Leave No Trace Illustrations
This illustration is tied to LNT Principle No.1 “Plan Ahead and Prepare”. One major part of going off on an adventure is to properly plan ahead for things you may need on your trip and leave the things that you won’t need, this is especially important when backpacking where weight barring and limitation is a huge part of the experience but along planing things that you might need it’s also extremely important to know where you are going, terrain, weather, regulation and restriction even sometimes habits of wildlife. For more tips on safety and leave no trace principles visit the LNT website. Shirt Design Available Here.
This illustration is tied to LNT Principle No.2 “Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces” the reason being, durable surfaces are intended for hard travel either by vehicle or visitors hiking/camping. These designated durable surfaces are there to prevent degradation of rich nutrient soil, trampling down of needed vegetation, and they discourage visitors from widening trails and creating unintended social trails. But another great reason to stay on the trail when possible is due to wildlife, most wildlife tends to stay away from trails since they know that this is where people can be found and wildlife does not want to run into people. True Story, I was hiking with a group of the student as a TA when I took them off the trail to show them how to navigate in back-country and within the tall grass I stumble upon a very feisty Rattlesnake, it let me know with its deafening rattler that I needed to get back on the trail and leave its space immediately. That was quite an experience, and it could have ended way worse. Shirt Design Available Here.
This illustration is tied to LNT Principle No.3 “Dispose of Waste Properly”. if there are people around there is about to be waste, and let’s face it we are not the best at picking up after ourselves so here is a little reminder, waste includes, any type of trash, wrappers, food containers, food waste (after doing dishes and cleaning up), any time of plastics and yup, you guessed it to poop. When camping in the backcountry one must dig a cat-hole at least 200 feet away from the campsite and any type of water source about 4 to 6 inches wide and 6 to 8 inches deep. Dig it, use it, and cover it up. for more information on proper techniques for pooping in the woods see the LNT.org website. Shirt Design Available Here.
This illustration is tied to LNT Principle No.4 “Leave What You Find”. As many of you know I spent a large part of my 2020 summer working at St. Vrain State Park, so this illustration was heavily inspired by that site, with plenty of Great Blue Herons hanging around in the ponds and Long’s Peak standing in the background, and the pond is based on Bold Eagle Pond. So about “Leave What You Find” I have been guilty of doing this when you are hiking and you see a cool rock or flowers, it has been a habit on occasion to pick that up and take it to commemorate that trip. But if everyone takes a cool rock eventually all the cool rocks are gone and other visitors won’t have the experience of seeing that cool rock or fossil and if every visitors was to pluck a flower soon there would be no more flowers for next season’s growth and that also affects vegetation, insects, and animals. So it’s a great Idea to enjoy nature and experience it to its fullest but as the saying goes “Take the only picture, leave only tracks” that will secure the future for nature and other visitors to experience and explore the outdoors. Shirt Design Available Here.
This illustration is tied to LNT Principle No.5 “Minimize Campfire Impact” during most of the summer and part of fall, the fires were raging and out of control most notably in Colorado, where two of the biggest fires in the state’s history were taking place but also notable mentions include most of California and parts of Oregon. This why minimizing campfires is so important, most fires are often caused by pure accident, either by a chain attached to a trailer that sparks off the highway and engulfs the forest or an accidental fire in a home that spread on the surrounding forest. One thing we can do to help prevent fires from getting away from us while camping is to ask ourselves “Do we really need a campfire” that and knowing the level of fire danger present in the location where you are camping. Not all fires are preventable but anyway we can help the forest and its creature will truly appreciate our efforts. Shirt Design Available Here.
The series subjects are related to Leave No Trace Principles, based on my research, interpretation, and lessons learned through my certification for LNT.
This illustration is tied to LNT Principle No.6 “Respect Wildlife” Fishing is part of the recreational aspect of the outdoors and there are ways to promote respecting wildlife by responsibly dispatching and cleaning your catch. Whirling Disease (Myxobolus Cerebralis) is a parasite that begins its life by being eaten by worms the worms is then eaten by the fish and once the fish gets infected, the parasite attacks the cartilage and skin of the young trout and begins to deform it until it can only swim in circles and dies. Whirling Disease has affected a lot of the trout of colorado except for the Brown Trout, (I guess they are built differently). New breeding of the Rainbow Trout has been released to the wild that has a higher tolerance to the disease. Ways that anglers can help prevent the spread of the disease is by always thoroughly cleaning equipment, never dispose of entrails into the waterways, and never move fish from one body of water to another. Shirt Design Available Here.
This illustration is tied to LNT Principle No.7 “Be Considerate of Others”. This one should be super easy to do and it only requires you to be considerate of others, I think a lot of the time our society is can be very selfish and “my time” “my experience” but in the outdoors and in that case most places you share the space with other and sometimes does things that you do to relax can hinder other’s experience of what they are trying to find in the outdoors. From playing load music on the trail, letting your dog run off the leash, not yielding to people on the trail, and pretty much not following the rest of the LNT Principles, Remember to be safe, have fun, and leave no trace. Shirt Design Available Here.