Minimizing Impact and Random Acts of Kindness for
What are the characteristics of someone competent in the outdoors?
One very telling trait is a sincere concern about minimizing impact on
the environment and the skills to match that concern. As more and
more people flock to the outdoors, the need to have such skills become
ever more important. No matter what we do--whether it's mountain
biking, car camping, climbing, horse packing or boating--we must do it
in a way which does the least damage to the environment. The following
is a brief summary of procedures and techniques to keep in mind:
Size. The size of
the group with you depends on where you are going:
Parks or designated Wilderness Areas. If you are going
into a park or a designated wilderness area, keep the party size small.
How much is small? Generally, you want to keep the size at eight
or under. Less is even better.
Multiple-use Forest Service Land (Non-wilderness). Larger
groups (greater than eight) should use non-wilderness areas or so-called
multiple-use lands. Lots of great hiking and exploring can be found
on Forest Service or BLM lands that are not designated as wilderness and
are the best places to take larger groups.
Pack It In.
Pack It Out. We've all heard the mantra and seen
the signs at trailheads, but do we really know what it means. Here's
a list of some items that people commonly forget about:
Aluminum Foil. Far too many people throw aluminum foil
into fires thinking that it will burn. It does, but only partially.
There's always small bits and pieces of it left which blow in the wind
and are scattered around the camp. If you pack in aluminum foil,
pack it out. Remember that many soup and cocoa packages contain aluminum.
They also should be carried out.
Aluminum Cans. Beer cans and pop cans don't burn.
You can throw them in a fire to burn out any residues, but afterwards you
should pull them out, smash them and pack them out with the rest of your
Cigarette Butts. If you smoke, remember two things:
First, make sure you do so in a safe location. This is doubly and
triply important during the fire season. Many, many fires have been
started by careless smoking and improperly disposing cigarette butts.
Secondly, when finished putting out the cigarette, place the butt in a
baggie and carry it out.
Orange Peels. Orange peels are organic, but they are one
organic that lasts a long time. Even in wet climates, orange peels
can last for weeks. In some very dry climates they can last for years.
They are unsightly and should always be carried out.
Peanut and eggs shells. If you have a fire, they can be
burned, but watch egg shells since often they don't burn completely.
Go through the ashes of your fire and carefully pick up any unburned portions.
If you don't have a fire, then peanut shells (yes, peanut shells) and eggs
shells should be carried out.
Other organic waste. As a general rule, all garbage should
be carried out, even left over food. That's a particularly important
rule if you are camping in a heavily used area. In infrequently used
areas, however, the rule can be applied less rigidly. Be careful
not to generate left over food, but if you do end up with leftovers, mix
them well with the top organic layers of soils (which aids the composting
process) and then bury it.
Micro litter. Before leaving a campsite, get in the habit
of doing one last look for litter including micro litter. Micro litter
consists of pieces of candy wrappers, bits of aluminum foil, cigarette
butts, etc. A quick litter pick-up is also a great thing to do at
boat launching areas, car camping areas and trailheads. It's one
of those small, random acts of kindness that you can do for the environment.
Trails and Cross-country Travel
Switchbacks. When going down switch backing trails, stay
on the trail and resist the temptation to cut the switchback. Cutting
switchbacks creates small pathways which divert rain and melting snow and
eventually lead to erosion.
Cross-country travel. Cross-country travel is fine on
foot or horseback, but mountain bikes or trail bikes or four-wheelers can
leave scars which in some areas may take many years to heal. Bikes
and ATV's should always stay on trails.
When traveling cross-country use durable surfaces
(snow or rock) whenever possible. To avoid creating a trail, don't
hike one behind the other, i.e. don't follow each other's foot steps.
By spreading out, impact is minimized.
Location. One of the best ways of cutting down widespread
damage is to use areas already impacted. In other words, if you have
a choice between creating a new camp site and using an existing campsite,
use the existing one.
New Campsites. If it is necessary to establish a new campsite,
pick a spot at least 200 feet away from streams or lakes. If possible,
pick areas which leave the least impact: a forested area with a pine
needle covered floor, a sandy beach, the area below the high water mark
on rivers, an area naturally free of vegetation, or even flat slab of rock,
all of which can be utilized without causing any appreciable damage.
River Running: An Exception to the 200 foot Rule. If
you are kayaking, rafting or canoeing, often the best place to camp is
below the high water mark on gravel or sand bars. By camping in such
areas, you'll have very little impact on riparian vegetation along the
river. Note, however, that this will put you within 200 feet of the
river and it's important to remember the following:
For cooking, use a stove for cooking. If you have a fire, use a fire
pan. One of the worst things you can do to a river beach is to build
a fire without a fire pan. The coals from the fire will stay in the
sand for years, ruining the beauty of the beach.
Do personal washing above the high water mark.
Dispose of dish waste water above the high water mark and 200 feet from
Clean up the campsite thoroughly.
Urinate and dispose of solid human waste above the high water mark and
at least 200 feet away from the river. Land management agencies may
have specific regulations dealing with human waste. Make sure you
know what they are before starting on a river trip.
Fires. Make sure you know what the rules are before going
to any area. Many wilderness areas and park lands require the use
of stoves. During fire season, National Forest lands may be closed
to open fires.
Is a Fire Necessary? If there are no rules against fires,
consider whether you really need one. All things considered, it's
a lot easier to do your cooking on a stove. They are clean, convenient
and cause little impact.
Use Existing Fire Pits. If you decide to make a fire,
then the same rule which applies to campsites applies here. Use an
area that has already been impacted. If there is an existing fire
pit, use it.
New Fire Pits. If you must make a new pit, try to find
a bare spot where mineral soils are showing. Be extremely careful
in forested areas. Remove forest duff (decaying pine needles, bark,
leaves and other organics) all the way down to mineral soil. It is
extremely important that you remove all the duff; otherwise, you are risking
a fire. A small burn can get started in duff and burn very slowly
and unnoticed, only to flare up hours or days later. A number of
forest fires have actually been started this way.
Use of Rocks. To help keep the camp area free of blackened
and sooty rocks, minimize their use, or, better yet, avoid using rocks
altogether. Don't build fires against large rocks or boulders, and
never build a fire against the base of a cliff. It takes decades
of weathering before unsightly soot washes off of a rock face.
Use Small Fuel. Use small diameter sticks to feed the
fire. They will burn easier and the smaller ashes they create are
easier to clean up later.
Removing Gross Fire Pits. Some times you'll come
upon fires built in inappropriate areas: the middle of beautiful
meadow, a scenic overlook, or on a beach beside mountain lake. Usually,
it's best to leave pre-existing fire pits, but if you find a fire pit built
in the wrong place, take time to clean it up: throw away the rocks
making up the fire ring, remove the ashes, and do your best to make the
area look natural again.
Cleaning up Existing Fire Pits. In most cases, you'll
want to leave frequently used fire pits. Some, however, are particularly
unsightly: those with huge, blackened boulders filled with glass,
melted beer cans and balls of aluminum foil. If they look like this
and you have time, stop and clean it up by removing the larger boulders,
ridding the site of excess ashes and packing out any garbage. It's
just another one of those random acts of kindness you can do for the outdoor
A Important Note About Cleaning Up Fire Pits. When cleaning
up a fire pit, always make sure the ashes are out cold. If there's
any doubt, don't destroy the fire pit. It's far better to leave an
unsightly pit than start a far more damaging forest fire.
Use Fire Pans on Rivers or Lakes. To help minimize impact
along rivers, many river management agencies require the use of fire pans.
The pan contains all the ashes, so nothing is spilled on the ground.
Once the fire is out, the ashes can be packed out. Fire pans are
particularly nice on beaches. No coals and soot gets in the sand
and the beach stays pristine and attractive to those who follow you.
If you raft, canoe, car camp or horsepack, consider the use of fire pan.
It enables you to have fires, yet eliminates all the impact that fires
can create in a campsite.
General Washing. Unless the management agency requires
otherwise, never put soap, dish water, food scraps or garbage in water
sources. (Note that in some desert areas--such as along the Grand
Canyon of the Colorado--you may be required to deposit dish water in the
river. In any pristine area, however, this is not acceptable.)
Small Groups. Dish washing in small groups is usually
done individually. The process is easy: place some water (hot
water left over after cooking is the best) in the dirty dish or cup, clean
it with your fingers and a little sand, swish it around and throw it up
on the bank. Usually soap is not necessary, but if you use soap,
use it sparingly and throw the waste water on the bank, not into a water
Larger Groups. Large groups may establish a central washing
area. Make sure the wash area is set up away from the water source.
Using three buckets (soap, rinse and rinse with Chlorox) will greatly reduce
the chances that members of the group will sick from intestinal problems.
When finished pour the dish water through a screen into a sump hole.
The filtered food particles caught by the screen should be packed out with
Doing Dishes on Sea Kayaking Trips. The ocean is an incredibly
effective decomposer of organics. Left over food can be placed or
shallowly buried in the intertidal zone. Once the water comes up,
the ocean will do the rest.
Personal Washing. For personal washing, put water in a
cooking pot and do a sponge bath at least 200 feet from any water sources.
Small groups. Small groups should use the cat hole method
for human waste disposal: using your heel, a flat rock or small scoop,
make a shallow hole in the forest duff. Before doing so, be sure
that you are over 200 feet from water sources. Once finished, mix
the top organic layer of soil thoroughly with the feces (which greatly
aids the decomposition process) and bury.
Toilet paper. If you have a fire burning, throw the toilet
paper into the fire. Some people recommend burning toilet paper on
site, but I emphatically disagree. Burn it on site only during very
wet weather or in the winter. Never, never burn toilet paper during
dry conditions. A number of large forest fires have started simply
by people burning their toilet paper. The best way of dealing with
used toilet paper is to unravel it and mix it with the feces and organic
soil. Then Bury it. Toilet paper, after all, is a wood product
and will eventually decompose.
Desert Environments. Very little decomposition takes place
in the desert, and what does take place is greatly assisted by the sun.
Thus it's important to not bury human waste very deeply. For human
waste disposal, find a place out of the way, flatten out the feces with
a stick or rock, and bury them under a thin layer of soil. Toilet
paper should be burned (but only if very safe) or placed in a plastic
bag and carried out.
Sea Kayaking. In coastal areas, scoop out a shallow hole
in the intertidal zone. Once the water comes up, the ocean will do
Rivers. Because the same campsites are used day after
day all summer long, many agencies which manage western rivers require
that you take along portable toilets and carry out all of your human waste.
Check the regulations before starting your trip.
Larger Groups: Latrines. Use a latrine with larger groups
(which means you won't be in a wilderness area). A proper latrine
should be constructed so it is wider than it is deep: about foot in depth
and two feet wide. After each person uses it, the feces should be
mixed with organic soil from the very top of the hole. Before you
leave, bury everything.
Tampons. No matter what style of disposing of human waste,
never bury tampons. Always carry them out. Triple bag them
and use a broken tea bag or crushed aspirin to cut back odor. If
you have a fire, they can be burned, but after burning them, pull out the
charred remains, bag it and carry it out.
Locking Brakes. Besides staying on trails, mountain bikers
can help minimize impact by not locking tires on downhill stretches.
A locked tire creates a groove in the trail which leaves it vulnerable
Muddy Season. During the muddy season, stick to the roads
and away from single tracks. If, while riding on a single track trail,
you reach a muddy area, walk around it instead of trying to ride around
the side which causes small mud holes to become larger and larger.
Here are a few special things that you should take in consideration when
Pack Animal Considerations.
If you use pack animals, there's much that can be done to minimize impact.
Here's a few suggestions:
If you use tape, be sure to put any pieces that you tear off in your pockets.
Stay off of climbs where birds are nesting until later in the summer after
the birds have left.
When using a tree for a rappel anchor, don't wrap the rope around the tree.
It will damage the bark. Instead, put a sling around the tree and
put the rope through the sling.
Leave rock as you find it. Don't try to modify it by chiseling in
a new hold.
Always use care and discretion when placing bolts. When leaving fixed
anchors, try to disguise them by using materials the same color as the
rocks. Whenever possible, however, use retrievable protection, cams,
hexs, stoppers and natural anchors (tree, rock horns, etc.).
Don't climb on or near areas of cultural or historical significance.
When using chalk, use a chalk ball with a matching earth tone color.
Before leaving on a trip, check to see if Weed-Seed-Free Feed is required.
Even if it's isn't required, using it helps prevent the spread of noxious
weeds. Make sure that your animals are clean and do not carry weed
seeds on their coats.
Try not to create new camps, rather use already established horse camps.
Keep pack animals at least 200 feet from water sources and camping areas.
To reduce trampling, hobble stock rather than picketing. If you must
use picket ropes and pins, move horses frequently to eliminate damage to
Be careful about tying horses to trees which if left for a period of time
will creates an area of high impact. If necessary to tie to a tree,
use an old cinch around the tree and pass a rope through the D-rings.
This helps eliminate damage to the bark of the tree.
Don't hammer nails in trees or dig trenches around tent sites.
When leaving, clean up the camp. Remove excess hay. Scatter
manure piles and fill in areas that have been dug up.
For more information, an excellent source is Dan Aadland's Treading
Lightly with Pack Animals: A Guide to Low-impact Travel in the Backcountry,
Mountain Press, Missoula, 1993 ISBN # 0-87842-297-8
Take pictures, but not flowers, rocks, or artifacts. Leave the
natural beauty for others to appreciate. Don't pick flowers, cut
down trees, remove bird nests or disturb wildlife. Don't carve on
trees or dig trenches around tents. Leave the area in better condition
than you found it.
More information on Minimal Impact
How to Shit in the Woods by Kathleen Meyer, Ten Speed Press, 1989.
Leave No Trace. Information and materials. PO Box 997, Boulder,
CO 80305. Phone number: 800-332-4100.
Soft Paths by Bruce Hampton and David Cole, Stackpole Books,
The Basic Essentials Of Minimizing Impact on the Wilderness by
Michael Hodgson, ICS Books, 1991.
Treadling Lightly with Pack Animals: A Guide to Low-impact
Travel in the Backcountry by Dan Aadland, Mountain Press, 1993
Soft Paths. (Video, 31 minutes) By the National Outdoor
Leadership School (288 Main Street, Lander, WY 82520-3128).
File: minimal.htm. Revised
10/5/00. Contributors: Dana Elle, JoLynn Howell, Peter Joyce
and Ron Watters.
ISU Outdoor Program Links:
Information | National
Outdoor Book Awards | Outdoor
Program News | Classes
| Calendar |Staff
| Friends | Publications
| Dutch Oven | Outdoor
Informational Resources | Donations