If you spend time outside, chances are you’ve heard of the phrase Leave No Trace, or LNT for short. Simply put, these seven principles are tips for minimizing our impact outside when participating in activities like camping, hiking, picnicking, climbing and more.
LNT helps us recreate responsibly by offering guidance on, for example, how far to camp from lakes and streams, what to do with dirty water after washing your camp dishes and whether it’s better to pitch a tent on gravel or vegetation.
The seven principles of Leave No Trace are:
- Plan ahead and prepare.
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
- Dispose of waste properly.
- Leave what you find.
- Minimize campfire impacts (be careful with fire).
- Respect wildlife.
- Be considerate of other visitors.
We partnered on this quiz with Abigail Nash, a Leave No Trace master educator who also works as a bike shop mechanic at the REI Co-op store in San Diego.
Minimizing our impact is an important way to make sure that we enjoy the benefits of life outdoors while protecting life outside for all who depend on it, from the plants and animals who live there to the campers and hikers who come after us.
Are you an LNT pro or just want to learn more about the LNT principles? Take this quiz to test how well you know how to respect wildlife, practice campfire safety, properly dispose of waste and more.
