As social media continues to draw more visitors to US national parks, the pressure on these pristine environments is intensifying, setting all-time records and crowded conditions that push people deeper into wilderness areas.
In response, the "Leave No Trace" (LNT) philosophy, crafted by the US Forest Service and the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), provides essential guidance to minimize environmental impact. This framework, which now includes responsible social media use guidelines, helps individuals make informed decisions throughout their nature journeys—from planning and hiking to camping and wildlife interactions.
Here's how you can apply the Leave No Trace principles to your next outdoor adventure.
Conscientious planning and preparation can reduce visitors’ impact on the environment. Researching approved and low-impact campsites and trails will set you on a minimal-touch path from day one. Prepping for food and cooking needs (bringing proper camp stoves and minimally-packaged food products) will reduce waste and the need for gathering firewood. And planning a safe trip itinerary within your group’s capabilities and being well-prepared for weather conditions will reduce the need for a resource-heavy rescue should things turn sour.
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While the saying goes “Take only pictures, leave only footprints,” it’s actually a better principle to also avoid the footprints. Hiking on wet, muddy trails leads to erosion, damage to potentially important flora and compounds the difficulty for future hikers, bikers and horseback riders dealing with deeply rutted pathways. Instead, try to stick to gravel or rocky paths that can handle the impact, and try to avoid traveling on wet days on popular trails. Bushwhacking off trail can also lead to environmental damage through sensitive areas. Similarly, camping in approved, well-managed campsites will reduce environmental impact.
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“Pack it in, pack it out,” is a good guiding principal for reducing waste in the wilderness – dispose of it back home. While you usually don’t need to pack out solid human waste, bring tools (and study the guidelines) for burying it properly, maintaining appropriate distance from camping areas, trails, freshwater and wildlife paths. Bring a biodegradable dish and body soap and use sparingly. Likewise, reef-safe sunscreen should be used to minimize the impact of damaging runoff from your skin. And if you do find other peoples’ litter on the trails, it’s a nice gesture to pack it out as well, if you have the space.
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Visitors should leave natural items as they are, where they are. While
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Summer is the perfect time to combine a road trip through Ontario with a jamming live music festival. Whether your passion is rock, jazz, blues, or trending pop, these five summer music festivals have something for everyone. It’s also an opportunity to discover up and coming local musicians and bands that will be performing against the backdrop of Ontario’s rugged natural beauty. This diverse east-central Canadian province borders the United States and the Great Lakes and is home to rich varied landscapes, vibrant multiculturalism, and fun events happening all summer long. So grab your dancing shoes and sense of adventure to experience the best music in Ontario for summer 2024.
Ontario is known for summer road trips and with warmer weather finally here it’s time to pick a small town and start exploring. Canada's second largest province covers over 415,000 square miles and borders the United States and the mighty Great Lakes. Toronto, Ontario’s capital city, is a fun and convenient home base with vibrant multicultural communities and endless adventures, so you may want to arrive early. Then get ready to discover Ontario’s diverse landscapes and rugged beauty on a road trip to one of these charming Canadian towns.
With vast wilderness making up most of the state, Alaska’s parks and outdoor spaces take center stage for most visitors. Alaska is home to about 60% of the total national park land in the US, covering 56 million acres.
It sounds like a dream: working on a laptop at a charming café, sipping some of the best coffee in the world while staring out over the sparkling waters of the Mediterranean or Aegean seas. Now, remote workers can make that lifestyle a reality thanks to Turkey's just-launched digital nomad visa.
Famed for its towering mountains and pristine beaches, the island of Puerto Rico offers a spectacular array of natural destinations to explore all within its boundaries, yet when it comes to true splendor, it’s tough to beat El Yunque National Forest. This sprawling green space measures in at just over 115 square kilometers, with a massive array of native birds, amphibians and insects calling the region home. Given the region’s diversity of wildlife and strong cultural significance within Puerto Rico’s indigenous Taíno culture, preserving the flora, fauna and landscapes found throughout El Yunque is of utmost importance—and fortunately, some of the island’s top organizations have united in hopes of accomplishing just that.
Whether you celebrate Earth Day, National Park Week or World Environment Day, you can’t escape the many ways these celebrations strive to bring more attention to the damage the industrial world can wreak on our planet. But after the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic brought the travel industry almost to a standstill, American travelers rushed back to their airports as soon as they could.
The stone arches looped solemnly over their shadows, some teetering above the grass, some sinking into it. It was a dazzling January morning, and I was standing in the Park of the Aqueducts, about 20 minutes by metro from central Rome. Here, the ruined arcades of six of the 11 aqueducts that once supplied the Eternal City with an astonishing volume of water — by some counts double the per capita water allotment of a typical 21st-century American city — have been preserved.
If you travel internationally at least a couple times per year, chances are you’ve thought about applying for Global Entry. The program gives members access to an expedited line at US Customs and Immigration checkpoints, allowing them to avoid lengthy wait times that become particularly painful during peak travel seasons. Although the Global Entry application process can take weeks or months to complete in full, it's a must-have for frequent flyers who want to make their airport experience as convenient as possible.