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Although the genesis of the Leave No Trace program is along wilderness trails and backcountry campsites, studies have shown that the majority of outdoor use occurs along open space trails, in urban and state parks and in established campgrounds. In an effort to address the explosive use of America's "frontcountry" or day-use areas, Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics has expanded its educational focus to include these sites. The Leave No Trace Frontcountry Program has been developed in cooperation with land managers has experienced significant growth over the past few years. Land managers at several sites have worked closely with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics to tailor local Leave No Trace education programs.

Various demographic, geographic and behavioral factors have been taken into consideration during the development of the Frontcountry education program. According to the Outdoor Industry Association there are three times as many car campers and five times as many day hikers as there are backpackers in the U.S. The number of day hikers is projected to increase from 47 million people to 74 million people by 2050, and car campers are expected to increase from 42 million to 62 million by 2050. Various market trends were also considered in targeting day hikers and car campers. For example, according to a USDA Forest Service study day hiker days are projected to surpass the one billion days mark by 2020.

Know Before You Go

• Be prepared! Remember food and water, and clothes to protect you from cold, heat and rain.
• Use maps to plan where you’re going. Check them along the way so you’ll stay on course and won’t get lost.
• Remember to bring a leash for your pet and plastic bags to pick up your pet’s waste.
• Learn about the areas you plan to visit. Read books, check online and talk to people before you go. The more you know, the more fun you’ll have.

Stick to Trails and Camp Overnight Right

• Walk and ride on designated trails to protect trailside plants.
• Do not step on flowers or small trees. Once damaged, they may not grow back.
• Respect private property by staying on designated trails.
• Camp only on existing or designated campsites to avoid damaging vegetation.
• Good campsites are found, not made. Don’t dig trenches or build structures in your campsite.

Trash Your Trash and Pick Up Poop

• Pack it in, Pack it out. Put litter–even crumbs, peels and cores–in garbage bags and carry it home.
• Use bathrooms or outhouses when available. If not available, bury human waste in a small hole 6-8 inches deep and 200 feet or 70 big steps from water.
• Use a plastic bag to pack out your pet’s poop to a garbage can.
• Keep water clean. Do not put soap, food, or human or pet waste in lakes or streams.

Leave It As You Find It

• Leave plants, rocks and historical items as you find them so others can enjoy them.
• Treat living plants with respect. Carving, hacking or peeling plants may kill them.

Be Careful with Fire

• Use a camp stove for cooking. Stoves are easier to cook on and create less impact than a fire.
• If you want to have a campfire, be sure it’s permitted and safe to build a fire in the area you’re visiting. Use only existing fire rings to protect the ground from heat. Keep your fire small.
• Remember, a campfire isn’t a garbage can. Pack out all trash and food.
• Firewood should be either bought from a local vendor or gathered on site if allowed. Don't bring firewood from home - it can harbor tree killing insects and diseases. Many states regulate the movement of untreated firewood.
• Before gathering any firewood, check local regulations.
• Burn all wood to ash and be sure the fire is completely out and cold before you leave.

Keep Wildlife Wild

• Observe wildlife from a distance and never approach, feed or follow them.
• Human food is unhealthy for all wildlife and feeding them starts bad habits.
• Protect wildlife and your food by securely storing your meals and trash.

Share Our Trails and Manage Your Pet

• Be considerate when passing others on the trail.
• Keep your pet under control to protect it, other visitors and wildlife.
• Listen to nature. Avoid making loud noises or yelling. You will see more wildlife if you are quiet.
• Be sure the fun you have outdoors does not bother anyone else. Remember, other visitors are there to enjoy the outdoors too.

There are three primary ways to get involved with the Frontcountry program:

1. Basic Frontcountry educational materials are available to the general public, including the Frontcountry Leave No Trace Guide and the Frontcoutry Plastic Reference card. Both of these cost effective materials cover the basics and are excellent, cost effective resources, and cover the necessary skills and ethics for most Frontcountry areas.

2. If you are a land manger (local, state or federal) and wish to work with the Center on a fee basis to develop a site-specific Frontcountry program for your area please review the Fee-based Frontcountry Program Information. For a nominal fee, the Center will provide the following:

• Initial consultation to assess the management concerns of the respective area
• Assessment of current educational initiatives with respect to Leave No Trace practices
• Use of applicable language and graphics from existing Leave No Trace Frontcountry projects
• Development of language and graphics to address other local concerns
• Synchronization of all content for a coherent, integrated educational program
• Consultation on program implementation
• Assessment tools to help quantify the success of the program

3. If you are a land manager and have the necessary expertise and resources needed to created your own Frontcountry program in-house but wish to maintain consistency with the National Leave No Trace Program, please review the Frontcountry Message Development Guidelines.

If you are interested in learning more about the Leave No Trace Frontcountry Program or would like to implement a similar education program in your area, please contact Ben Lawhon in the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics office via email at ben@LNT.org or phone: 800.332.4100.

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Sample Leave No Trace frontcountry programs:

City of Boulder Open Space, Boulder, CO

As the inaugural site for the Leave No Trace Frontcountry Program, City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks(OSMP) lands were an ideal setting for an education program. OSMP manages 40,000 acres of land and 130 miles of trails in a semi-arid high plain and forested foothill environment. Visits to OSMP lands number 3.5 million, the majority of which are frequent visitors (defined as one to seven visits weekly). The top management concerns faced by OSMP land managers include: dog waste, dog management, off-trail hiking, litter, user conflicts, and picked herbs/flowers/berries.

Leave No Trace program educational treatments include: distribution of educational brochures, development of a volunteer ranger program, posting of information on trailhead kiosks, placing of uniquely shaped signs along trails and posting staff at Leave No Trace information tables at popular trailheads. The local access cable channel and area newspapers also carried information about the Leave No Trace on Open Space program.

Research on the program's success revealed two key points: 1) There was a 17% increase in awareness of the Leave No Trace program during the first three months of the program (education programs considered successful demonstrate an 8% increase in awareness). 2) Behavioral studies showed an 85% compliance with the Leave No Trace on Open Space principles. Overall, the program has been proven extremely successful and is being expanded system wide on OSMP lands.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Las Vegas, NV

This Bureau of Land Management (BLM) site is a world class rock climbing destination on the outskirts of Las Vegas. The Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (RRCNCA) is comprised of 197,000 acres in the Mojave Desert. Over 1.1 million visitors come to climb, hike, bike and sightsee in the area with its dramatic sandstone and limestone rock formations, Joshua trees, yucca plants and endangered desert tortoises. Top management and visitor concerns include: rock climbing impacts, dog waste, dog management, trail conflict, litter, and flower picking.

Leave No Trace information was developed to address these topics and will be distributed in a number of ways including: via climbing rangers and volunteers, at the entrance fee booth, and at the visitors' center. BLM rangers will assess the results of the program as it is implemented.

Animas River Trail, Durango, CO

The Animas River Trail runs through the heart of Durango and serves as a recreation outlet and commuter trail for the town. The trail is located in a riparian zone surrounded by arid and semi-arid high desert. Top management and visitor concerns include: trespassing on adjacent private lands, river and trail use conflict, dog waste, dog management and social trail development.

An educational program developed to address these concerns involves: two types of large posters (4 feet by four feet), trailhead contacts, and brochures. The Animas River Trail materials can be viewed at the following website: http://www4.ncsu.edu/~leung/downloads.php

The results of the educational initiative will be formally assessed through on-site surveys, observational data and physical measurements. At this time, the Animas River Trail educational initiative is underway and scientific assessment is ongoing.

C&O Canal National Historic Park, Washington, DC

The C&O Canal NHP is an urban recreation outlet that starts in Georgetown and runs 180 miles north along the Potomac River through DC, MD, VA, and WV. The environment is a riparian zone in an eastern hardwood, deciduous forest. The southern terminus of the trail and the park is decidedly urban with management issues including: visitor safety, user conflicts, graffiti, litter, dog waste and social trail development.

The C&O Canal NHP is unique in that it is a "Trash Free Park" that contains no trashcans. In lieu of rubbish bins, the park provides small, recycled plastic bags that assist visitors in taking their litter home with them. This program has successfully reduced litter in the park by approximately 75%, but poses some issues for the proper disposal of dog waste.

At this time, Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics and the National Park Service are working together to craft language and a waste disposal program to address these concerns. With the help of a federal grant, implementation of the Leave No Trace program for C&O Canal will likely involve a general brochure, trailhead signs, a proposed volunteer education program and site improvements. Park Service personnel will assess results as the program is implemented.

Cherry Creek Greenway, Parker, CO

This suburban Denver greenway is a heavily visited site with great potential as a Leave No Trace Frontcountry site. With a patchwork of land ownership including Douglas County Division of Parks and Trails, the Town of Parker, and Cherry Creek State Park, the challenge is to implement an education program to be supported by all management bodies. Current management issues along the Cherry Creek Greenway include: litter, social trail development, trail conflict and vandalism. As a potential Frontcountry site, the Greenway offers a great opportunity for Leave No Trace education to reach yet another audience in a diverse setting.