Our seven Leave No Trace principles all have a common theme – promoting and inspiring responsible outdoor recreation.
And while in almost every case our mantra is literally to “Leave No Trace” a recent weekend tramp in the Tararuas left me wishing my fellow trampers had actually left something behind.
It was World Cup Final weekend and my companion and I walked the Powell-Jumbo circuit from Mr Holdsworth - making it out in time for the final, of course.
Both huts were not full but we had about eight fellow trampers sharing the huts each night. Apart from us, none displayed hut passes, obviously adopting the attitude that pay-as-you-go simply didn’t apply to them.
One group had walked in with two dogs, which were never kept on leashes – and were even brought into the hut to sleep overnight. I have two dogs of my own but I’d never be that inconsiderate – not just to fellow trampers who may not like sharing their sleeping space with dogs, but also to the wildlife around Jumbo Hut which were at the mercy of these two unsupervised dogs.
Being part of Leave No Trace means that I share a vision of a time when people will know how to take care of these special places and how to share them considerately with others. Although I am passionate and feel positive, I sometimes wonder how far we still have to go.
And while in almost every case our mantra is literally to “Leave No Trace” a recent weekend tramp in the Tararuas left me wishing my fellow trampers had actually left something behind.
It was World Cup Final weekend and my companion and I walked the Powell-Jumbo circuit from Mr Holdsworth - making it out in time for the final, of course.
Both huts were not full but we had about eight fellow trampers sharing the huts each night. Apart from us, none displayed hut passes, obviously adopting the attitude that pay-as-you-go simply didn’t apply to them.
One group had walked in with two dogs, which were never kept on leashes – and were even brought into the hut to sleep overnight. I have two dogs of my own but I’d never be that inconsiderate – not just to fellow trampers who may not like sharing their sleeping space with dogs, but also to the wildlife around Jumbo Hut which were at the mercy of these two unsupervised dogs.
Being part of Leave No Trace means that I share a vision of a time when people will know how to take care of these special places and how to share them considerately with others. Although I am passionate and feel positive, I sometimes wonder how far we still have to go.
Mark Russell (Leave No Trace Committee member and outdoor enthusiast)
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