I cannot recall the first time I encountered the Leave No Trace (LNT) principles, but the experience of learning about them sticks out as I continued to see and then begun reading them (in a variation of interpretations) on trailhead signs at different recreational sites across South Australia.
As my interest and passion in outdoor recreation has increased, so too has my awareness for ensuring that I am able to leave places better than I find them. With my enthusiasm for sustainability and conservation emerging, I begun investigating LNT further. Through exploring websites and appreciating the relevance of the principles, I begun uncovering user-guide interpretations, community research and practical activities.
While undertaking my Churchill Fellowship in 2019, I was privileged to visit the Leave No Trace Centre for Outdoor Ethics in Boulder. This increased my commitment in LNT as I met with a passionate community of outdoorsy people – they made me feel like I was part of something big. I committed then and there that when the opportunity arose, I would further my learning and understanding of LNT not just for myself, but to also share with those who I work (and recreate) with.
I’ve been a beneficiary of COVID-19 pandemic as the shift to virtual learning has allowed me to undertake this Trainer Course in a distanced environment from across the other side of the world.
My goals for undertaking this Trainer Course was to:
Increase and diversify my understanding of the LNT principles.
Learn new ways to share with and engage people (especially young people) in LNT.
Better understand how to practically apply LNT, especially in challenged/ignored circumstances.
Discover how I can include LNT across our organisation, not just in our outdoor programs.
Access a diversity of teaching tools, lesson plans, and research resources to further help me share LNT with others.
Content
The course is focussed on exploring the why, understanding the importance of doing and enabling the teaching of others about the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace.
It also incorporates learning topics including:
Connections
With an existing awareness of the 7 principles of LNT, the meaningful value I have received through this course is the reaffirming of what I already believed I knew. The experience has given me greater confidence in my knowledge and understanding and encouragement to communicate and advocate.
I thoroughly enjoyed the connection this LNT learning experience created through the appreciation of people and place, with regards for the diversity and differences not just among our communities, but also our environments. I valued the importance placed on respecting and recognising the significance of First Nations Cultures and how there is much to continue learning from the way in which they cared for and appreciated landscapes. I was also grateful to share in a learning experience whereby I had the opportunity to learn and understand varying perspectives from across the world, from different environments, with people who come with a wealth of their own personal and professional experiences.
The course created a lot of context for me with the work that I already do. Adventure-based experiential learning I believe is equally about balancing practical skill development with the social and emotional growth of people. The focus remains on the process (experience) more so than the outcome. This course, and the discussions regarding principles, ethics, approaches and behaviours was a great link between people’s thoughts and actions that has given me many creative ideas on how to facilitate LNT learning experiences going forward.
The nature of a virtual learning experience, on a topic which is heavily outdoors and experientially focussed was never going to be an easy task. I was really thankful for the way in which our trainer, Sarah (from WildRose Education) had prepared and facilitated this opportunity. It isn’t lost on me how the virtual nature of the course meant that I was able to undertake the training, and the way in which the course was digitally run was both engaging and organised making it highly rewarding.
While this is not at all a reflection on the course itself, the virtual nature of the training has only reemphasised for me how important face-to-face, hands-on, real-world learning is, especially in the context of LNT. I am excited to begin connecting what I have learnt through this course with others in an outdoor experiential learning setting.
My teaching practice has benefited through this course with the reminder that all learning, but especially the LNT principles are best shared with the approach of a growth mindset, not a deficit mindset. Learning is about bringing others along for the ride, not calling people out and making them feel excluded because of their current understandings and/or beliefs.
Insights and Impacts
Learning about and understanding the concept of the ‘Authority of the Resource’ by Dr George N. Wallace was by far the greatest gain I received from this learning experience. To emphasise my reflection above, I really valued diving deeper into the value of positive education when looking to influence and/or shape others thinking for the better. Our communities have become in my opinion to heavy handed through an ‘Authority of the Agency’ (consequential) approach. My key reflection here is to think about who needs to benefit most from implementing the LNT principle? This is where Authority of the Resource plays such a pivotal role in harnessing a growth mindset approach in helping others to see the bigger picture so they might decide for themselves to change their attitude/behaviour in the future.
An insight I came to appreciate through this learning experience was to never become complacent with my own experiences. Outdoor adventure often involves new adventures, with new people, into new environments. To ensure that LNT can continue to be implemented, it requires us all to commit to lifelong learning where we can continue to listen to, read about and understand the differences in the communities and environments we adventure to.
The profound impact that this learning experience has had is through the sharing of experiences with others. In doing so, I have been able to make observations, listen to alternative perspectives and note down ideas to better incorporate LNT into existing outdoor activities and expeditions. I have gained a wealth of teaching tools, lesson plans, research and resources to help me in sharing LNT with others. While it may sound simple, but I have come to realise that LNT doesn’t need to be shared as an ‘add-on’ to our adventures, but rather it can be incorporated throughout as we learn by doing.
Conclusions
When looking back on this training experience, I would say that neither my beliefs or my approach to practices has changed, but my mindset has certainly become more resolved and my attitude to advocate further has become activated. My goals for this course have been achieved and my goal coming away from this experience is to continue sharing the LNT vision – ‘to sustain healthy, vibrant natural lands for all people to enjoy, now and into the future. Every person who ventures outside puts LNT practices into action’.
I plan to do this by value-adding to mine and others outdoor experiences through more consistent advocacy, looking to provide practical and easy to undertake tips and by staying focussed on the big picture of global sustainability and conservation. I have been reminded that LNT doesn’t demand a big effort from specific individuals, but rather collective small efforts from all who find themselves in outdoor environments. Most importantly, this experience has shown me that the actions and influences of LNT can be fun.
Interested in undertaking an Awareness Workshop?
Having now completed this training... I'm now available to facilitate a Leave No Trace Awareness Workshop for your staff, students and/or volunteers!
Awareness Workshops are entry-level, Leave No Trace courses which are typically one to three hours long, but can be up to a full day in length.
I am able to tailor the Workshop to educators, youth, university students, outdoor professionals or anyone with an interest in learning more about Leave No Trace practices.
I can also tailor the LNT content of an Awareness Workshop - for a specific environment, a specific recreation activity or maybe just an overview of the Seven Principles.
Everyone who completes the workshop receives a Certificate from the Leave No Trace Centre for Outdoor Ethics (which can list training hours if required)
If you're interested in making this happen, I'd love to hear from you!