent of dead wood which plays an important part in the ecosystem. An incorrectly used fire can damage the soil where it is built. It kills the microscopic organisms living in the soil and this kills the soil, making it difficult for plants to grow over that spot of ground. The lack of plants then causes soil erosion, and the snowball effect can result. If the fires are not disposed of correctly, the black soot and ash that is left behind is an ugly reminder that someone has been there before. Grafitti is another form of physical impact. Whether its carving on a tree, writting on a rock, etc. it leaves behind a reminder that someone has been there, which is exactly what we are trying to avoid. Sure you may think it looks cool at the moment, but the people behind you (which is the majority) are disgusted by it.
Ethic - When visiting the outdoors, one should take into consideration many factors before deciding on how to treat impact concerns. There is not always a set way of handling all situations. Many times one should use their common sense. Good decisions based on common since come with practice though. There are two main types of low impact camping, these are concentrated impact camping and no trace camping.
Methods - Concentrated impact camping is the form of camping more people are experienced with and have the knowledge to do correctly. Many parks and forests are equipped with preexisting campsites. They have been designated for camping and heavy use can been seen. This is an example of concentrated impact camping. The goal of concentrated impact camping to concentrate the impact of visitors in to certain areas so that other areas remain pristine. Although the areas of high use are severely impacted beyond repair, these places are sacrificed in hopes that impact will be placed here instead of other areas. This is a preferred form of camping by land managers whose areas see large amounts of use.
No trace camping is the form of camping that should only be done when proper knowledge and experience exists. It is exactly what the name says it is. When one leaves, there should be no way of knowing that someone has ever been there. No trace camping is exercised by many people who go to the wilderness to get away from everything, including other visitors. These visitors go deep into the wilderness where no preexisting trails or campsites can be found. They get a since of discovery that can only be gotten in areas where no one goes. This since of discovery can also be found in concentrated impact camping but not as high a degree of it. It depends on the visitors desires and common sense as to which form of camping should be practiced.
Backcountry Travel - Traveling in the backcountry is perhaps one of the most important areas in outdoor ethics. Many people's idea of camping is what is commonly referred to as "Dump truck camping" (Bennett). This form of camping involves driving a vehicle up to the campsite and unloading the equipment. This causes very severe impact on the ground from the vehicle driving on it. Especially in wet conditions, ruts are left to ruin the wilderness experience for the following visitors. Vehicles should not be driven any farther than the road that is supplied. If there is no road off the paved road, then just park on the side of the road or have someone drop you off. A vehicle in the backcountry causes physical, visual and audible impact. These vehicles can be anything from 4 wheel drive monster trucks to motorcycles.
The preferred means of travel into the backcountry is by foot. Many people enjoy horse back ridding into the wilderness. Horses do cause quite considerable impact compared to walking, but with proper skills, impact can be minimized. Horses should not be taken in areas that do not allow them. The land manager should be asked before bringing horses to the area to see if they are allowed.
The concentrated impact form of backcountry travel consists of staying on the trails or roads that are supplied. The hopes of the land manager is to have just that one path. Chances are, that path has been well planned and is the best way to go. After all, several people have already taken it, so it should be good. It doesn't stop with just taking the trails though. There are places in trails where mud can be found on the trail. Unfortunately, many people are afraid to get their feet wet. That problem can easily be solved by having the right equipment. A pair of water proof boots and gaitors are an easy solution to this problem. The reason it is best to walk through the mud areas is to keep the trail from being widened. Many times where muddy places in the trail can be found, paths around the edge of the mud can also be found. As more and more people walk around the mud to avoid it, they widen the path taking impact off the trail which is not the intention of the land manager. Trails should be no wider than necessary. If the trail is not widened, multiple trails are formed, creating even larger amounts of impact. Another problem comes from meeting another hiker on the trail. The proper etiquette for meeting another hiker is to let the individual or group going uphill have the right of way. The simple reason behind this is because it takes more energy to start going up hill than to start going down hill. Once it is decided who will pass, one should stop and stand to the side of the trial letting the other pass on by. If they both continue to hike, one will have to walk off the trail to avoid collision which is similar to walking around muddy areas. If livestock is encountered on the trail, the livestock always has the right of way. Care should be taken not to scare the livestock as well.
When traveling in the backcountry while practicing no trace camping, methods are completely different from concentrated impact methods. When practicing no trace methods, there will be no trails. If there are trails that appear to be forming, do not take them. If possible, block the entrance to the trails so that future visitors will not take them. This form of traveling is only to be done in areas where there are not supposed to be any preexisting trails. When traveling where there are no trails, never walk single file. Be sure not to walk behind someone else. There is an old saying in backpacking about this, "It is better to walk on 1000 pieces of grass one time than to walk on one piece of grass 1000 times" (Shnipper). This is especially important when walking across meadows. A group of ten people walking single file can leave a defined trail that others following behind will be likely to take. Eventually there is a trail leading through a previously pristine meadow. The only exception to this rule is when walking in the snow. One path left is better than several because tracks are left very easily in the snow,and several paths through creates more impact than one path. Normally when walking in the snow, the path will be covered up by latter snow or from melting. Snow areas recover from impact fairly well. It is also important when walking to take the path of least resistance. Cutting down and breaking branches while bushwhacking creates a trail for others to follow later on. Talk as little as possible. This increases the chance to see wildlife.
Campsites - Selecting a good campsite is the most important part of the stay in the wilderness. When asked what they remember most about their visit to the outdoors, the campsite is what is remembered most, so be sure it is a good one. If a bad campsite is selected, the visit will very easily be remembered as a bad experience just because of the poor campsite selection.
When choosing a campsite in concentrated impact areas, there is not much to go by. Find one with a good view and try to get away from the other campsites in order to avoid the other visitors. It is often common courtesy to choose a campsite in the middle if there is a group of sites in a row. This allows for weary travelers who get into camp late to get the one of the first campsites so they can save some time in getting camp set up. As far as impact goes, there is not much to go by. If you plan to have a fire, find a site with a preexisting fire ring. Look for a level campsite as well. A long night battling with a sleeping bag sliding down the hill can be bad. Try to find a sight that looks like it is used often. If there is a site that is not used often or is perhaps in the stages of recovering, don't use it. The more impact is concentrated in one area, the better.
When camping in pristine areas that do not have campsites, there are many things to consider in campsite selection. The first thing you want to look for is a durable location that is out of the way. If you see a place while hiking along the trail that looks good, do not camp there. The best thing to do is to just start walking up in the woods until you can't see the trail any longer or you can't be seen from the trail. Make sure it is at least 200 feet from a water source or trail. The goal of no trace camping is to not let anyone know you are there. Stumbling across a group camping in plain view of a hike can disturb a visitor's since of discovery. Camping near a lake will scare off the wild life that use that lake for a water source. This could cause the wildlife to choose another water source that is not nearly as reliable and thus become weaker and produce weaker offspring, upsetting the entire balance of nature in the area. These water sources are also commonly used by other visitors who do not always wish to see other people while enjoying the wild.
When looking for a durable surface, look for ground that can take a pounding and still come back with little effort. A good example would be under a forest canopy with a bed of pine straw (duff) on the floor. Be careful of young plants trying to grow. If there are young plants, move on to another sites. Camping on a place that has young plants will likely kill the young plants wiping out an entire generation of plants for that small area. Camping in the trees is a good place because it hides you from other visitors who don't wish to see you. If it is cold, the trees will help to block the wind as well. Another good durable surface is grass. Thin leafed grasses recover easily from large amounts of impact while large leafed grasses will stay down once they are trampled on. Dry meadows also make for a good durable surface as do snow, rock, and sand (the draw back to sand is that you get sand in all of your gear and the possibilities of sand fleas). A disadvantage to meadows is that one is exposed and easily seen by passing visitors and unprotected from lightening strikes. Rocks are not the most comfortable to sleep on. Be sure when selecting tents and other gear to select earth tones. All of those pretty colors sure look nice in stores, but serve no purpose but to increase visual impact in the wilderness. A green tent is less likely to be seen as a yellow tent would be. Some people believe that small pieces of equipment (ie. tent stakes) should be orange so that they can be found and not left.
When setting up tents in a campsite, be sure to scatter the tents out in a random pattern. If tents are setup in a straight line, then there will be a path that gets worn from people walking along the same place to get to the tents. Another reason is that in most campsites, there's probably only one place for all the tents to be put in a straight line. This place would continually be overused. Wildlife is another consideration in this as well. Deer like to jump over things. A deer running through your campsitein the middle of the night will see the tent at the end of the row and jump over it. In the process it will land on the next tent not knowing it is there and will take it out along with the tents behind that one. Damage to the tents and injury to the campers and the deer could follow. As to putting the tents in a circle, this is bad in bear country. If a bear were to get in the middle of that circle, he/she may find themselves trapped by the surrounding tents. To get out the bear would just go right through one of the tents.
Be sure that before you leave your campsite that you have picked up all the trash especially around the cooking area. Also be sure to "wake up" the grass where you slept that night. The grass beds down from the weight on it. Simply run your fingers through the grass and try to get it to stand up again. If you removed any sticks/pinecones/rocks from where you were sleeping, be sure to put them back. Otherwise, this will take away from the natural setting to see a bare spot.
Below you will see graph showing how quickly impact can damage the wilderness and then how long it takes for it to recover.
From
Marion, Jeffrey.
"Recreation Ecology Research Findings".
Campfires - Mention a camp out and one of the most recognized icons is a campfire. Campfires can be a lot of fun, but they can also be a lot of trouble. The first rule about building campfires is to just not build one. Now this does not mean to rule out all campfires for all reasons. There are some situations where campfires are needed. Avoidance of campfires is the best practice. Small backpacking stoves are a great alternative to fires. They are easy to use and require no cleanup. Campfires create large amounts of impact that lasts for many years to come.
Gathering firewood near the campsite makes the area around the campsite devoid of deadfall. This takes away from the natural look of the area. Deadfall is also an important part of fertilizing the ground, and the absence of this can leave an area's soil unhealthy and unable to sustain life.
Incorrectly built fires can create large amounts of impact as well. Campfires should not be built directly on top of the ground. This is a fire hazard. The top layer of soil contains living bacteria and minerals required to sustain life of plants. If fire is built here, that area of soil is now dead. Campfires built on top of rocks or underneath rock overhangs are also bad places to build fires. The fire will create a black soot leaving evidence of a fire for years to come.
Fires built in a concentrated impact area should be built where earlier fires have already been built. Be sure to build the fire in a preexisting fire ring if one is there. Never create another fire ring when one already exists. The land manager is trying concentrate the use of fires on that one area.
Fires built in pristine areas should take into consideration no trace practices. The first step is to find a piece of ground devoid of plant life. Then brush away any ground clutter such as pine straw, leaves, and wood. One option is to dig a fire pit. Be sure to save the topsoil so it can go back on top after filling in the fire pit. The preferred method is to lay out a piece of plastic tarp or sheet of metal of some kind. Find some inorganic mineral soil and build it up on the sheet 6-8 inches thick and two feet in diameter.
The source for the dirt should be from a dry river bed, sand or an exposed dirt bank. This soil is devoid of life and is unimportant in the life of plants. The dirt can be put in a stuff sack that is turned wrong side out to transport it. The wood used on the fire should be no larger around than your index finger. The fire should also be kept as small as possible. The fire needs to be burned down completely to ash. When disposing of the fire, it needs to be cooled enough so that it can be picked up with out any pain. It should be out COLD. The small chunks of charcoal and incompletely burned wood should be broken up into fine ash. The remnants of the fire is then placed in a bag and carried down the trail for 30-45 minutes. It should then be taken off the trail at least 200 feet. The visitors are then to take handfuls of the ash and walk out a ways and distribute it out in the woods. The dirt used for building up the fire mound should be returned to where it was dug up from . The same disposal methods should be used for concentrated impact camping practices. The only reminder of your fire should be the smoke in your clothes.
When urinating in the woods, there are a few things to consider. First, you need to be atleast 50 ft. away from the trail. The reasons behind this are simple. You don't want someone stumbling across you while you are doing your business. The other reason is that you don't want to leave this kind of stuff just laying next to the trail. People may have to walk through it or maybe even sit there. So please be considerate of others. If you are close to a water source, be sure that you are atleast 100 - 200 ft. away from it. You don't want to contaminate the water source, even if you aren't going to be using it, someone else down stream may be.
Solid waste needs to be left atlest 100 ft from a trail and 100 - 200 ft. away from a water source. There is a specific method to doing this. First you must dig what is called a cat hole as shown below.
This needs to be about the legnth of your hand, from your finger tips to your wrist. Make sure all of your solid waste goes in this hole. Also if you choose not to carry out the toilet paper, buy it as well. Take a stick and stir up the contents of the hole to make "Poop Soup" (McKersher). This will help to speed up the break down of the material. Do not urinate in the hole. Urine is sterile and will slow down the beakdown of the contents. Now put the dirt back on top of the hole. Be sure not to compact the dirt on top of the hole. Leave the dirt loose so that air can get down there to help with the breaking down of the material. Try to leave the area so that it does not look disturbed.
When cleaning dishes from meals, do not just pour the dishwater directly on the ground. Take a ziploc plastic bag and poke several small holes in the bottom of it. Now take some pinestraw or leaves and put them in the bottom of the bag. You have now made your very own sump that you can carry with you. Some campsites may have their own sumps that are there permanantly, but I have not seen these outside of Philmont Boy Scout Ranch. The reason we have sumps is to keep from leaving food particles on the ground. Try to put your sump bag on top of some rocks while you are using it. Then scatter the rocks after you are finished with the campsite. This way animals will not be attracted as much to where you were camping. When brushing your teath, use this sump to spit into, don't just spit on the ground. I personally recomend just swallowing your toothpaste. It won't hurt you and it's not as bad as it sounds.
Trash in general is also a problem in the wilderness. One way to avoid this is by practicing the "One Piece Trash Method." This is done by leaving your trash in just one piece. For example, tearing open a power bar wrapper. If you tear the top off of it, you now have two pieces of trash. The more trash you have the greater your chances of littering. And in my many days of hiking, most of the trash I have found has been these little corners that have been torn off, not the big wrappers. Also when hiking, be sure to pick up other's trash. Here is the reasoning behind it. Everyone will accidently leave one piece of trash in their life time, even if they are supercarefull. I know I would want someone to pick up some trash I left accidently, so help pick up someone else's mistake, they may just return the favor. Whatever you do, don't burn trash in the fires, it doesn't all go away, especially foil wrappers. If it doesn't burn, take it out with you.
Cole, David, and Bruce Hampton. Soft Paths. Harrisburg: Stackpole
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Marion, Jeffrey. "Recreation Ecology Research Findings".
http://www.fw.vt.edu/forestry/cpsu/rececol.html
(1 Nov. 1997)
McKersher, Willie. Personal interview. 15 Oct. 1997.
Leave No Trace. Southeastern States.
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