There is no conflict between outdoor sports and environmental protection. By adhering to some very natural principles during outdoor activities, you can both enjoy the experience and protect the environment. At the last "Green Field Salon" themed event, instructor Teacher Wenzi, a senior Leave No Trace (LNT) trainer from Friends of Nature, shared ideas, knowledge, and experience about outdoor environmental protection. Here we have gathered some Leave No Trace materials, hoping to inspire many fellow hikers. Each organization can also set appropriate principles based on their own circumstances to better carry out outdoor activities.
Leave No Trace
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Leave No Trace, or LNT for short in English, is an outdoor activity approach originating in the United States. It aims to remind people to be mindful of and actively protect and maintain the local ecological environment when engaging in outdoor activities. In 2007, Taiwan’s Forestry Bureau introduced the Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics Center curriculum to Taiwan. In 2011, this concept was introduced to mainland China. In the same year, Friends of Nature trained the first group of beginner-level Leave No Trace instructors on the mainland.
Origin of the Concept
In the 1960s in the United States, outdoor activities began to rise in popularity, with large numbers of enthusiasts going camping in national parks. By the 1970s, the damage and impact of outdoor activities on natural and cultural resources began to draw attention from relevant U.S. authorities. Many management departments started collaborating with professionals and civil groups to educate the public about environmental protection concepts in outdoor tourism. The Leave No Trace philosophy gradually emerged during this period.
In 1982, a staff member of Custer National Forest, Tom Att, and his colleagues began developing the “Leave No Trace” outdoor activity program. This program quickly spread within the U.S. Forest Service system. In 1987, a “Leave No Trace Land Ethics” advocacy manual was jointly issued by the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management, promoting the spirit of nature conservation and calling on visitors to respect nature.
Development History
In the mid-1970s, the Wilderness Management branch of the U.S. Forest Service developed an educational system that proactively promoted the concept of No Trace Travel and camping techniques.
In 1987, a “Leave No Trace Land Ethics” advocacy manual was jointly issued by the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management, promoting the conservation of wilderness areas and the respect visitors should have.
In 1990, the U.S. Forest Service sought collaboration with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) to develop more practical low-impact recreation training, instructing managers on how to teach visitors to reduce environmental impacts. By this time, Leave No Trace had replaced many earlier slogans with similar concepts. In the same year, the U.S. Forest Service formed a committee to prepare for promoting this concept as a nationally executable educational program.
In 1991, the U.S. Forest Service officially formed a strategic alliance with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) to co-develop LNT environmental education learning programs for visitors.
In 1994, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service formally joined the effort to promote LNT work nationwide. To establish a complete operational mechanism, the committee registered LNT as a non-profit educational institution (LNT, Inc.). At that time, the institution had 24 partners, including government agencies, private companies, and other non-profit collaborators. The initial funding was jointly raised by NOLS, ORCA, and SGMA.
In 1999, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) joined the organization, becoming another key unit responsible for training.
In 2000, the LNT concept was slightly revised, extending its original focus from pristine wilderness environments to urban areas closely related to everyday life, such as RV campgrounds, daily living spaces, and city parks.
Core Principles
Introduction to the Theory
“Leave No Trace” is based on seven fundamental principles, including proper trip planning and preparation, traveling and camping on durable surfaces, properly disposing of waste, leaving what you find, minimizing campfire impact, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other visitors. In addition to these, Leave No Trace also has two most important underlying principles: “Respect” and “Leave Only Footprints.”
The Seven Principles
1. Proper Trip Planning and Preparation
Good trip planning ensures the safety of the entire group and yourself; minimizes damage to nature as much as possible; increases your confidence before the trip; and helps you learn more about nature during the journey. Please develop the most suitable travel preparation and plan according to your specific situation.
(1) Understand the hiking, mountaineering, and camping regulations and precautions for the area you plan to visit. Prohibited behaviors in the area are determined based on past damage and local conditions.
(2) Travel and camp in small groups, as this reduces noise levels and environmental harm.
(3) Avoid using especially popular tourist spots or areas during peak times.
(4) Learn how to properly store and pack food to avoid attracting bears and other animals.
(5) Repackage food into reusable bags. Avoid using tin cans, aluminum cans, and glass bottles. Remove unnecessary excessive packaging in advance to reduce the amount of trash brought into the forest.
(6) Ensure you have a proper method for disposing of trash.
(7) Get back to basics—travel simply. Choose appropriate gear and consider in advance whether it might damage the environment or affect others.
(8) When hiking, mountaineering, or camping, choose clothing and gear colors that blend with nature and the earth, such as green, brown, khaki, or black.
II. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
(1) When hiking or climbing, stay on designated trails. Walk in a single file line down the center of the trail and try to leave only the lightest of footprints.
(2) Use existing trails and avoid taking shortcuts.
(3) Even if the trail is muddy or wet, stay on the designated path. Walking on the edges of muddy trails widens them and increases the area of damage. Mud is a natural challenge in the wilderness—wear waterproof boots and rubber boots to protect your feet, and stick to the trail.
(4) When traveling across undeveloped areas, walk on durable surfaces such as rocks, sand, gravel, snow, pine needles, or dry grass to prevent damage to vegetation and soil erosion. When walking off-trail, spread out so new trails are less likely to form.
(5) Camp on durable surfaces. Avoid fragile areas that are easily damaged and may take a long time to recover. Try to concentrate your campsite in designated areas to allow lightly impacted spots to heal.
(6) A good campsite is found, not made.
(7) Wear lighter-weight boots to minimize trail damage. Heavy boots with deep treads can compact soil and harm the trail. Also wear appropriate footwear for camping, such as sandals, cloth shoes, or flat shoes.
III. Properly Dispose of Waste
Pack out all trash and leftover food
(1) If something wasn’t there when you arrived, don’t leave it there when you leave. You are responsible for removing everything you bring into the wilderness. Take all your trash with you.
(2) Leave the land, trails, and areas you visit as if no one had been there. Avoid leaving any signs of human impact and remove all traces of your stay. Before leaving, check your campsite for trash and misplaced gear.
(3) Don’t bury trash—animals may dig it up or it may resurface later. Pack it out.
(4) Contrary to common belief, aluminum foil and plastic containers do not completely burn. Take them with you.
(5) If your food storage isn't bear-proof and food is stolen at night, I've found that bears often eat the food near the campsite and finish it by morning. Look for any leftovers and dispose of them properly. You are responsible for removing all items you brought in—pack out all trash.
(6) Eliminate all traces of waste. Pack out any litter you find or accidentally leave behind, including trash along the trail. Carry found trash in a side pocket of your backpack and educate inconsiderate individuals about “Leave No Trace” principles and low-impact travel ethics.
Properly Dispose of Items That Cannot Be Carried Out
(1) Bury human waste in soil 60 meters (200 feet) from water sources, campsites, and trails, at a depth of about 20 cm (8 inches). It’s best to pack out toilet paper, as animals often dig it up and scatter it. Pack out feminine hygiene products as well—never bury them. Urine generally has minimal impact on plants, but its odor can disturb or attract wildlife. The best option is to urinate on rocks, gravel, or dry ground to minimize scent. Alternatively, you can mix urine with water in a container and then pour it out to help reduce odor. Always ensure you are far from water sources.
(2) Wash dishes 60 meters (200 feet) away from water sources and campsites.
(3) Food scraps can attract insects and animals. Strain dishwater and pack out food particles along with other trash.
(4) Do not use soap or shampoo. Keep chemicals out of the wilderness. Even biodegradable soaps can affect the environment. If you must use soap, do so at least 60 meters (200 feet) away from water and use it sparingly.
(5) If you ride horses, you are responsible for their waste. You certainly don’t want to come across a large pile of horse manure in the middle of the trail. Keep horse droppings away from the trail and never let horses defecate near water sources or campsites.
IV. Do Not Take Natural Resources or Objects
(1) Take only photos and memories, and leave only light footprints.
(2) Resist the urge to take souvenirs. Leave rocks, feathers, artifacts, shells, petrified wood, and other natural objects for others to enjoy.
(3) Leave the places you visit as you found them—keep them in their natural state. You can’t improve nature, so never alter anything. Good campsites are found, not made. Never hammer nails into trees or damage any living plants or trees.
(4) You may take any trash you find that was left behind.
V. Minimize Campfire Impact
(1) Never build campfires. Instead of making a fire for cooking, use a camp stove. Stoves are easier to use and avoid leaving unsightly fire scars or blackened rocks.
(2) There are many types of cooking equipment for hiking: some use white gas, butane, propane, or isobutane as fuel. Nowadays, there are even multi-fuel stoves; there’s also a wood-burning stove that gives you the feel of a mini campfire and is environmentally friendly.
(3) If you don’t have a cooking stove, buy one!
(4) Use candle lanterns instead of campfires. When using candles, don’t let wax drip everywhere—it’s not a natural substance. Take non-natural items with you when you leave!
(5) If you must have a campfire, keep it as small as possible and use a fire ring if available. If there’s no fire ring, place the fire in a pot or build a small mound of dirt to contain it, preventing unsightly burnt wood and blackened stones.
(6) Keep your campfire as small as possible. Use small (wrist-sized or smaller) fallen deadwood and break the wood into small pieces—smaller pieces burn more completely and produce ash that’s easier to disperse with the wind.
(7) Leave your saw and axe at home.
(8) Never break or cut any deadwood, live trees, or even fallen trees. Only use wood that’s already on the ground. Never burn live branches. Don’t peel bark for burning—it only leaves unsightly scars and takes years to heal. Never make a fire ring from stones—blackened stones are very noticeable and remain that way for a long time.
(9) Some areas prohibit campfires, allowing them only in designated zones. Learn the regulations of your destination beforehand.
(10) Building a campfire in the dry season is extremely dangerous and against the rules. Before leaving, make sure your fire is completely extinguished.
(11) Remove all unburned remains from the fire ring. Contrary to common belief, foil and plastic containers do not burn completely. Dispose of cooled remains well away from the campsite and scatter them widely.
VI. Respect Wildlife
(1) Respect the animals you encounter along the way. Remember, you are the visitor, traveling and camping in their backyard.
(2) Observe wildlife from a distance.
(3) Never feed animals. Doing so creates problems—as animals become accustomed to human food, they may associate people with food, leading to attacks on campsites or food theft. Cook and eat away from your campsite to avoid attracting bears.
(4) Learn how to properly store and pack food to avoid attracting bears and other animals.
(5) Camp at least 60 meters away from water sources. Animals also come to drink, and you should avoid disturbing them. Ground near water sources is often fragile—camping too close can lead to long-term erosion.
VII. Respect Other Visitors
(1) Respect others’ need for solitude. Travel and camp quietly, showing consideration for fellow hikers. Leave radios at home. Keep an appropriate distance from other campers to avoid noise and visual pollution.
(2) It’s best to leave pets at home. If you must bring a pet, keep it under control at all times (this includes preventing barking). Keep pets away from water sources and clean up after them—it’s your responsibility. Note that some areas do not allow pets.
(3) Uphill hikers have the right of way.
(4) When making decisions in the wilderness, consider not only the impact on the environment, but also the effect on others.
Also included is an article about Leave No Trace, republished from 中国国家地理. Author: Zheng Tingbin, Taiwan’s first Leave No Trace instructor, founder of the Youth Multiple Intelligences Development Association, former secretary-general of the 523 Mountaineering Club, senior Leave No Trace educator, and a Leave No Trace promotion instructor for institutions including Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Wilderness Conservation Association, Taipei University of Technology, Taipei College of Nursing, and Ecological Heart Adventure Group. He holds a master’s degree in Environmental Studies from Baylor University in Texas, USA, and a bachelor’s degree in Law from National Chengchi University in Taiwan.
Since the 1960s, outdoor activities in the United States have surged. To preserve the remaining wilderness areas since the pioneering era, the U.S. passed the Wilderness Act in 1964. However, as outdoor tourism became more popular, these wild lands began to suffer damage—trails and campsites experienced soil erosion, lakes were polluted, litter was scattered everywhere, and the traces of feces and campfires were commonplace.
In the dilemma between enjoying nature and protecting it, U.S. land management agencies, forestry departments, along with scholars, outdoor organizations, and gear manufacturers, began promoting the concept of “leave no trace” travel. In 1982, the U.S. Forest Service developed a program called “Leave No Trace,” which teaches a series of outdoor skills and standards to minimize human impact on nature.
In 2007, Taiwan’s Forestry Bureau introduced the Leave No Trace outdoor ethics curriculum. By the end of 2009, the first group of environmentally conscious individuals ventured into the mountains, practicing and learning how to implement and promote the Leave No Trace philosophy at the Daxue Mountain National Forest Recreation Area, over 2,000 meters above sea level. They learned new knowledge and techniques to reduce environmental impact.
(Leave No Trace has seven core principles: proper trip planning and preparation, traveling and camping on durable surfaces, proper disposal of waste, leaving what you find, minimizing campfire impact, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other visitors. In addition, Leave No Trace emphasizes two key underlying principles: “respect” and “use only what you need.”)
Under the seven principles of Leave No Trace, there are many specific guidelines and techniques worth learning and discussing.
For example, waste management. While we can dispose of trash in park bins, the production, transportation, and cleanup of all waste and over-packaged goods consume many resources, emit greenhouse gases, and generate more waste. Shouldn’t we plan ahead, remove single-use packaging from food, pack it in containers before bringing it up the mountain, or simply choose less-packaged items in the first place?
Another example: hiking boots are essential for hikers, but their heavy soles can cause significant harm to surface life—especially on steep slopes, soft soil, or fragile rock layers where life is already struggling to survive. Just a few people walking across grass or camping overnight can visibly compress and damage the land and plants. In truth, actions harmful to the land or other life forms are not good for us either—taking shortcuts on steep slopes that kill vegetation can lead to soil erosion. Over time, this leads to stream blockages, and after heavy rain or typhoons, flash floods can impact areas downstream.
Feeding animals or leaving behind garbage and kitchen scraps for them to scavenge is a terrible practice, as it causes animals to lose their ability to fend for themselves in the wild. The delicious human food we offer is often too sweet, too salty, or too greasy—unhealthy even for us, let alone for wildlife. Feeding wild animals can also lead to bad habits, causing them to eventually attack humans. Many people have likely had experiences with weasels or rats stealing food. Once they learn that certain spots regularly offer tasty leftovers, they’ll keep coming back. In Taiwan, news reports of monkey attacks and food robberies have become all too common.
Speaking of destruction, nature’s “cumulative impact” is very powerful. Picking just one wildflower may not seem like a big deal, but when hundreds or thousands of people do the same, it could disappear forever. If you truly love something, you should let it thrive in the wild. When you take it, you’re essentially sealing its fate and robbing future generations of the chance to witness the beauty of nature.
Today, the concept of “Leave No Trace” has gradually begun to influence the attitudes and behaviors of outdoor enthusiasts in Taiwan. However, this entirely Western philosophy has also met with considerable resistance in Taiwan, where the cultural context is vastly different.
Changing people’s perspectives and ways of thinking requires a rather long-term process. When promoting an advanced concept from abroad, it’s not enough to fully understand its origins and essence—we must also integrate it with local values or traditional wisdom, and respect the local culture and traditions. Otherwise, it may not take root (“suffer from cultural maladaptation”) or could even provoke resentment among some locals.
In the early stages of promoting “Leave No Trace,” I strictly adhered to its seven principles as if they were doctrines. During my “prescriptive” efforts to promote them, I faced a lot of skepticism and pushback. Later, I joined indigenous people from Taiwan’s mountainous regions on hunting trips and lived with them. Over time, I discovered that their way of interacting with nature and their wisdom bore striking similarities to the principles of Leave No Trace.
Was I too fixated on the principles and techniques while neglecting the underlying philosophy and spirit? Similarly, do we only see the surface-level hunting and gathering practices of indigenous peoples, while overlooking the deeper meanings and values in their relationships with plants and animals—as well as the land ethics embedded in their traditional beliefs and taboos?
I gradually came to realize that both “Leave No Trace” and indigenous traditions share a common foundation in the “minimum impact principle” and the spirit of “respect.” At the root lies the concept of “land ethics,” which is fundamental to everything.
Land ethics refers to the relationship between humans and the land. When exploring the spirit of “Leave No Trace,” we can return to this most fundamental question. Indigenous communities maintain the closest ties with nature—they rely on farming, gathering, logging, and hunting—but there are rarely issues such as landslides, soil erosion, or endangered wildlife. In contrast, when outsiders arrive, they often cause severe damage to the land and drive wildlife to extinction. Why is the difference so stark? This has made me think deeply.
After spending a long time with them, I realized that indigenous peoples, who have lived for generations within limited and specific territories, have learned to use the land and its resources sustainably. Gradually, they developed the concept of sacred spaces, which evolved from taboo areas such as sacred mountains and water sources. These beliefs discourage indigenous people from entering these areas casually, thereby naturally creating ecological reserves for wildlife.
Places such as Yushan (Jade Mountain) revered by the Tsou and Bunun tribes of Taiwan, White Stone Mountain and Qilai Mountain sacred to the Seediq tribe, and the Greater and Lesser Ghost Lakes of the Rukai tribe are all sanctuaries with extraordinarily well-preserved ecosystems. It’s worth reflecting on why today’s national parks and ecological reserves are almost all located within traditional indigenous territories or hunting grounds.
(Yushan National Park is the largest park in Taiwan, located in the central part of the island, and is home to over 30 peaks above 3,000 meters. It is inhabited by the Bunun tribe—one of Taiwan’s indigenous groups with the highest mobility and adaptability. Due to their relatively isolated living environment, they have preserved ancient and comprehensive wisdom about forest life, along with various customs and ceremonial cultures, including the Weed Pulling Festival, Baby Festival, Head Festival, Hunting Festival, and Harvest Festival.)
Traditional indigenous peoples maintain a philosophy of respecting the land and all life upon it—a core spirit that is also at the heart of “Leave No Trace.”
In Taiwan, before venturing into the mountains, traditional indigenous people always perform a ceremony to honor their ancestors and the heavens, informing their forebears or local deities of their intentions. This is similar in principle to the Han Chinese practice of worshipping the Earth God to pay respects to the mountain spirits.
When hunting, if they discover animal tracks, they will ensure the surrounding area remains undisturbed; otherwise, the animals will be alerted and the hunt will fail. Tribes also set aside certain areas where animals can breed and grow. After the hunting season, hunters remove their traps to avoid needlessly taking innocent lives. They only take shots they are sure to hit, avoiding small or pregnant animals. When fishing, they typically block only about one-third to half of the river’s area, leaving gaps for fish to escape, allowing smaller fish to pass through, and catching only enough for everyone’s needs.
Strict taboos and tribal rules serve to restrain and punish behavior that “harms nature.” Disobeying the norms may bring curses from the ancestors or misfortune to one’s family. Moreover, traditionally, indigenous peoples did not engage in hoarding large quantities of resources—these are examples of the ecological wisdom that has allowed them to live in harmony with nature for generations. This aligns with the “Leave No Trace” principle of minimizing human interference.
Therefore, by connecting the philosophy of “Leave No Trace” with our traditional culture and wisdom, extending the value and spirit of both sides, seeking out shared cores and meanings, and then sharing it further—I believe it can become a highly vibrant environmental philosophy.
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