Hot Spot
Arches National Park | Sept. 24-27, 2021
Moab, UT
Arches National Park in southeast Utah is well known for its distinct red rock formations, including the largest density of natural arches in the world. The rocks tell a story of geologic events such as deposition and erosion and mesmerize over 1.5 million visitors annually coming from all over the world. The park provides opportunities for hiking, biking, camping, canyoneering, rock climbing and more. The popularity of the park has created numerous impacts including graffiti scratched into the soft sandstone, the creation of social trails, litter, pet waste, and various user conflicts. For the Hot Spot activation, the Subaru/Leave No Trace Team will be at Arches National Park leading a variety of workshops, outreach programs and community events, including opportunities for community involvement.
*Arches National Park is located on the ancestral lands of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute) and possibly other tribes*
Solutions
During the Hot Spot activation, the Subaru/Leave No Trace Team led a variety of workshops, outreach programs and community events at Arches National Park. Land management agency staff and representatives from partner and stewardships organizations, including Leave No Trace, hosted a Visitor & Community Outreach at the Moab Information Center. The goal of this event was to educate the public about minimizing impacts and enjoying the natural wonders of Arches National Park and surrounding Moab parks and protected lands in a responsible way. As part of the Moab Festival of Science, the Moab Mingle event gave community members the chance to chit-chat with local and regional science figures and land managers all while enjoying light refreshments. Volunteers gathered for the Erase Our Trace: Volunteer Stewardship Event. During this National Public Lands Day service project, participants learned about and applied Leave No Trace principles while erasing marks from past visitation, helping return the national park to its natural beauty. Events included a trash pick-up and mitigating damage from off-trail & off-road travel. As part of the Moab Festival of Science, STEMonstrations included multiple booths and hands-on kid-friendly activities, including Leave No Trace. Each booth was hosted by a different organization or scientist, offering something for big and little scientists alike!
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