The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoors Ethics is an organization dedicated to educating people about how to both enjoy and preserve the natural world. On April 1-2, Planet Club and Ozarks Outbackers will host a group of Leave No Trace traveling trainers at the Ozarks Outdoors BaseCamp.
Lauren Ray, a senior environmental studies major from Siloam Springs, Ark., the program coordinator for Ozarks Outdoors, and member of both Planet Club and Ozarks Outbackers, was instrumental in organizing the Leave No Trace workshops.
According to Ray, the workshops will be fun, interactive, and focus on the seven principles of Leave No Trace ethics.
"We have two nights of workshops, one Monday night and one Tuesday night, so people can choose which night is most convenient for them. The workshops will likely focus on the seven basic Leave No Trace principles: plan ahead and prepare, travel and camp on durable surfaces, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, minimize campfire impacts, respect wildlife, and be considerate of other visitors," she explained.
Ray encourages anyone who spends any time outdoors to attend one of these workshops.
"These Leave No Trace ethics are meant to be used by everyone who participates in outdoor recreation activities like hiking, rock climbing, canoeing, camping, fishing, hunting, or geocaching," Ray said. "Any activity that is done outdoors can be done with little to no impact to the surrounding environment. These workshops will show people how to leave the smallest possible footprint when spending time outdoors."
Clayton Rodgers, a freshman psychology major from Fayetteville, Ark. and program assistant for Ozarks Outdoors, completed Leave No Trace training last semester.
"This workshop is important because it brings a new level of thinking to the regular outdoor enthusiast," Rodgers said. "It teaches us that everything we do in the outdoors makes an impact, whether it be big or small, and Leave No Trace shows us what we can do to reduce this impact and keep the outdoors as wild as it can be."
The workshops, which are free and open to the public, will begin each night at 6 p.m. at the Ozarks Outdoors BaseCamp, located on College Avenue in Clarksville. For more information, contact Ray at lray103@ozarks.edu or call 479-979-1386.
Topics: Student Organizations