Saturday September 26th – National Public Lands Day in USA
Sierra Rec Magazine -Sept. 22, 2020- National Parks and Public Lands discussion – This Saturday on Sept. 26th 2020 we celebrate National Lands Day in the USA. A Day that we at Sierra Rec have often promoted as a day to go to your favorite National Park and enjoy a free day exploring.
As I read posts from Lassen Volcanic National Park, encouraging visitors to enjoy a day free in the park, but maybe consider stopping and volunteer to clean up a trail or around a lake while you are there, I would also like to change my tune on the subject.
Maybe 2020 is calling for all of us to lend a helping hand. As a volunteer in Desolation wilderness the past three years I know that any place the public is welcome to explore is a great place to take a trash bag to clean up the mess. The leave no trace education and social impact seems to have failed in 2020, especially around Lake Tahoe and in our national forests in the around the Sierra. Reports of trash being left around the forest in dispersed camping locations and at trial heads have been abundant.
I know this weekend that 50% of our forests and National parks may still be closed because of fire danger but i do hope most will be able to find a place to explore and enjoy. And that most are doing their best o leave no trace. But on this Saturday ” National Public Lands day maybe it would be a good idea to put an extra trash bag in the pack, pack a pair of gloves and enjoy the feeling of throwing out an extra bag of trash found in your favorite locations.
Volunteering at your Local National Parks while enjoying a free day hiking some our favorite locations sounds like a winning weekend plan to us. Go explore and volunteer.
Leave No Trace (Confusion)
Just in case you are one that is confused on the “Leave No trace Principles” here is alist of items that I always find in the wilderness that do not belong and should be carried out!
- Orange and Banana Peels – Even if they decompose over time, they are not natural, animals do not eat them and frankly they make the forest look ugly for the next visitor.
- Pistachio Nut shells and Sunflower Seeds. – These do not decompose as quick as you believe, look disgusting on the rail and along lake shores and the animals again wont eat them.
- Leftover Food from your camp dishes – (Pasta is not going to dissolve in your favorite lake and the fish don’t like it.)
- Toilet Paper and Micro Wrapper trash – leaving your Toilet paper as a little flag to someone that you used this spot is disgusting and not effective. No one should have to carry out your TP. (Also do not burn it, we have enough wildfires already)
- Granola bar Wrappers – its easy unwrap eat your bar then stick wrapper back in your pack securely.
- Drink cans, pouches, cups etc.. on short hike to Scotts lake last weekend i found 4 different drink containers sitting on trail on logs people were just done with. People who do this should be banned from the forest… period. take out what you bring in.
In Short don’t be a confused individual. If it did not grow in that particular spot in the forest, it does not belong and should go home with you!