On Sunday, September 24, nine HMNs met at Sandy Greene’s log cabin for an informative program on Leave No Trace principles. Guy deBrun, Assistant Director for Adventure and TEAM (Team Empowerment with Adventure for Madison) Programs at James Madison University’s UREC (University Recreation Center) was our presenter.
Leave No Trace is a set of principles we all should follow in order to minimize our impact on the wild places we visit. The seven principles are:
– Plan Ahead and Prepare
– Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
– Dispose of Waste Properly
– Leave What You Find
– Minimize Campfire Impacts
– Respect Wildlife
– Be Considerate of Other Visitors
After breaking us up into three groups of three, Guy gave each group two or three of the principles to illustrate in a short skit (complete with props!) We were given the choice of portraying people doing everything right, or ones doing everything wrong. Of course, all three groups chose to show their characters doing it all wrong! After each skit, Guy discussed the principles involved, and we were given the chance to ask questions and comment about them.
Amusing as they were, the skits served to reinforce the principles, even to a group of Master Naturalists who probably are (or should be!) more aware of them than the average person. All-in-all, it was an informative and useful program.
To learn more about Leave No Trace, visit the website https://lnt.org/
Thanks to Chip Brown for organizing this insightful presentation and Sandy Greene for providing the perfect venue.
– Carl Droms, Cohort II, September 2017
Top photo is of Guy with HMNs Peggy Plass, Dave Wendelken and Kathy McKenzie. Photos by Carl except where noted.
Virginia Master Naturalist Headwaters Chapter 