Why we should all strive to leave no trace on our outdoor adventures

Disappointment isn’t my typical reaction to an afternoon of fishing, especially not on Strathcona Park’s wild and scenic Elk River. Here in B.C.’s oldest provincial park, the river should feel pristine, but as I wade from pool to riffle chasing cutthroat and rainbow trout, I find tangles of fishing line, campfire scars and snack bar wrappers. There’s even another angler loudly sharing her playlist with the local black bears and beavers—and me.

Unfortunately, I find similar scenes almost everywhere I fish, from remote west coast beaches to busy urban lakes. Replace old fishing line with spent cartridges and the story’s no different when it comes to hunting. To me, this is all as unethical as ignoring fair chase and bag limits.

With that in mind, I believe the seven principles of the non-profit group Leave No Trace, or LNT, should be as central to our outdoor pursuits as any other ethic or rule that guides our behaviour. Easy to implement, the guidelines include: plan and prepare; travel and camp on durable surfaces; dispose of waste properly; leave what you find; minimize campfire impacts; respect wildlife; and be considerate of others.

I say this as a lifelong angler, hunter and outdoorsperson, and as someone who has taught LNT to youth, including my daughter. And full disclosure, I’m also a volunteer board member for Leave No Trace Canada.

ENDURING GUIDELINES

First developed by backpackers in 1994 as a response to the wilderness being “loved to death,” the seven principles of LNT haven’t changed since I learned them 25 years ago. Today, the guidelines are so universally regarded that everyone from birdwatchers to dirt bikers follow them, whether they’re in the wildest of mountains or the most civilized of parks.

The seven principles are often summed up as “take only pictures and leave only footprints.” That feels exclusive, making it easy for anglers and hunters to dismiss the guidelines as not meant for them. Unlike hikers or canoeists, after all, we are often out there specifically to take something home with us. But read the details of LNT closely and it’s clear the principles are more about preserving and enhancing the environment for future generations to also enjoy. Who doesn’t want that?

In fact, you’re probably already following most, if not all, of the principles. Plan and prepare, for example, entails knowing such things as the regulations where you plan to fish, and how to tell the difference between a coho and a chinook salmon. Respecting wildlife, meanwhile, involves following fair chase best practices, for example, and doing everything possible not to attract bears and other wildlife to campsites and kills.

As for properly disposing of waste, however, that needs some work. It’s all about cleaning up after ourselves, which is easy to implement. It’s important, too, because waste has a habit of lingering. Monofilament fishing line, for example, can take more than 600 years to break down, and even a banana peel can take two years to decompose in our climate. As for a poorly placed poop, it’s not only gross, but it could also pollute a drinking water source.

CONSIDERATION IS KEY

My favourite LNT principle is to be considerate of others. On the surface, that includes things such as not assuming everyone on the lake shares your taste in music, or wants it intruding on their precious outdoors time. On a broader level, however, I think consideration of others sums up the whole idea of LNT. The forests, fields, rivers, lakes and oceans don’t belong to just you or me—they belong to all of us, and we should treat them that way.

I think of the outdoors as though I were going over to someone else’s house. When I was a kid, my mom gave me a simple rule for such situations: leave the place better than you found it. Hunting and fishing is no different. Pick up your tangle of fishing line, for example, and take your fish guts home with you or dump them where they won’t attract wildlife or stink up a popular recreational area. And please, rock out with your ear buds on.

Do these little things, and everyone can enjoy a nice day out there without disappointment—whether they bring home something for the table or not.

Learn more about the principles of LNT at www.leavenotrace.ca.