Why Leave No Trace Matters More Than Ever
The natural spaces we camp in are under more pressure than at any point in history. Record visitor numbers, increased accessibility, and the growth of outdoor recreation have combined to create real, measurable damage to ecosystems that took centuries to develop. Leave No Trace (LNT) is not a set of bureaucratic rules — it's a framework for ensuring that the places we love remain worth loving for the people who come after us. Here's how to apply it in practice.
The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
The most environmentally damaging camping mistakes are usually the result of poor planning rather than bad intentions. Preparation is the foundation of low-impact camping:
- Research regulations — Know the rules for your specific area before you arrive. Fire restrictions, camping zones, wildlife protection areas, and permit requirements vary enormously between locations.
- Visit in small groups — Large groups have disproportionately large impacts. Groups of 4–6 people cause significantly less damage than groups of 12+. If travelling in a large group, consider splitting into smaller parties camping at different sites.
- Choose appropriate gear — The right gear reduces your need to improvise in ways that damage the environment. A reliable waterproof tent means you don't need to cut branches for improvised shelter. A good camp stove means you don't need to build a fire.
- Repackage food — Remove excess packaging before you leave home. Less packaging means less waste to manage in the field and reduces the risk of leaving litter.
- Know your route — Confident navigation keeps you on established trails and prevents the creation of new paths through sensitive vegetation.
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
The physical impact of camping — footfall, tent pitching, cooking — is concentrated on the surfaces you use. Choosing the right surfaces minimises lasting damage:
- Use established campsites — Camping on already-impacted ground concentrates damage rather than spreading it. A well-used campsite recovers more easily than multiple new impact sites created by dispersed camping.
- Camp on rock, gravel, sand, or dry grass — These surfaces are more resilient to impact than wet soil, vegetation, or cryptobiotic soil crust (the dark, lumpy biological crust found in desert environments that takes decades to recover from a single footstep).
- Stay on established trails — Walking single-file on established paths prevents trail widening. When trails are muddy, walk through the mud rather than around it — walking around creates new, wider damage.
- Camp at least 60 metres from water — Camping close to lakes, rivers, and streams damages riparian vegetation, increases erosion, and risks contaminating water sources with waste and soap.
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
"Pack it in, pack it out" is the core principle — but proper waste disposal goes further:
- Pack out all rubbish — Everything you bring in comes back out. This includes food scraps, fruit peels, and "biodegradable" items — an orange peel takes up to 2 years to decompose in some environments and is not native food for local wildlife.
- Human waste — Where toilet facilities are not available, bury human waste in a cathole 15–20cm deep, at least 60 metres from water, trails, and campsites. Pack out toilet paper in a sealed bag — it does not decompose quickly in many environments and is one of the most common forms of campsite litter.
- Washing up — Use biodegradable soap sparingly and wash dishes at least 60 metres from water sources. Scatter strained dishwater widely rather than dumping it in one spot.
- Urination — Urinate on rock or bare soil rather than on vegetation. Urine attracts wildlife that damages plants seeking the salts. In high-use areas, urinate directly into water (counterintuitively, this disperses the impact more effectively than concentrating it on vegetation).
4. Leave What You Find
Natural and cultural features belong to the landscape — not to individual visitors:
- Leave rocks, plants, and natural objects — Removing even small items — a pretty stone, a wildflower, a piece of driftwood — multiplied across thousands of visitors, causes measurable depletion of natural features.
- Don't build structures — Rock cairns, fire rings, and shelters built from natural materials alter the landscape and can mislead other visitors. Dismantle any structures you find that are not established features.
- Leave historical and cultural artefacts — Archaeological and historical features are irreplaceable. Observe without touching or moving.
- Avoid introducing or transporting species — Clean boots, gear, and vehicles before entering new areas to prevent the spread of invasive plant seeds and pathogens between ecosystems.
5. Minimise Campfire Impact
Campfires are one of the most impactful camping activities — and one of the most emotionally significant. The key is knowing when and how to have one responsibly:
- Check fire regulations — Many areas have seasonal or permanent fire bans. Always check current restrictions before lighting any fire.
- Use a camp stove instead — A camp stove has zero impact on the landscape, produces no ash or fire scar, and is more efficient for cooking. For most camping, a stove is the right choice.
- Use established fire rings — Where fires are permitted, use existing fire rings rather than creating new ones. This concentrates impact on already-affected ground.
- Keep fires small — Small fires are easier to control, consume less wood, and leave less impact. Use only dead and downed wood — never cut branches from living trees.
- Burn wood completely to ash — Ensure all wood is fully burned to white ash. Drown the fire completely with water, stir, and drown again until cold to the touch. Never bury coals — they can smoulder underground for days.
- Pack out ash in high-use areas — In heavily visited areas, pack out cold ash rather than leaving it in the fire ring.
6. Respect Wildlife
Wildlife encounters are among the most memorable camping experiences — and among the most potentially damaging if handled incorrectly:
- Observe from a distance — Use binoculars rather than approaching animals. The stress caused by human approach — even when the animal doesn't flee — has real physiological effects, particularly during breeding, nesting, and winter seasons.
- Never feed wildlife — Feeding wildlife is one of the most harmful things a camper can do. Animals that associate humans with food become habituated, lose their natural foraging behaviour, and often have to be destroyed as a result. "A fed bear is a dead bear" applies to all wildlife.
- Store food securely — Use bear boxes, hang food from trees, or use approved bear canisters where required. Unsecured food attracts wildlife to campsites, creating dangerous habituation.
- Control pets — Keep dogs on a lead at all times in natural areas. Dogs disturb wildlife, can spread disease, and may chase or injure animals even without intent.
- Avoid sensitive times and places — Give extra space to wildlife during breeding season, nesting, and winter. Avoid known nesting sites and denning areas.
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors
The outdoor experience is shared — your behaviour affects everyone around you:
- Respect quiet hours — Noise carries far in natural environments. Keep voices low, music off, and generators silent during quiet hours.
- Yield on trails — Uphill hikers have right of way. Step aside for horses and pack animals. Cyclists yield to hikers.
- Camp out of sight where possible — Choosing a campsite that is not visible from trails or other campsites preserves the sense of solitude for everyone.
- Use natural colours — Brightly coloured gear is visible from great distances in natural landscapes. Earth tones and muted colours reduce visual impact on the landscape and on other visitors' experience.
Eco-Conscious Gear Choices
Leave No Trace extends beyond behaviour to the gear you choose:
- Buy quality, buy once — A well-made tent that lasts 10 years has a fraction of the environmental footprint of three cheap tents that each last 3 years. Durability is sustainability.
- Choose repairable gear — Gear that can be repaired rather than replaced reduces waste. Inflatable tents with patchable air beams, re-seam-sealable flysheets, and replaceable components have longer useful lives than disposable alternatives.
- Avoid single-use items — Reusable cutlery, plates, and cups eliminate a significant source of campsite waste. A lightweight titanium spork weighs less than a plastic fork and lasts a lifetime.
- Choose biodegradable consumables — Biodegradable soap, sunscreen, and insect repellent reduce chemical impact on water sources and soil.
Leave No Trace Camping Checklist
- ✅ Regulations and fire restrictions checked before departure
- ✅ Food repackaged to minimise waste
- ✅ Established campsite chosen on durable surface
- ✅ Campsite at least 60m from water sources
- ✅ All waste packed out including food scraps
- ✅ Human waste buried or packed out correctly
- ✅ Washing up done 60m from water with biodegradable soap
- ✅ No natural objects removed from the landscape
- ✅ Camp stove used instead of fire where possible
- ✅ Fire fully extinguished if used
- ✅ Wildlife observed from distance, never fed
- ✅ Food stored securely overnight
- ✅ Campsite left cleaner than found
The Standard: Leave It Better Than You Found It
The true measure of a Leave No Trace camper isn't just leaving no impact — it's leaving the place better than you found it. Pick up litter left by others. Dismantle unnecessary fire rings. Report damaged trails. The cumulative effect of thousands of campers each making a small positive contribution is genuinely transformative.
At Bestyle Camping Store, we believe that the best camping gear is gear that lasts — built to be repaired, maintained, and used for years rather than replaced each season. Our premium inflatable tents and canopy shelters are designed with longevity as a core value. Browse our range and invest in gear that respects the places you love to explore.