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First Hot Spot selected – Red River Gorge in Daniel Boone National Forest, KY
Many of the areas where we love to spend time outdoors are impacted by recreational use, some more severely than others. The cause of the impact is not generally malicious intent to do harm to the environment; rather it is most commonly a lack of knowledge or skills.
The end result, however, is usually the same:
Litter, dog poop, invasive species, habituated wildlife, trail and campsite erosion, water sources polluted with human wastes, names carved in trees, filthy campfire rings, cigarette butts along a trail, damaged cultural and historic sites, toilet paper “flowers” around campsites, pets chasing wildlife – the list goes on and on.
These impacted areas, or “Leave No Trace Hot Spots,“ can benefit from increased awareness about how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly. If we know the consequences of our actions and the ways to minimize our individual and cumulative impacts, we can all go a long way towards protecting the places we cherish for future generations.
The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics actively seeks to make a difference across the country for these Leave No Trace Hot Spots. Through outreach, education, training, signage, educational materials, consulting and local collaboration, the Center aims to work with motivated individuals, groups, non-profits and governmental agencies to effectively use the Leave No Trace program to reduce impacts on lands used by the public for recreation.
1. Accept nominations from individuals, groups, non-profits, partners, members and governmental agencies for areas – Leave No Trace Hot Spots – that have recreation-related impacts that could be successfully mitigated through effective Leave No Trace programming.
2. Nominations will be accepted on a quarterly basis, with one Hot Spot being chosen per quarter.
3. For chosen Hot Spots, the Center will work with the nominator to determine the scope of the impact, the relevant partners for collaboration, and effective and creative solutions for reducing the impacts occurring in the area.
4. Chosen Hot Spots will receive some or all of the following: expert consultation on solutions and program implementation, training, educational materials, visits from the Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers, creation of locally-tailored programs to meet site-specific needs, volunteer support and overall assistance in putting the Leave No Trace program into action.
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The Center requires the following Hot Spots Application be completed with the following information included:
If your area is not chosen as a Leave No Trace Hot Spot, the Center can still provide information and ideas on mitigating recreational impact in your area.
