FAQs

The Leave No Trace concept is one that crosses all boundaries of the recreation spectrum and is applicable for anyone who enjoys spending time in the outdoors. The idea is simple – leave the places you enjoy as good or better than you found them.

There are both skills and ethics involved, as well as good decision-making. We believe that if people do something, even something simple, to help take care of the recreational resources they cherish, we will all benefit. Cleaner water, less campfire impacts, fewer negative encounters with wildlife, less damage/loss of cultural and historic artefacts are just a few of the benefits of adhering to Leave No Trace.

Leave No Trace is a universal philosophy that could and should be part of any outdoor experience. The very nature of Leave No Trace lends itself well to fostering a cooperative spirit of stewardship. From national land management agencies to the outdoor industry and like-minded businesses, to NGOs, to outfitter and guide services, to local governments, to individuals, Leave No Trace is the common denominator that leads us all towards the common goal of enjoying the outdoors responsibly.

It’s impossible to leave absolutely no trace of your visit to the outdoors. However, we at Leave No Trace Ireland have set the bar high in terms of our values and outdoor ethics. Leave No Trace is not intended to be taken literally.

Rather, it is a philosophy that guides us while we enjoy any outdoor pursuit. If all who enjoy the outdoors were to do what they could to minimise the unavoidable impacts (trampling, erosion, etc.) and prevent the avoidable impacts (properly dealing with human waste, properly storing food and rubbish away from animals, sticking to durable ground, keeping human and other waste out of water sources, etc.) it would go a long way towards protecting the places we enjoy from recreational impacts.

Leave No Trace Ireland views Leave No Trace as a spectrum – on one end there are many impacts, on the other end there are few. We encourage people to figure out where they fit into the spectrum – where they’re comfortable – and to do what they can to minimise their individual impacts.

The primary goal of Leave No Trace is to prevent the avoidable impacts and to minimise the unavoidable impacts. By doing so we can protect and preserve both natural resources and the quality of recreational experiences.

This can also minimise the need for restrictive management activities by land managers. We truly believe that if everyone did something, even something small, to minimise his or her impact on the natural environment, the result would be profound and lasting.

Please reference the Leave No Trace Ireland Communication Guide to learn how the Leave No Trace logo, Seven Principles and other texts can be used.

Please read Leave No Trace for the International Community to learn more.