The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics has recently designed a set of principles for social media. These new principles
Leave No Trace for Social Media
Tag Thoughtfully
Think twice about geotagging specific locations in your posts. Viewers seeing beautiful places on your account are likely to flock to the location for their own social media-worthy photos. Previously unknown places have taken off in popularity due to social media, and the influx of visitors has caused significant damage. Trail erosion, trash, and improper disposal of waste are common issues. Even vandalism and theft have become issues at some locations.
If you still want to include a geotag, try using a general region instead of a specific location. Your viewers will need to do their research to find the location. Instead, this challenges them to get out and explore!
Be mindful of what your images portray
Everyone has seen the photos on Instagram of tents set up on beautiful mountain summits, with sprawling scenery and a colorful sunrise. Many times, these camps include a fire pit. But many people don’t realize that all of this is typically against park rules! Viewers will be inspired to go camp on a summit after seeing your photos. This can damage the ecosystem and potentially be dangerous.
What about those cool rock sculptures that someone meticulously stacked, balancing on a boulder in the center of a stream? While they are really neat, they do affect the ecosystem, and some places have become overrun with rock towers due to their popularity.
When you go to post a photo on social media, think about what it will encourage your viewers to do. Will these activities have a negative impact?
Give back to the places you love
This principle is possibly one of the most important today! So many organizations are hurting for volunteers or funding. To make matters worse, there’s been an exponential increase in visitors to our public lands in recent years. Many places are starting to feel the impact and are in desperate need of trail maintenance. State and National Parks almost always have ongoing funding for projects to repair or improve their public lands. Take it a step further… Many name brand companies have started volunteering, donating, or using recycled materials in their products.
Put your money (or time) where your mouth is and join the movement!! You can give back in so many ways. Volunteer your time, donate, fundraise, or become an activist to support our public lands in government. Facebook even has an option to fundraise for nonprofits during your birthday. Buy from companies that are known to give back. Want to volunteer but don’t know where to start? Ask a local park ranger!
Encourage and inspire Leave No Trace in social media posts
Preach what you practice! Spreading the word and having a knowledgeable base of viewers will help preserve our parks. You may just create a butterfly effect, where some of your viewers start to promote Leave No Trace to their following!
Educate your viewers on Leave No Trace and why it’s so critical to the preservation of our public lands. Set up events or fundraisers to support your favorite places. Why not challenge your viewers to do a park clean-up? If you have a large social media following, promote your viewers photos or offer up small prizes in return for their hard work!
How do you Leave No Trace? What precautions do you take to protect our public lands on Social Media? Let me know in the comments!
