By Maggie Jackson, Kansas City Star Reader Advisory Panel

Leave No Trace, LNT, is an international program which promotes awareness of outdoor ethics. In a nutshell, trainers and educators encourage common sense environmentalism.

LNT was established in the 1960’s by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service. With the help from NOLS and other outdoor industry leaders it later became a non-profit organization. Today LNT is highly esteemed by park systems around the world.

Seven principles were established by LNT to encourage outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy nature ethically.

The first is to plan ahead and prepare. That’s a pretty simple idea, right? However, it is amazing how many people do not think before walking out the front door. Whether the activity is water, hunting, high-adventure or just simply walking in a park it is important to think about what you might need.

Travel and camp on durable surfaces is the second principle. This simply means stay on established trails while taking a walk or cycling or ATVing. Sometimes it is necessary to go off trail such as in hunting or exploring; just be diligent about where you step and avoid delicate vegetation.

Most people will never have to worry about camping on nondurable surfaces since the vast majority of people camp in established campgrounds. However, the adventurer should once again avoid areas where a camp site could damage animals’ natural resources.

The third principle is to dispose of waste properly. It you bring it, you must take it back home. This is where common sense seems to fall apart for most people. It is evident by all the trash scattered along roads, trails, parks and anywhere people travel. Unfortunately there are a lot of very dirty and inconsiderate people. Nothing quite taints a beautiful trail like finding a candy wrapper or other undesirable droppings. This brings up another point, pick up after your pets!

Another principle encouraged is to leave what you find. No matter how tempting it may seem to pick a beautiful flower or rock or whatever catches your eye, leave it so others can also enjoy it. Another reason for this principle is because the removal and relocation of materials in nature can cause the spread of invasive species. This can upset the delicate ecological balance of the region. Besides in most parks removal of anything is illegal.

Everybody loves a good campfire, but the days of digging fire pits are over. The fifth principle encourages people to minimize campfire impacts by using currently established fire rings, camp stoves or mound fires. The latter is a small fire built on a mound of dirt or rocks. These methods will help prevent unnecessary scorching of the ground which destroys plant and insect habitats.

Most parents already teach their children to respect wildlife. Usually the lesson is taught as a way to protect their youngsters from potential bites. What they don’t realize is they are practicing the sixth LNT principle, which encourages the respect of wildlife to protect both the animal and the person. Pretty common sense principle, but it is amazing to learn how many people think approaching a wild animal such as a squirrel or rabbit is cool until they corner the animal and find themselves in an undesirable situation and later taking a trip to the hospital.

The seventh and last principle encourages everybody to be considerate of other people. In addition to not quite fully understanding how to dispose of trash properly, people also tend to be quite rude. Sometimes it is unintentional, but many times it is because people are simply selfish. Some basic rules of trail etiquette are to stay on the right side of the trail. When cycling let people know you are going to pass by shouting out, “On your left!” several yards before actually passing. Keep your pets on a leash. If you have children teach them to ask dog owners if they may touch. Basic etiquette is based on the golden rule which is a good rule of thumb to follow no matter where you may seek your adventures.

So as you can see Leave No Trace principles are common sense guidelines designed to help make outdoor explorations a fond memory. Happy adventures!