Lockdown has encouraged many of us to start embracing the great outdoors and enjoy what nature has to offer. We included have started venturing out more and encouraging the kids to play and craft outdoors rather than remaining inside with their devices.
But with so many of us turning to nature it’s important we look at how we minimise the footprint we leave so not only can we continue to enjoy it but the wildlife can still flourish and continue to exist in the area.
That’s why we encourage everyone to learn more about Leave No Trace or LNT.
So what is leave no trace about?
In a nutshell, the LNT movement is about enjoying the outside while leaving the natural surroundings as unchanged as possible.
In theory, it sounds simple, but how do we actually implement it when we are out and about.
Here are three things you can take into consideration when you are exploring outdoors
Take nothing but memories
It can be tempting when visiting natural beauty spots to want to take home a souvenir We see so many people picking flowers because they are beautiful but you have to keep in mind if everyone did the same action would there be any flowers left? Not only that but the flowers once picked will not survive long and quickly be tossed away and forgotten. Not to mention the impact on the wildlife from plants in their surroundings being plucked for no reason and its impact on them.
Waste disposal
Depending on where you are exploring you might not have access to bins and waste disposal units. We always suggest taking a Ziploc bag to ensure you can bring all the rubbish back with you and not leave anything behind that could impact the wildlife. It sounds simple but many people take the approach of oh its only one piece of rubbish what’s the harm, except if everyone took this approach the beautiful landscapes would be littered. Remember the golden rule, If you aren’t willing to carry it, don’t bring it with you.
Respect Wildlife you find along the way
One fantastic benefit of exploring nature is finding all the wildlife in its natural habitat. But enjoy it from afar. Use binoculars and zoom lenses to get a closer view but try to remain as far back as you can to not disturb them or encourage them to interact with humans as this can cause long term issues.
These are just three simple steps you can incorporate into outdoor adventures that will help minimise the human impact on wildlife and nature. Now get out there and explore some more!
