New York State’s ‘Love Our Lands’ Campaign Features Leave No Trace Guidance

Image: Paddling in New York’s Adirondack region.

Proclaiming a “focus on Leave No Trace principles” and “respect for all visitors and state lands,” New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced the launch of the ‘Love Our NY Lands’ campaign to encourage visitors to State-owned and managed lands to practice responsible recreation.

Read the full DEC Release

The campaign focuses on providing guidance to help visitors responsibly enjoy outdoor recreation on public lands without negatively impacting natural resources. It will implement a variety of multi-media and in-person strategies to promote Leave No Trace principles, hiker preparedness and safety, sustainable use and responsible trip planning, as well as reinforce the role of DEC professionals who protect public lands and manage public access, including DEC Foresters, Natural Resource Planners, Forest Rangers, Assistant Forest Rangers and natural resource stewards.

“Last year tens of thousands of New Yorkers were desperate to get outside for a respite from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and while we saw a significant uptick in 2020, the number of visitors to state lands, particularly the Adirondack and Catskill parks has been increasing for several years,” said Commissioner Seggos. “This is a welcome challenge, but one we must address through a variety of strategic and creative means. With the launch of the Love Our NY Lands campaign to encourage visitors to plan ahead, visit responsibly and practice Leave No Trace™ principles, all New Yorkers and visitors can help ensure these special places are protected for future generations to enjoy.”

In 2020, the Adirondack Council endorsed recommendations provided by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics for managing visitor impacts. “The Center’s recommendations were extensive, specific and provided tangible ideas for addressing our challenges that we would not have discovered through in-house resources,” said Julia Goren, Adirondack Council Vision Project Director.

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