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Training Techniques - Leave What You Find

The following techniques focus on addressing cultural and natural items that should remain where they are.

I Wish I Had One

Objective: To explore how participants feel when they are deprived the experience of finding a natural or cultural object in the countryside.
Materials: Note cards with descriptions or photographs of natural and historic objects.
Audience: 8yrs and over. Groups of any size.
Duration: 15 to 30 min.

Directions:
Before the activity, count out the number of participants that you have do not bring enough cards for everyone. Gather the group in a circle. Walk around the circle and have each person take a card from you and tell the group what is on the card. When you get towards the end of the group there will not be enough for everyone. Ask the group who did not get a chance to share how it made them feel. Use this to start a discussion about ‘Leave What You Find’.

Invasive Attack!

Objective: To demonstrate to students how invasive/nonnative species impact on native species.
Materials: A long piece of rope (or string) - at least 50 ft., a list of native species in the area and a list of invasive species found in the area.
Audience: 8yrs and over. Groups of any size, however groups of 8 or more are best.
Duration: 15 to 30 mins.

Directions:
Assign every participant a species by dividing the group into native species and invasive species. Have the native species form a large circle, leaving at least one arms length between each “species”. Have the native species hold the rope (making a large circle of rope), which represents an intact ecosystem, leaving some slack rope between the native species. Then, ask each invasive species to push their way into the circle of rope taking up the slack left in between each native species. This effectively fragments the ecosystem and demonstrates how easily invasive species can create disjointed islands of habitat for native species. Explain to participants that outdoor users can play a role in spreading invasive species when they move from one area to another. Invasive species can transfer to backpacks, to boot soles, to the bottom of boats, to fishing gear and even to mountain bike tire treads. Encourage participants to inspect and clean their outdoor equipment between trips to different areas to decrease the chances of spreading invasive species. Also encourage them to work with land managers to identify and remove known invasive species in order to protect native plants and animals. Remember, the more participants you have, the longer the rope and the longer list of species you will need.

Memory

Objective: To explore the concept of leaving natural objects where they are found.
Materials: 16 memory cards with examples of natural objects and their environments on them , pre-made large memory board.
Audience: Ages 11 to 16. Groups of any size.
Duration: 20 to 45 mins.

Directions:
Set up the memory board with the cards on it consisting of 4 rows of 4. (See list of how natural objects connect with their environments). Gather students around the memory board. Ask for a volunteer from your participants. This game is played like the traditional game of memory. Half of the cards represent an object from the natural world, the other half representrepresent how that object is connected to its environment. The objective is to match them up. When a participant gets a match, it is a good opportunity to discuss with the group how that object fits into the environment. The following is a list of natural objects and how they relate to their environment:

Antlers: Antlers and animal bones provide calcium and other nutrients for rodents and mammals. They gnaw on the antlers and bones for additional nourishment and further the decaying process of the antler. Anything left over will be recycled back into the soil.
Wildflowers: When flowers finish blooming they go to seed to reproduce. The flower has to be there in order to go to seed. If one is picked or trampled, the seeds won’t spread and the flower will have a harder time reproducing. Also, insects and bees use the nectar of flowers to survive. Without flowering plants there wouldn’t be any bees. There are also a variety of edible flowers and plants for animals to feed upon as well.
Shells: Shells provide homes for crabs and other shoreline creatures. When a crab increases in size, it moves on to a larger home. Shells and other shoreline debris provide camouflage.
Artifacts: Artifacts are irreplaceable heirlooms of past cultures. Archaeological and historical artifacts are reminders of rich human history of the landscape. The historic Monuments and Archaeological Objects Order in Northern Ireland, requires that all excavations must obtain a licence, this includes, the use of metal detectors and any archaeological object found must be reported. All artifacts and monuments are protected under the National Monuments Act 2004 in the Republic of Ireland. These include seemingly insignificant arrowheads, pottery and logging or railroad equipment from 50 or more years ago. It is illegal to excavate, disturb or remove these resources from any public lands. It is ok to observe, but do not touch.
Feathers: Feathers may seem like an insignificant object in nature. Some feathers are collected by birds and woven into the nests to provide warmth for the chicks.
Pine Cones: Pine cones supply seeds for birds and squirrels to feed upon and add nutrients to the soil layer after decomposition. This match ties in with wildflowers because cones contain seeds that help coniferous trees to reproduce.
Nuts and Acorns: Birds and squirrels feed on a variety of nuts. Acorns left on the ground are free food and protein for animals to eat or store for the winter. Acorns also sprout to grow new oak trees, continuing forest health and composition.
Rubbish: Rubbish is the exception to the rule. If rubbish is found on a trail or in the countryside, pick it up. This is one thing that should be collected when found. Litter is unsightly and if you have room in your pack or pockets, take it back home to dispose of it properly. Different types of litter can affect animal behaviour.

Before and After

Objective: To explore the impacts of taking cultural artefacts from a site.
Materials: A collection of objects to be used as artefacts.
Audience: All ages. Groups of any size.
Duration: 20 to 40 min.

Directions:
Set up the site by taking your objects and scattering them around the area. When your group arrives, tell them that they will be going on a archaeological expedition and will have to guess what the culture that used to be in the area was like by looking at the artefacts. Then, split your group up into two smaller groups. Have the first group walk through the site and take inventory of what artefacts are there and piece together a story of what the society might have been like. Once they are done, go into the site and take some of the artefacts away. Send the second group into the site and have them do the same thing as the first group. Get the two groups together and have them share there findings and discuss the differences between the two groups stories. Talk about how this relates to Leave What You Find.

Disappointment

Objective: To explore how people would feel if they knew people were taking items from the countryside and ruining the experience for others.
Materials: None.
Audience: Any age. Groups of any size.
Duration: N/A

Directions:
If going on a walk or trip to teach this topic, tell your group about the most amazing thing you found there last week, you can describe a natural object (eg. large fungus, animal bones etc.) or a historical artifact (an old coin, stone tool, old clothing) Make it relevant for the local area. Tell them where you saw it and that you are going to bring them to see it. But when you reach the place (somewhere you have chosen beforehand) you start to look around for it, give them a few minutes to ‘realise someone must have taken it’ apologise and move on. Approx 30 minutes after, or whenever you have time to open up a discussion sit the group down and ask them how they felt when you were describing what you were going to show them, and then when they realised that someone had taken it?

The Dolmen Debate

Objective: To use debate to explore the different points involved in an unclear argument.
Materials: None.
Audience: Useful for schools, universities etc.
Duration: Varies.

Directions:
Introduction: There is a lot of controversy about the actions of tourists and how they are affecting the landscape in Ireland. The landscape of the Burren has been altered many times, currently tourists and visitors are leaving their mark by creating small mini dolmens. The question of whether this is right or wrong, there is no answer, following the Principles of Leave No Trace means investigating this issue and following what you feel is best for you and the land. Note: These motions can be easily changed to apply to local problems or issues. Elect two teams, (a debating team is usually made up of three people). Assign each side either the proposition (for the motion) or the opposition (against the motion).
Some sample motions:
• It is acceptable to make small or “mini” dolmens in the Burren National Park.
• Humans have always altered and changed the landscape, this interaction is natural and tourists’ making small dolmens is part of this.
• People are causing much bigger problems in the world than moving a few stones.
• The creation of small dolmens, ruins the aesthetic beauty, disturbs vital habitat, increases erosion and alters a rare and protected landscape.

Give each team time to work on their key argument points, or speech. Either set up a formal debate situation or keep it simple and allow a relaxed discussion to evolve from the motion.

Always an Alternative

Objective: To show that there is an alternative to taking natural things from their environment.
Materials: Flipchart, blackboard or whiteboard.
Audience: Master Educators and Trainers.
Duration: 30 to 40 mins.

Directions:
Begin with asking everyone what is the most popular type of item that people tend to take out of the natural environment. Write these on the board. From all of these items what has the worst knock on effect in the countryside? List the effects next to the items. Eg. removing antlers means foxes and deer are deprived of extra nutrients in winter. Now change the discussion slightly and ask people how they first started to learn about or appreciate nature, how did they interact with it when they were younger (you will almost always get someone who collected leaves, sticks, insects, stones etc). Discuss how important this time was in developing an appreciation and understanding of the natural world. In Leave No Trace we are trying to highlight the idea we do not wish to stop children exploring and investigating the natural world because the most common way they do this is by collecting natural objects. Children collecting dead leaves, seeds or a few shells is not an extreme impact but adults taking large antlers, animal bones, mushrooms or rare flowers can leave a lasting mark. In certain instances if you wish for a child or even an adult not to remove something from the environment (maybe in a nature reserve, or rare habitat) you should offer an alternative. Rather than saying “you cant” do that.Now in a third column ask the participants, how can we ask people not to take these things? What alternatives can we offer?
• Seeds (acorns etc) – Plant a seed and come back next year and see if there is a tree here.
• Play a game with a feather like trying to pass it to each other by blowing it and then leave it for a bird to use in a nest.

Finish up with discussing the benefits of offering alternatives opposed to simply teaching people what not to do.

Sentence Frenzy

Objective: To show students how difficult it is to understand the history of a place when objects are added or removed from it.
Materials: Many small pieces of paper with one word on each of them.
Audience: All ages. Groups of any size, 12 are preferable.
Duration: 20 to 30 min.

Directions:
Take these 4 concepts below and break them up using the following instructions into 1 word, on 1 piece of paper each:
1. Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch, cultural or historic structures and artifacts.
2. Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
3. Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
4. Do not build structures, furniture or dig trenches.

Leave number 1 complete. Take 3 words out of number 2. Add 3 random words (litter, beer can, etc) to number 3. Remove 3 words and add three words to number 4. Split up your group into smaller ones and have small groups try and ‘put together’ each sentence again. Some will have more difficulty than others.

Debrief: Talk about how hard it is to figure out what was there before when there is too much or not enough words.