Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest

Recreation - Leave No Trace

"Whenever you pluck up something, you find everything in the universe attached to it." (John Muir)

Why not litter? ...because litter LASTS!

Cigarette Butts: 1-5 years

Orange & Banana Peels: Up to 2 years

Plastic Bags: 10-20 years

Aluminum Cans & Tabs: 80-100 years

Plastic Six-Pack Holders: 100 years

Glass Bottles: 1,000,000 years

Plastic Bottle: Indefinitely!

Why not burn garbage? ...because it produces toxins!

More information on why you should not burn your garbage.

Backcountry Ethics

"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise." (Aldo Leopold)

Litter is just one of the "impacts" that visitors can have upon the backcountry. "Impact" refers to changes visitors create when outdoors, such as trampling of fragile vegetation, pollution of water sources, or social impacts that diminish the experience of others.

Rules are what you follow when someone is watching.

Ethics are what you follow when no one is watching!

Leave No Trace Principles

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare

• Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll visit.
• Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.
• Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.
• Visit in small groups. Split larger parties into groups of 4-6.
• Repackage food to minimize waste.
• Use a map and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns, or flagging.

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

• Durable surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses, or snow.
• Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.
• Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary.
• In popular areas:
  • Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.
  • Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.
  • Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is already absent.
• In pristine areas:
  • Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.
  • Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

• Pack it in, pack it out: Inspect your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter.
• Deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.
• Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
• To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.

4. Leave What You Find

• Preserve the past: Examine, but do not touch, cultural or historic structures and artifacts.
• Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
• Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
• Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts

• Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the backcountry. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.
• Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires.
• Keep fires small. Only use sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand.
• Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.

6. Respect Wildlife

• Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach.
• Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
• Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.
• Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
• Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

• Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
• Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
• Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.
• Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.
• Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.

Leave No Trace depends more on attitude and awareness than on rules and regulations. Many of the specific camping practices you chose to follow will be based upon your specific situation, which includes many variables for a given area, such as soil, vegetation, wildlife, moisture levels, season of visit, etc.

"Leave No Trace" is a nationwide program administered by the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), a non-profit educational institution, in partnership with the USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and the Bureau of Reclamation.

For Leave No Trace Information or materials call 1-800-332-4100