Mother Nature has given so much to us, so why do we so often feel the need to give nothing back? While camping is a perfectly acceptable pastime to get involved with, we far too often leave the natural landscape in a mess after we’re done.
Today, let’s run through four ways you can ensure you leave no trace when off on a camping holiday. If you pay attention to this list, you won’t cause too much damage to the environment.
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Don’t disturb what you find
You’d be surprised how much of a fine balance exists when it comes to the natural ecosystem. Disturbing this even a little could have massive repercussions for all the wildlife of the local area.
Vouchercloud lists this as one of their seven key principles when it comes to green camping, and for good reason. You may think kicking a rock along a path isn’t doing much damage, but think of all the mini civilisations you’re disrupting with your actions.
You may inadvertently destroy the home of a field mouse, or ruin the harmony of a colony of ants. Don’t take the risk, by being as respectful to what you find as possible.
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Pick up after yourself
Can you imagine anything worse than rocking up to a campsite and discovering it’s been littered with the rubbish of those who’ve come before you? It’s not nice for you, and it’s even worse for the state of the local environment.
Plastic and metal materials will take literally thousands of years to break down, so it’s imperative you pick up after yourself whenever you camp. Wild animals can be badly affected by these materials if they swallow them.
The local area can also become polluted by toxins in these items, leading to potential biohazard danger for both wildlife and humans alike in the area.
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Don’t light a fire unless you have to
Sometimes lighting a fire to keep warm or cook food is a necessity – but that doesn’t mean you have to do so willy-nilly. There’s the potential to cause serious damage to the landscape if you don’t pay close attention to your fires.
Care2 provide several top tips when it comes to lighting a fire which’ll also be eco-friendly. It’s obviously impossible to avoid setting a fire throughout the course of the day or night, but, if you do, make sure you’re doing so in a way which does as little damage as possible to the surrounding area.
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Camp on hard-wearing ground
Make sure to pitch your campsite on land which is not going to be adversely affected by your presence. This means ground which is hard-wearing – able to sustain the weight and pressure of human bodies without being damaged – should be employed as a go-to when it comes to guaranteeing you leave no trace when camping.
Have these helpful tips made it easier for you when thinking about leaving no traces while camping? Make sure to employ them when you’re out and about on your camping excursions in the future.
Article Submitted By Community Writer