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All articles and photographs on this site,
unless otherwise stated,
are Copyright © Priya Florence Shah
Code of Conduct for Outdoor Enthusiasts
Chuck Fitzgerald C2005.
All Rights Reserved
My favorite outdoor related quote comes from John Muir,
the father of our national park system and founder of the Sierra Club.
He said, "When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it
attached to the rest of the world."
This quote means more to me today than it did twenty
years ago and will undoubtedly mean more to me still as I spend an increasing
amount of time out of doors. Muir is telling us something of great importance
- we are attached to nature too.
Therefore, how we think and act while visiting wild
places today will ultimately determine the amount of enjoyment by outdoor
enthusiasts for ever more. So how should we think and act?
A code of conduct exists for outdoor enthusiasts. It
is called the Principles of Leave No Trace. This set of best practices
was designed specifically to ensure our outdoor recreational activities
are sustainable over long periods of time. Leave No Trace is an organization
dedicated to educating people on how to minimize their impacts while
enjoying the outdoors. Here are their seven principles.
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare 2. Travel and Camp on Durable
Surfaces 3. Dispose of Waste Properly 4. Leave What You Find 5. Minimize
Campfire Impacts 6. Respect Wildlife 7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors
BackCountry Toys is a supporter of Leave No Trace and
we encourage all outdoor enthusiasts to do likewise. To learn how to
put these principles into action, you may find more information on their
website at www.lnt.org or on our website as well.
Over the years, I have tugged on countless things in
nature. I have found out they are indeed attached to everything else
- including me. As outdoor enthusiasts we understand the importance
of our relationship with the backcountry and we are keenly aware of
how our attitudes and our actions determine the long term viability
of these wild places.
Here is another of my favorite quotes. This one is
by Michel Montaigne. "Let us permit Nature to take her own way;
she better understands her own affairs than we." Use this information
and you'll Get It Right The First Time. Get Outdoors!
About the author: Chuck Fitzgerald is the owner of Arizona
based BackCountry Toys, an online specialty store with the "Best
Gear Out There" and dedicated to helping outdoor enthusiasts to
"Get It Right The First Time" with timely educational information.
Please visit http://www.BackCountryToys.com
to find great gear and to receive the Fact & Tips e-newsletter,
"FreshAir." (800) 316-9055.
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