{"id":19978,"date":"2017-12-05T09:08:50","date_gmt":"2017-12-05T17:08:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=19978"},"modified":"2018-11-11T22:08:45","modified_gmt":"2018-11-12T06:08:45","slug":"op-ed-why-now-more-than-ever-we-must-live-by-leave-no-trace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/op-ed-why-now-more-than-ever-we-must-live-by-leave-no-trace","title":{"rendered":"Op-Ed: Why Now\u2014More than Ever\u2014We Must Live by Leave No Trace"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a time when more and more people are embracing outdoor recreation, here’s how to combat the destruction of the wild places we love.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Last year, for the centennial of the National Park Service, park visits were up by over 25 million across the nation<\/a>. Yosemite traffic increased by 21 percent year over year\u2014up almost a million people from 2015. Zion saw more than 17 percent more visitors. Joshua Tree? Up by over 23 percent. In theory, <\/span>more people who share a passion for the outdoors can increase the proponents of conservation, preservation and stewardship.<\/span><\/p>\n

But as numbers increase and accessibility becomes easier, as the culture of conquering, peak bagging and \u201caccomplishment athleticism\u201d becomes the norm, care, consideration and a commitment to Leave No Trace (LNT) practices grow more vital than ever.<\/span><\/p>\n

Education Director for the LNT Center for Outdoor Ethics Ben Lawhon painted a pretty good picture of the scenario when asked about the increasing pressures on the system. \u201cThere is no silver bullet here,\u201d he said. \u201cWe find ourselves in a much more challenging environment for education.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

And yet they continue to fight the good fight. Education vs. regulation is the way LNT looks at it, knowing full well that there is a wide spectrum of knowledge and practice in the outdoors. \u201cThe hope,\u201d said Lawhon, “is that the positive net effect of every hiker doing just one [selfless] thing can have huge results.\u201d \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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A post shared by Leave No Trace\u00a0(@leavenotracecenter)<\/a> on