Trinity Valley Young Marines

Leave No Trace
Written By: Melvin L Hall III
Commanding Officer
 The Seven Principles of Leave
No Trace

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces 
3. Dispose of Waste Properly (Pack It In,
Pack It Out)
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors
 Plan Ahead
• Identify and record the goals (expectations) of your trip.
• Identify the skills and abilities of the participants.
• Select destinations that match the goals, skills, and abilities of participants.
• Seek information about the area your group plans to visit from land managers, maps, and
literature.
• Check the normal weather patterns and temperature ranges for the area during the time of year
your trek is planned. Get a projected weather forecast the night before departure. Adjust your
plans if necessary, considering the knowledge, experience, and preparedness of the group.
• Choose equipment and clothing for comfort, safety, and to follow Leave No Trace principles.
Include these outdoor essentials:
– Extra clothing
– Extra trail food
– Rain gear (shelter)
– Pocketknife
– Matches and fire starters
– Stove
– Water bottles
– Maps and compass
– First-aid kit
– Watch
– Sun and insect protection (broad-brimmed hat, sunglasses, sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher, insect repellent)
– Camera with zoom lens for photographing wildlife at a distance
– Small trowel for digging a cathole
– Small strainer or 1-foot-square piece of fiberglass screen for removing food particles from dishwater
– Gators for muddy trails or trails with loose stones
• Axes and saws are not needed for collecting and preparing wood for a Leave No Trace fire.
Downed, dead wood is gathered from the ground and broken by hand.
• Plan trip activities to match the goals, skills, and abilities of the group.
• Evaluate your trip upon return; note changes to make next time.
 Travel and Camp on Durable
Surfaces
• Concentrate Activities in Heavily Used Areas
• Spread Use and Impact in Pristine Areas
• Surface Durability-
• Rock, Sand, Gravel
• Ice and Snow
• Vegetation
• Desert Puddles and Mud Holes
• Camp On Durable Surfaces
• Camp Sites in High Use Areas
• Not Close to Water (one or two people)
• Not Close to Trails (one or two people)
• Site Not Visible to Others
• Concentrate Tents, Kitchen areas for large groups in areas already showing use

• Undisturbed Remote Areas

• Soft Shoes around camp
• Disperse Tents and Cooking areas
 Dispose of Waste Properly
(Pack it IN, Pack it OUT)
• Dishwater
• Strain Food out with Bandanna
• Human Waste
• Use existing facilities whenever possible
• Pack out if required by law
• Catholes
• Smallest impact of expedient toilets
• Locate at least 200ft from water, trails, and camp
• Do not implement in areas of water flow (even if dry at the moment)
• South facing slopes have more exposure to sun and will aid in decomposition
• Trench Latrines
• Locate at least 200ft from water, trails, and camp
• Should only be used if staying in a location for an extended period of time or if you have small
children with you
• Toilet Paper
• Use Biodegradable
• Pack out in a plastic bag

• Urine
• Urinate at least 200ft from water, trails, and camp
• Does not have a direct effect on vegetation or soil
 Leave What You Find
• Minimize Site Alteration
• Avoid Damaging Live Trees and Plants
• Leave Natural Objects and Cultural
Artifacts
 Minimize Campfire Impacts
• Use Stoves instead of fires when possible
• Use dead wood found on a trail, smaller fires are more
efficient than large ones
• Use existing fire rings when available
• Use a Fire Pan if possible
• Safety
• When using stoves or fires, follow Young Marines procedures for
supervision of young people.
• Follow all manufacturer's product and safety labels for stoves.
• Use only approved containers for fuel.
• Build campfires well away from tents or tarps.
• Never leave a fire unattended.
• Keep wood and other fuel sources away from fire.
• Thoroughly extinguish all fires.
 Respect Wildlife
• Do not follow wildlife for a closer look
• Use Binoculars, Spotting Scope or a Zoom lens
to get closer
• Observe Wildlife from a distance so they are not
scared or forced to flee
• Keep your group small as to not impact the
habits of the wildlife in that area
• Allow free access to water sources so that
animals do feel threatened to use their watering
holes
 Be Considerate Of Other Visitors

• One of the most important components of outdoor ethics is to be courteous toward

other visitors. It helps all visitors enjoy their outdoor experience. Many people come
to the outdoors to listen to nature. Excessive noise, unleashed pets, and damaged
surroundings take away from everyone's experience. So, keep the noise level down
while traveling and, if you must bring a radio, tapes, CDs, or cell phone, use
headphones so you will not disturb others.
• Also keep in mind that the feeling of solitude, especially in open areas, is enhanced
when group size is small, contacts are infrequent, and behavior is unobtrusive. Visitor
surveys show that several small groups are preferable to one large group. Whenever
possible, separate larger groups into several smaller groups that travel and camp
separately. To maximize your feelings of privacy, avoid trips during holidays and busy
weekends, or take a trip during the off-season.
• Be courteous to other groups you meet. Groups leading or riding livestock have the
right-of-way on trails, and bikers should yield to both equestrians and hikers. Hikers
and and bicyclists should move off the trail to the downhill side and stop. Horses are
spooked easily, so stay motionless and talk quietly to the riders as they pass. Stay in
control when mountain biking. Before passing others, politely announce your
presence and proceed with caution. Take rest breaks on durable surfaces well off the
designated trail so that the experience of other visitors will not be disturbed.
• Keep in mind that visits to seldom-used places require an extra commitment to travel
quietly and lightly on the land.
 Be Considerate Of Other Visitors
Cont…
• When selecting a campsite, choose a site away from the trail and away from other
groups, where rocks or trees will screen it from view. Keep noise down in camp so as
not to disturb other campers or those passing by on the trail. Goofing off and pulling
pranks are undesirable social behaviors and could lead to serious or fatal injuries. In
addition, activities should fit the setting—save the game playing for the city park.
• Bright clothing and equipment, such as tents that can be seen for long distances, are
discouraged. Especially in open natural areas, colors such as dayglow yellow are
disturbing and contribute to a crowded feeling. To lessen visual impacts, choose
colors that blend with the environment.
• Keep pets under control at all times. Dogs do not fit in the wildlife category, and
allowing pets to run free can be unwelcome, because they can frighten people and
leave behind unwanted "presents." Please scoop up dog feces from camps and trails
and carry it to a trash container. Some areas prohibit dogs or require them to be on a
leash at all times. Know and follow the rules of the land managing agency.
• Leave gates as you found them, and leave the land undisturbed for others to enjoy.
Remember, our open spaces and wildlands are protected for all generations. It is up
to us to keep them healthy, beautiful, and open to the public for recreation, reflection,
and revitalization! Enjoy and learn from historical and archaeological sites, but
respect these sites and treasures. Some of these sites are sacred to Native
Americans or are important cultural reminders of our heritage.
 Summary
• Plan Ahead and Prepare
• Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces 
• Dispose of Waste Properly (Pack It In, Pack
It Out)
• Leave What You Find
• Minimize Campfire Impacts
• Respect Wildlife
• Be Considerate of Other Visitors