Conservation Corner: Take time to enjoy nature in Spartanburg County but leave no trace
In Spartanburg County, we have 121 miles of Trailways and 52 parks showcasing this region’s natural beauty. During the summer months these spots, especially ones with water, become popular places to visit and play. Remembering to practice 'Leave No Trace" principles when you next visit these natural spaces will help keep them safe and clean for us and wildlife alike.
Leave No Trace is a seven-principled guideline for visiting natural spaces. The major takeaway is to leave only your footprints and keep only your memories. In the 1970s, there was a large push to bring these Leave No Trace Principles into the mainstream, as America’s enthusiasm for outdoor recreational activities grew.
The negative impacts of this popularity were reflected in the ecosystems. More litter was present in the parks and there were more human encounters with wild animals.
Currently, six federal agencies have adopted Leave No Trace principles in their guidelines for land stewardship. The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and the Leave No Trace Organization (LNT) provide wilderness training that teaches Leave No Trace principles.
Youth organizations, like the Girl and Boy Scouts of America and YMCA Summer Camps, have also created curricula to teach these principles. In recent years, the private sector has also joined the cause by spreading the Leave No Trace principles in their corporate marketing campaigns.
The 7 Leave No Trace principles are:
►Plan Ahead and Prepare. Learn about the particularities of the place you will explore. Scope out your routes on a map and familiarize yourself with the area. What are the rules and regulations? Planning ahead is important for personal safety.
►Stay on the Designated Trail. Trails have been groomed to withstand the impact of pedestrian use. By staying on the path, the nearby vegetation doesn’t get trampled, and erosion is less widespread.
►Dispose of Your Waste Properly. In most cases, this means packing out your trash and using the facilities at the entrance of these natural places. Human waste can contaminate natural spaces and create unhygienic conditions. If you are bringing your dog, picking up after them is just as important.
►Leave What You Find. It may be tempting to pick the wildflowers or take the caterpillar home to watch it change into a butterfly, but by doing this we are disrupting natural cycles and extracting resources from a shared natural space.
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►Minimize Campfire Impacts. Only make campfires in designated places if conditions support fires. Check the fire report to determine if a fire is possible. Fires can have catastrophic consequences if not tended properly. FEMA estimates that 5% of all wildfires are started by campfires. A fire should always be extinguished completely before leaving.
►Respect the Wildlife in the Park. We are the visitors in this space. Observing with our eyes and ears is the safest way to interact with the wildlife. Loud noises and sudden movements scare away wildlife.
►Be Considerate of Other Visitors while enjoying the shared natural space. Your actions shouldn’t infringe upon the experience of others.
This set of principles will hopefully save you from being issued a ticket and having to pay a fine. South Carolina’s litter laws allow the issuance of fines, community service, and in some cases jail time, to offenders. In 2018, the laws were revised and made easier to enforce.
There are many different volunteer opportunities to help clean up our Trailways and parks. For more information, check out your local conservation and litter clean-up groups such as Palmetto Pride, Tyger River Foundation, Spartanburg Area Conservancy (SPACE), PAL, and Keep OneSpartanburg Beautiful.
Claire Roussos is the coordinator of Keep OneSpartanburg Beautiful (KOSB).
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Conservation Corner: Enjoy nature in Spartanburg Co., leave no trace
