History of the Leave No Trace Program History of Leave No Trace.

Presentation Objectives Review the history of low impact educational programs. Describe the origin of Leave No Trace and the role of the U.S. Forest Service and the National Outdoor Leadership School. Describe why education is better than regulation. Describe the creation, role, and mission of the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. Describe the presentation objectives.

Educational Programs: Conception and Early Development Low impact educational efforts originated in backcountry and federally-designated Wilderness areas in the 1960’s. In the 1970’s, the federal agencies began to develop educational brochures. The program was slogan- based. Early names: Wilderness Manners, Wilderness Ethics, Minimum-Impact Camping, and No-Trace Camping. The current program has its origins with the federal agencies and wilderness management. The education was often slogan based: Pack-it-in, Pack-it-out; Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute It was not called Leave No Trace in the early years, there were several different programs with different names.

Take Only Pictures . . . Leave Only Footprints Here’s another very popular slogan.

The “No-Trace” Program Developed by U.S. Forest Service wilderness managers in the early 1980’s. Humanistic approach for wilderness ethics and low impact hiking and camping practices. Program success led to cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service and in the late 1980’s. The U.S. Forest Service developed many of the early educational programs, including the No-Trace program that led to the name “Leave No Trace.” The federal agencies began to collaborate to develop a unified program in the late 1980’s.

Regulation . . . or Education ? Regulations antagonize the public … education wins their support. Most impacts are not due to malicious acts. Education improves knowledge of consequences and low impact practices. Enforcement of regulations is difficult. Agency wilderness managers preferred an educational approach over regulations for a variety of reasons.

Creation of the “Leave No Trace” Program Leave No Trace (LNT) selected as the name for an expanded national program in 1990. USFS formed a partnership with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) to develop LNT educational materials and courses. NOLS taught the first Master Educator course in the Wind River Range in 1991. A unified national Leave No Trace program was created in 1990. The U.S. Forest Service recruited NOLS to develop LNT practices, educational materials, and courses. NOLS developed and offered the first LNT Master Educator course in 1991.

Creation of Leave No Trace, Inc. Outdoor Recreation Summit in 1993 recommended creation of the non- profit LNT, Inc. LNT, Inc. was created in 1994 to guide the national program’s development, establish partnerships, distribute educational materials, and conduct fundraising. Renamed the “Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics” in 2003. LNT, Inc was founded in 1994. It initially focused on fund-raising by establishing partnerships with outdoor manufacturers and retailers. LNT Inc later assumed the distribution of educational materials and the website from NOLS.

Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics A non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and inspire responsible outdoor recreation through education, research, and partnerships. Partners with federal agencies, manufacturers, retailers and others to promote minimum impact messages. Bureau of Land Management U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Park Service U.S. Forest The program began with federal partners but has expanded its partnerships since then.

Current Status The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics is located in Boulder, CO, and guided by a Board of Directors with corporate, non-profit and government representatives. > 1 million budget; staff: 9 permanent staff & 3 teams of traveling educators in 2010. Funding is primarily derived from corporate manufacturing and retail partners, sales , and memberships. The Center is a non-profit organization guided by an Executive Director and Board of Directors. The Center’s budget is funded primarily by donations from partner organizations, sales, and memberships. It receives very little funding from the federal agencies.

Evolving Focus Frontcountry Wilderness Backcountry The Leave No Trace program began with a focus on Wilderness and the federal agencies, but has evolved to encompass backcountry, frontcountry, and urban settings. Though Leave No Trace originated in Wilderness, the educational focus has expanded to backcountry, frontcountry, and urban settings over time.

Current Status: Partners Leave No Trace partners with a variety of organizations to accomplish its mission: State Agencies Local Agencies Corporations Non-Profits Outfitters and Guides Universities LNT members (>43,000) The Center partners with a diversity of partners, including federal, state, and local land managers, manufacturers and outdoor retailers, other non-profits, outfitter and guide organizations, and universities.

Developed by Jeff Marion, jmarion@vt.edu