If you appreciate the beauty of the outdoors, then you need to be responsible to preserve that beauty so other people can also enjoy it. "Leave No Trace" is an expression that encapsulates the ideal we should all strive for when going into wild areas.
Everywhere we go in the wilderness, we have an impact, but you want to minimize your impact to preserve the natural habitat and ecology as much as possible. Here are some guidelines.
1. Stay on the trail
Stepping off trail increases your impact in natural areas. Trails give us a confined corridor through which we can pass through wild areas to experience nature while containing our impact to that corridor. The more people who leave the trail, vegetation gets trampled, micro-biology and wilderness bio-chemistry can be altered, and litter and waste get left (because not everyone observes leave no trace principles). Leaving the designated trail routes can also increase erosion. Don't cut trail switchbacks.
If you aren't familiar with a switchback, it is when a trail zig-zags on a steep incline. Switchbacks make both the ascent and descent easier for hikers, but they also slow water drainage and erosion. If you drop down to the trail below cutting off that zig-zag, you are creating a steeper path for the water that can result in washing out the trail. Don't do it.
2. Pack it in, pack it out
Don't leave your trash behind. You shouldn't burn your trash either. Take your trash out of the wilderness. If you want a campsite with trash cans and service, you don't need to be camping in the backcountry. Stay at a KOA or state park with convenient trash barrels. Your mom isn't going to clean up after you in the backcountry. Don't ruin the experience of camping for the next people who follow behind you.
This is probably my biggest pet peeve, but I frequently see litter left from people, especially on popular trails. Do better. Ask yourself what would happen if everyone did what you are doing, how would it impact the area? If it would turn it into a garbage dump in a week or two, then you are doing things very wrong. Pack out your trash.
3. Leave wildlife alone
Don't feed the animals. If you feed a squirrel or chipmunk near your campsite, that critter will become emboldened. These animals become campsite pests. They can ruin packs and equipment by chewing through bags to get to food inside.
Keep your campsite clean and hang your food in a bag overnight to keep it out of reach from animals. It is recommended that you include anything that is scented in your hang bag; food, toothpaste, and garbage. But if you have anything else that has a fragrance that could be mistaken for food, hang that up there too (e.g. lotions or sprays with cocoa butter oil).
Also, don't harass or harm wildlife. Years ago, I had a young coworker who told me he liked to go canoeing with his buddies. They took pistols with them and shot water moccasins in the river when they saw them. Those snakes posed no threat to him and his friends in their canoe. They are venomous snakes, but they are part of the ecosystem in the forest. If you leave them alone, they will leave you alone.
Where I hike, in Arkansas, there are black bears. I am not an expert on bear encounters, but from what I gather, there are very few encounters with bears in Arkansas (I have seen exactly 1 bear ever in our state in the wild), and there are next to zero incidents of aggression between humans and bears. Keep your distance. Don't startle them. 99% of the time, the best look you will get will be their butt disappearing into the brush.
Observe wildlife from a safe distance and don't stress them.
4. Don't harm vegetation
Don't pick wild flowers. Don't cut down trees. If you are looking for firewood, you should be able to find plenty on the ground from fallen limbs or dead trees. If you think it looks pretty, take a photo. To the extent you can, don't trample down vegetation. If you are staying on the trail and camping in established areas, it shouldn't be an issue. If you have to leave the trail to relieve yourself, try to walk in places where you are not crushing delicate plant life on your way to do your business.
5. Camp in established campsites
Human activity impacts wild areas. When you walk on the ground, you compress the soil and possibly crush plants. If you have a tent, that compresses vegetation under its footprint. Fire rings can leave a scar that lasts for years. To keep the impact we have in wild areas contained, reuse established campsites.
If you find yourself in a situation that requires you to improvise a campsite, try to keep your impact as low as possible. Don't make a new fire ring. Use a cook stove instead if you can. If you have to use a campfire, build a stone ring around it to help contain the fire and when you are finished, before you leave, douse the fire with water until it is cool, then dismantle your ring and spread the coals, and cover it so there is truly no trace.
6. Observe the rules of the area you are in
Be mindful of the rules of the location you are in. Some places do not allow dispersed camping. Dispersed camping is when you set up camp in any old place. If no dispersed camping is allowed, you must camp in designated campsites. Other locations and areas do allow dispersed camping. If you improvise a campsite, leave no trace when you exit.
Some areas allow you to dig cat holes and bury your poop. Other areas require you to carry out your poop. If that is required, there is good reason for it, not only from an ecology perspective, but most likely from a sanitation perspective, so abide by those rules.
Do your homework before you go so you know what is required and what restrictions exist for the area you will be visiting.
As lame as this post was, it's important stuff. Pretty much all my backpacking will be in established areas, but there are people who explore and camp in locations that are even more wild and untrafficked by people and it can be done responsibly.
I have learned a lot by watching this YouTube channel. PineMartyn and his wife are Canadians and they venture into public land known as "crown land".
Here is one of their videos where they demonstrate observing leave no trace principles while establishing a campsite.
Here is one of their videos where they demonstrate observing leave no trace principles while establishing a campsite.
While I don't plan to personally go about camping or backpacking like that, the methods and principles they employ in an effort to protect the natural areas they visit can be applied to camping and hiking in areas that are more established.
Another insight that can be gleaned by watching Martyn's channel is that you can directly observe the impact that one couple inevitably has on a location after staying for just a couple of days, even when they are employing best practices. If you multiply that by many people over the course of years, you understand how important it is to practice Leave No Trace principles.
Thanks for stopping by,
Gavagai
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