Leave No Trace in the Enchantments

One of our 2019 Hot Spots took place in the Enchantments – a permitted backcountry area high in Washington’s Wenatchee River Ranger District. Our Hot Spot program is a great example of how we connect with visitors to our parks and protected areas, and how we partner with local communities of stakeholders and land managers to empower outstanding visitor education.

The Enchantments is as popular as it is beautiful, and faces threats to water quality from unburied human poop, vegetation and soil damage from off-trail travel, and threats to wildlife from improper food storage and careless trailside snacking, among others.

During our eight days in Washington, we led an effective communication workshop for rangers and trail volunteers and helped rehabilitate damaged trails with the Washington Trails Association.

But land managers also wanted an easy way for visitors to learn how they could protect this unique place, so we filmed and produced a video that all permit seekers can watch when they apply on recreation.gov starting in the 2020 permit season. Check it out – we think it’s pretty neat! (Pssttt…even if you’re not going to the Enchantments, there’s great info on backpacking in a subalpine environment that’s relevant other places, too!)

Educational videos like this are a concrete example of the work that Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers do year-round, in addition to the over 650 free educational programs we lead each year. New people are coming to the outdoors all the time, and we think this is great, but it means that there will always be a need for effective stewardship education. Want to help out in this effort? Become a Leave No Trace volunteer or member today!

Leave No Trace’s Jessie Johnson and Matt Schneider are part of the 2019 Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer Program that provides free, mobile education to communities across the country. Proud partners of this program include Subaru of America, REI, Eagles Nest Outfitters, Deuter, Thule, Fjällräven and Klean Kanteen