The Culture we Want to Keep: Leave no Trace Principles
No one wants to show up at a river front camp just to see the place filled with trash, rutty camping spots, and no vegetation providing shelter. There are a lot of elements of river culture that are constantly evolving and changing, but one question we keep asking is what is the culture we want to keep? Leave No Trace Principles are one of those cultural elements most boaters are likely to share and appreciate. The principles based on science and built on a shared respect for nature and each other. This respect, coupled with good judgment and awareness, will allow everyone to put the Principles into action even on the river.
The Seven Leave No Trace Principles
Plan ahead and prepare: This involves researching the area you will be visiting, understanding the local regulations and guidelines, and packing the necessary gear and supplies to minimize your impact on the environment. This is especially important for river corridors. American Whitewater has a fantastic database that can help you orient yourself in rivers you may not be familiar with.
Travel and camp on durable surfaces: This means staying on established trails and campsites, and avoiding trampling on sensitive areas such as meadows, streams, and wetlands. Tying boats up to durable surfaces like rocks can be a better practice. Using trees especially small ones can damage these trees leading to erosion and beach degradation.
Dispose of waste properly: Pack out all trash, including food scraps, and human waste. For boaters this means bring your groover or wag bags and use them. Travelling in river corridors makes it extremely difficult to prevent human waste from entering the river. As a last resort burying it in a hole 6-8 inches deep and at least 200 feet away from any water source.
Leave what you find: Do not disturb natural features, artifacts, or wildlife, and leave them in their natural state for others to enjoy.
Minimize campfire impact: Use a camp stove instead of a campfire whenever possible, and if you do have a campfire, use a fire pan and follow local regulations and guidelines. Most boaters will find that many river corridors on public land require fire pans and packing out ashes. This is generally true across most of the United States.
Respect wildlife: Observe wildlife from a distance, do not feed them, and avoid disturbing their natural behaviors. This also includes cleaning up food waste and packing it out.
Be considerate of other visitors: Respect the rights of other outdoor enthusiasts and minimize your impact on their enjoyment of the outdoors. Having a loud waterproof speaker blasting music may not be the way in which other people want to enjoy the river.
Special Leave No Trace Concerns for Boaters
For boaters there are some concerns that we should be aware of beyond the 7 principles. Campsite selection is a big topic for us as is the use of soaps and lotions.
Soaps and lotions, even when biodegradable, soaps can affect the water quality of lakes, streams, and springs, so minimize its use. Soaps lower the surface tension of the water, making it hard for aquatic insects like water striders to float on the surface. They can leave fish and other critters starved for air. Always wash yourself and brush your teeth well away from shorelines (200 feet), and rinse with water carried in a pot or jug. This allows the soil to act as a filter. Where fresh water is scarce, avoid swimming in creeks or potholes. Lotion, sunscreen, insect repellent, and body oils contaminate these vital water sources. If you do choose to swim, rinse off with water 200 feet from the source to minimize the potential contaminants you could introduce to the water from swimming
Camping: Sand and gravel bars along large rivers are durable surfaces that may be suitable for low-impact camping. Avoid vegetated areas when possible and always choose sites that are big enough for your group. When possible, camp at least 200 feet (70 adult steps) away from any water sources unless local guidelines indicate otherwise.
Sometimes designated campsites or shelters can be too close to trails or water because of terrain limitations or a long history of use. In these instances, continued use of such sites is preferable to the creation of new ones. Just be extra careful to protect nearby water sources in such cases. If you need more help on this topic check out our campsite selection article. If you want more information on how you can minimize your impact on river corridors you can get some tips from the folks at Leave No Trace below.
