I attended the Master Educator Course Front Country Stock for Leave No Trace back in late September. It was held in The Hoosier National Forest in Indiana. We camped in tents for four nights, ate great food, had fantastic instructors, and learned so much. It was an amazing course and I came away with a new understanding of why I do and think the way I do….. Plus all the Leave No Trace Ethics and hopefully the ability to pass them on to others.
With the exception of cat holes I pretty much have been practicing Leave No Trace all my life. Just did not know it… And I bet most of you are just like me. This course gave me a new awareness of the Wilderness and how precious and lucky we are to have designated areas in this country for wilderness. No I am not a tree hugger but when I see virgin timber it sure makes me want to hug a tree!
What is Leave No Trace?
There are 7 Principals or ethics.
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors
Very useful things that most of us do anyway….
This course made me think about “WHY” I do the things I do. I was reminded of being a child of 5 and going to the far field with Grandpa on the tractor and while he plowed and prepared the field for sowing, I was put out alone with the English Shepherd dog Lady, in the edge of the woods to play and bring him his water jug (that we shared) the water was from the old hand dug rock walled well at the barn and drawn fresh by us every morning to fill the jug with and then carried on the tractor in the floor board where I stood and rested against the fender for my ride to the field.
At dinner time we would go back to the house the same way and eat “dinner” (our noon meal) that Grandma had been preparing all morning. Then after a delicious meal we would take a nap and head back to the field. Again I would play in the woods and about 3 or 4 PM we would go back to the house. But Grandpa all ways stopped and picked up rock and we placed them in the rock walls around the low sides of the field to help catch the run off and keep the top soil from washing into the creek.
Grandpa explained what and why we were doing this and that was simply all there was to it. No trash or altering of the woods where I played was allowed no stuff left for the next time. I learned by Grandpa’s example how to take care of the land and to love the land. No big deal was made out of it it was the way “he lived his life”. By example. not so much talking about it but doing it.
He taught me to be quiet in the woods. When he went rabbit or squirrel hunting the game killed was took home skinned cleaned and eaten. No “sport” was made of such. If we fished it was for fun and food but not to excess.
I so enjoyed the week and Leave No Trace. And all the memories Plus I have gained a new understanding of myself.
