by Francesca Governali
Our Pledge to Protect started at the beginning of August and we are continuing to highlight the work of our partners that puts the Pledge into action! In this last week of the Pledge to Protect, will you pledge to practice Leave No Trace (LNT) principles on the CDT? The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace provide a basic framework for people visiting the outdoors to minimize their impact. As a 5-year partner of the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, CDTC is committed to the Seven Principles and asks CDT visitors to be good stewards of the trail by committing to follow these principles:
The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace
Plan Ahead and Prepare
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Dispose of Waste Properly
Leave What You Find
Minimize Campfire Impacts
Respect Wildlife
Be Considerate of Other Visitors
As part of our dedication to LNT on the trail, CDTC is proud to partner with the Granite Gear Grounds Keepers Program. We talked to Granite Gear’s General Manager Rob Coughlin and Grounds Keepers Alex Wehrle and Ben Vaughan to learn more about this innovative and impactful program that aims to inspire others to value our outdoor areas and pack out trash as they enjoy the great outdoors.
After finding inspiration in the Packing It Out team and the LNT principles, the Grounds Keepers Program was born. Through the program, Granite Gear (and other Granite Gear sponsors) support outdoor enthusiasts who want to “Leave it Better” by packing out trash as they hike long trails, visit parks, and paddle waterways around the country. The Grounds Keepers have packed out a total of 14,422 pounds of trash since 2017 with 103 Grounds Keepers in total (17 in 2017, 25 in 2018, 30 in 2019, and 30 in 2020). This year’s team has already packed out 4,037 pounds of trash (even amidst the craziness of a global pandemic). Out of hundreds of applications each year, Granite Gear selects a diverse and inclusive group of around 30 new Grounds Keepers, many of whom are from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and other people of color) and LGBTQ+ communities.
What does this program look like in the context of the coronavirus pandemic?
Rob: This year we have been telling our Grounds Keepers to be careful with COVID-19. If they do choose to clean up trash, we want to make sure they are doing it safely.
Alex: I personally have been more conscious of where I choose to recreate, but once I’m outdoors I have been seeing many more masks and wipes on the ground. I think people group those items in with toilet paper as sanitary items and for some reason think it’s okay to leave all those things behind (which it’s not – even toilet paper).
Ben: I can see how LNT practices are similar to social distancing [for the pandemic] – both are considerate to others and socially responsible. While Granite Gear did not pressure us to get on trail, I still had plans to hike the CDT, so in April I headed down to Crazy Cook Monument (the southern terminus of the trail). I have been including extra safety precautions in my planning too. The CDT is the most remote of the National Scenic Trails so I figured I might be safer on trail than being in a town. This has been the case for the entire trail – I rarely see anyone and I have hiked solo the entire time and see way fewer people while hiking than I might in town. When I’m in town, I follow all local guidelines regarding social distancing and I don’t stay for long, mostly just to resupply and get cleaned up. When I hitchhike, I’m usually in the back of a pickup truck and I wear a mask anytime I’m in town.
(Check out LNT specific recommendations for outdoor recreation during the pandemic)
Why is it important to collect trash on the trail?
Rob: To me this is so important because we go outside to get away from the clutter and the calamity of life…Especially when you are not able to get to the outdoors every day, when you finally get out there to a trail or a campsite and see it filled with trash, it’s devastating. I’ve had experiences where I work to get to a badass spot and then find plastics in the burn pit or a trashed site. I get outside for the therapy and the trash and clutter only dampen the experience.
Alex: I think it’s realizing how something so small that I’m doing is having such a huge impact. Picking up trash is not a big deal (for me) but then I realize how many people I’m impacting. What’s so wonderful is that recently so many people have been saying thank you and letting me know I’ve inspired them to start doing the same. Another thing I like to think about is the bystander effect – if there is less trash on the trail, people are less likely to leave their own trash.
Ben: My perspective on trails [and LNT] has definitely changed in the past few years after hiking the AT, PCT, and now the CDT. For example, I used to bury my toilet paper, but now I hike everything out. I don’t think it’s responsible to leave anything behind any more. I think it has to do with education on my part – I got smarter – and I can share that with others.
There’s no one out there coming to pick up your trash, so let’s just leave this place as beautiful as possible. The CDT is my favorite trail by far and it’s so great to see that people out here are being respectful and taking care of it. It might be cleaner because so much of it is so remote, but the busier areas might get more trash in non-COVID-19 times. Even on a trail like the CDT where the trash is relatively minimal, I keep LNT in mind all the time. For example, when I look for campsites – as there are not many designated campsites – I look for the best place to camp where I leave the most minimal impact.
Why did you want to become a Grounds Keeper?
Alex: I took the Master Educator Course in Leave No Trace and things just snowballed from there. I wanted to become a Grounds Keeper because of the importance of what we do and the change people are creating. I value the community of knowing other people who are doing the same – it helps with the motivation. Unlike the thru-hikes that other Grounds Keepers do, I do a lot of day hikes and community clean ups. When I was asked to be a Legacy Grounds Keeper, I wanted to set an ambitious goal. This year my goal is to pick up 2020 lbs of trash – way up from my 300 lbs last year. (Alex is already halfway to her 2020 lb goal!)
Ben: I didn’t know about everything when I started. I got educated as I went along. I applied to the Grounds Keepers program because it’s socially responsible and I always picked up trash anyway while walking on the trail. We can teach people as we go along.
I got involved with Granite Gear last year when I was involved with Warrior Expeditions and then met Rob. I love Granite Gear as a company because it is very socially active and very visible that they actually care about being responsible. While some people are picking up 30 lbs a month, I’m not a superstar trash picker-upper – I probably get about 1 lb a month because there isn’t as much trash on the CDT.
What is a surprising aspect of the program or something folks might not know about LNT?
Rob: When we have big events (in non-COVID-19 times), I’m always surprised by all the people who come and tell us they are already picking up trash on their own. What I love is that folks are doing it out there for moral obligation and that gives me hope that we can make this a bigger part of the outdoor recreation culture.
Also, that the CDT doesn’t have much trash – it’s really amazing how clean the Western trails are compared to the Appalachian Trail because the population density is significantly higher around the AT.
Alex: I am constantly surprised by hearing how much plastic is dumped each year. Also, I remember learning [in LNT training] how long things take to decompose! For example, with fruit or nuts, it can take up to two years to decompose. Given this, I use the mantra ”If it doesn’t grow there, it doesn’t go there,” (meaning we should pack it all out). I think people would also be surprised to learn that it [picking up trash] almost becomes addictive and even though you don’t want there to be more trash, you want a higher number.
What would you tell someone who leaves trash on the trail?
Rob: Well interestingly, I’ve had to deal with this even within my own family. I think the most important thing is to make sure that it’s a conversation about education – not chastising them. We’re not out there to monitor folks, more to show people best practices by example and hope we can encourage others to Leave No Trace and pick up trash as they recreate in the outdoors.
Alex: That is so difficult. It really is much more about connecting the experience to the individual. We’re not there to police, but to provide information. I’ve found that people are not meaning to be malicious or do the wrong thing, rather it’s a lack of awareness and education. I hear from people that “It’s such a shame that it looks like this out here” and I try to remind people that they can clean up. While it might feel easy to leave trash on the trail, on the other hand, picking up trash is as simple as throwing one piece away. Working all together overall will make for a big impact.
Ben: Fortunately, I haven’t encountered people leaving trash on the trail. But I take the approach that you’re ignorant until educated on this. Most of the thru-hikers on the CDT are very experienced and pack everything out – know LNT and know what they need to be doing. There are a lot of people who go camping and don’t think about their impact. It really is an education issue.
What is the strangest thing that has been found out there?
Rob: One of our Grounds Keepers found a bowling ball in the middle of the desert. (See photo at the top with Andrew ‘Reptar’ Forestell holding his find!).
Alex: I found a toaster on the beach!
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From making it a mission to collect as much trash as possible, to simply picking up small pieces as you walk a trail, to incorporating all the Leave No Trace Principles into your time spent outside, establishing small habits to reduce your impact and that of others will make the trail a better place for everyone. As Alex encourages us to think about, “what would the world look like if we all cleaned up one piece of trash?”
While the fantastic Grounds Keepers from Granite Gear help reduce the trash on the CDT, we rely on all trail visitors to be responsible stewards of the trail and the lands it traverses because stewarding our wild places is everyone’s responsibility. As you commit to the Pledge to Protect, we hope you’re inspired by the Grounds Keepers to do your part in practicing all parts of Leave No Trace while you spend time in the outdoors.
