Leave No Trace
If you have been a camper or staff here at Sonlight, you will be familiar with the glorious vintage Leave No Trace video. Maybe you’ve even memorized the catchy music at the end (the song is Sunspots by Bob Mould!)
But why do we teach Leave No Trace? Here at Sonlight we believe it’s important to be good stewards of nature in both the wilderness and the frontcountry. Since our programming includes hiking each week, we want to make sure we take care of the spaces we frequent to keep our forests beautiful! We teach the Leave No Trace principles so that campers can learn how to be responsible in the outdoors at camp and at home.
The 7 Leave No Trace Principles are:
- Plan Ahead and Prepare – bring what you will need!
- Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces – walk in the trail, even when it is muddy.
- Dispose of Waste Properly – pack out your trash, even apple cores! Leave spaces better than you found it.
- Leave What You Find – yes, that means leave that flower! That way other people can also enjoy it’s beauty.
- Minimize Campfire Impacts – when we backpack we only use existing fire rings.
- Respect Wildlife – Watch from a distance and never feed wildlife.
- Be Considerate of Other Visitors – so that we can all enjoy the outdoors!
We hope you are enjoying the outdoors this winter. As always, do your best to Leave No Trace!