Hickory Ridge Dedication

Knoxville, IA - Last weekend, we were invited to join the celebrations for the official dedication of the Hickory Ridge site on Lake Red Rock. With the help of over 130 donors that included individuals, businesses, organizations and foundations, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation purchased and restored 47 acres of oak-hickory woodland on Lake Red Rock. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers redesignated 155 acres of public land adjacent to the site, creating an area that is over 200 acres specifically set aside for primitive camping and public enjoyment.


As part of the festivities, we taught four awareness workshops to over 50 individuals, including kids, paddlers, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staff, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation staff and board members, and Lake Red Rock Association staff and board members, and other individuals involved in making Hickory Ridge a reality.


Thanks to Jamie Gyolai for inviting us to be a part of this ground-breaking event and incorporating the Leave No Trace program into the Hickory Ridge site.

All the best,

Agata and Jason

Trainer Course on Lake Red Rock

Knoxville, IA - Nine individuals from Iowa and Nebraska braved record high temperatures and a heat index of 129°F to learn, teach, and practice Leave No Trace on the largest lake in Iowa, Lake Red Rock.

The nine participants on the course represented several different organizations including the Story and Warren County Conservation Departments, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Boy and Girl Scouts of America, and the Hawkeye Cadet Council. All nine participants showed a high level of energy and interest in Leave No Trace and gave fantastic presentations. In the picture above, one of the participants teaches the rest of the group "Respect Wildlife" by creating a web of life.

The entire course was held at a brand new primitive campground on Lake Red Rock. The Hickory Ridge site was purchased by the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation with the help of over 130 donors and will be managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The objectives of the project included "rewilding" the site and keeping it relatively primitive so Hickory Ridge will only be accessible by hiking-in or by paddling in by boat.

Thanks to Jamie Gyolai for setting up such a great course and getting together such a great group of people.

All the best,

Agata and Jason

Picture of the Week 7/22/11

Paddlers on Lake Superior.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, MI.

All the best,

Jason and Agata

ReChaco Rocks!

Grand Rapids, Michigan- Earlier this month Team East caught up with one of our longtime program partners, Chaco, to learn more about the ReChaco program.
Check out the link above to see how you can keep your favorite Chaco footwear going strong with this innovative process!
Many thanks to all our friends at Chaco for supporting Leave No Trace and our educational programs focused on responsible outdoor recreation.

All the best,

Jason and Agata

Partner Highlight: Detroit Lake State Park

Detroit, OR.  The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics is partnered with over 500 organizations.  Partnerships with corporations, universities, retailers, nonprofit organizations, guide services, international agencies, youth programs, and many other groups are vital to spreading Leave No Trace skills and ethics. These partnerships are essential to the success of the Leave No Trace program. 

One of the benefits of partnering with Leave No Trace is on site visits and training opportunities from the Traveling Trainer program.  Pictured above, Team West provides outreach at Detroit Lake State Park campground, located in the breathtaking Cascade Mountains, on a busy Sunday morning.  If you would like more information on the benefits of partnering with the Center, CLICK HERE.
Explore Responsibly...Kate & Tracy

Detroit Lake State Park

PIcture of the Week 7/15/11

Climbing at Smith Rock, OR

Leave No Trace Backyard Session in Bend TONIGHT!

This evening, Team West will be joining Steve Kominsky at the REI in Bend, OR for a Leave No Trace Backyard Session.  Backyard Sessions are designed to bring together and activate local Leave No Trace communities; to find ways communities can incorporate Leave No Trace into all of the ways they live and play.  Tonight's event will be fun and social, including free pizza and snacks.  The focus of the evening will highlight Steve Kominsky's journey as he attempts to climb the 10 tallest mountains in Oregon in 6 days.  Steve will share photos, stories, and inspire others to get out there and climb!  If you are interested in attending, come to REI in Bend at 6:30 pm.  We hope to see you there!
For more information on upcoming Backyard Sessions, click here.
Explore Responsibly...Kate and Tracy

10-in-6 Challenge Starts Sunday!

Check out this video about Steve Kominsky and his 10-in-6 Challenge.  He will be attempting to summit the 10 tallest mountains in Oregon in 6 days, all the while raising awareness about Leave No Trace!
We will be following his journey.  Stay tuned for updates about this adventurous feat!
Explore Responsibly...Kate and Tracy

Picture of the Week 7/8/11

Penobscot Mountain - Mount Desert Island, ME

Appalachian Trail Conservancy Conference

Emory, Virginia -

Over the Fourth of July weekend Team East was invited to instruct daily sessions covering various aspects of Leave No Trace at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy 38th Biennial Conference. The title of this years' conference was "Virginia's Journeys 2011" and took place on the Emory & Henry College campus in southwestern Virginia.

The conference brought together almost one thousand attendees for a week to enjoy workshops, hikes, exhibits, entertainment, and fellowship for hikers and trail community leaders. Over the four days, we introduced Leave No Trace through Awareness Workshops that focused on the seven principles of the program, PEAK curriculum, and how to educate the general public about using the Authority of the Resource Technique. The attendees in each session provided perspective and experience to the discussions and were very enjoyable to connect with around the issues and ethics of responsible outdoor recreation.

Many thanks to Ned Kuhns for the opportunity to bring Leave No Trace to this event.

All the best,

Jason and Agata

Evening Leave No Trace Family Hike TONIGHT!

Tahoe City, CA.  Team West will be traveling to Lake Tahoe today to hit the trails for an Evening Leave No Trace Family Hike. Tonight, beginning at 4pm, we meet at the Tahoe City North Trailhead and climb for about 2.25 miles up towards our destination vista of the Truckee River Canyon with views of the Twin Peaks Ridgeline and Squaw Valley. Alongside fun, hands on LNT activities with the Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers, we will also have give-away prizes and drawings for prizes from Tahoe Mountain Sports, the LNT Center for Ethics and the TRTA. Remember to bring a dinner in your day pack as we will be having dinner at our vista. It should be a fun and educational experience for all. There are still a few spots left on the hike. To register, visit the Tahoe Rim Trail Association website.
Explore Responsibly...Kate & Tracy

Red, White, Blue, And GREEN! Campsite Challenge

Quincy, CA.  This past weekend marked the 21^st anniversary of the High Sierra Music Festival (HSMF) in Quincy, California.  More than 8,000 attendees flock to the fairgrounds early each July in eager anticipation of dancing their way through four mind bending days of action and non-stop music on three stages. 

Three years ago, the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics joined the HSMF in an effort to raise sustainability awareness while at the festival by practicing Leave No Trace. The Red, White, Blue, and Green Campsite Challenge encourages festival goers to swing by the booth and tell us how they are being sustainable, clean, and creative with their campsites while at the festival.  Based on these merits, Leave No Trace staff, High Sierra festival staff, and a few select guest judges choose the winning campsite each day.  Thank-you to High Sierra for donating daily prizes including a HSMF goody pack.   On Sunday, the individual daily winners were reassessed by the judges and the grand prize winner, “Camp Committed To Excellence,” walked off with all the Coleman gear they will need to have a successful festival experience next year. 

Each year there are increasingly more and more participants in the challenge.  If you did not get a chance to participate this year, keep Leave No Trace in mind as you prepare for any music festival this summer, as well as, all your other outdoor adventures.  A special thank-you to past Traveling Trainer team Alexis Ollar and Topher Marlatt for bringing Leave No Trace into the line-up and encouraging all campers to green up the scene!

We had the opportunity to meet Joe Baughman the president and proprietor of Grub Hub Camp Kitchens.  Grub Hub is the most portable and organized all terrain camp kitchens and field stations.  As Grub Hub is a new partner with the Leave No Trace, we wanted to thank Joe for his support and welcome Grub Hub to the Leave No Trace community!

Explore Responsibly…Kate and Tracy   

Picture of the Week 7/1/11

Wild Rose Hot Springs, ID