Monday 21 July 2008

Does leaving no trace restrict us

I've just listened to a podcast where the idea of "leave no trace" was seen as restrictive. The speaker sees humans as part of the environment as was happy to "leave positive trace". So, what's a positive trace, especially where you don't own the land and are sharing it with others. Are permanent firepits positive or negative? Each person has a different idea. This weekend 10 of us met on Dartmoor and had a good time, i certainly didn't feel restricted by making sure i left no trace. I could have left some land art or totem carved on a sheep's skull, but it would not have been to everyone's tastes. Even weaving a wicker man with Tall Martin's tent inside would not have been seen as positive by everyone. Especially Martin. No, we can each argue over what we think is positive improvements, but i don't own land and i pass through the environment like a shade, just like ancestors before me, at the whim of laird or chieftain. A mere footnote in the history books, the crofter, sailor, tiller of land, infantryman or driver. No pyramids or holidays to the likes of us. The least we can do is leave no trace on the environment as we pass its care on to the next generation.

4 comments:

paul martin said...

I would be much happier (as would others) worrying less about where Mons graupius roman battle was - I am comingto the conclusion it was the 1st Loch ness monster

Anonymous said...

Having seen the damage people can do when they're not being careful about leaving no trace, I'd rather see hikers and campers and others err on the side of caution. So many people leave garbage strewn about, don't tend their campfires carefully and just generally treat the outdoors like their own personal dumping ground. To me, leave no trace seems a much better idea.

Fiona-Jane Brown said...

Primum non nocere - First, do no harm to take a line from Greco-Roman wisdom. Campers/hikers should take this line wherever possible.

AktoMan said...

There were 2 fire pits where we camped on Saturday night. We left no trace, no-one used the firepits.