I joined LNT seminar with guides in Hokkaido

I participated in the two-day Hokkaido Adventure Travel Sustainable Training Fieldwork organized by Hokkaido Tourism Organization.

Originally, fieldwork at Nakajima Park was planned for the day, but unfortunately, it was raining. Instead, we conducted the fieldwork inside Toyohiraku, imagining the outdoor field, and learned the Leave No Trace (LNT) seven principles from Mr. Okamura, the representative director of Leave No Trace Japan.

What ‘s LNT?

Leave No Trace is an environmentally ethical program that helps people enjoy the outdoors while minimizing their impact on the environment. All techniques are based on seven principles that anyone can easily understand and have fun practicing. Now you can.
It has also become the behavioral standard for outdoor recreation in 90 countries around the world, and I think it will become popular in Japan as well.
URL： https://lntj.jp/outline/

The 7 Principles

The 7 Principles of Leave No Trace provide an easily understood framework of minimum impact practices for anyone visiting the outdoors. The Principles can be applied anywhere — from remote wilderness areas, to local parks and even in your backyard. Each Principle covers a specific topic and provides detailed information to empower you to minimize your impacts.

1.Plan ahead and prepare

• Knowing the rules, access rights, restrictions in effect, and specifics of the site.
• Preparing for bad weather, natural hazards and other emergencies.
• Planning trips during low-traffic periods.
• Exploring less frequented areas. Dividing large groups and go out in smaller groups of 4 to 6 people.
• Bringing a compass and an up-to-date map.
• Repackaging food in reusable containers to minimize waste.

2.Travel and camp on durable surfaces

• Durable surfaces include established trails, campsites, rock, gravel, and dry grasses or snow.

• Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.
• Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary.

In popular areas

• Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.
• Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.
• Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent.

In undisturbed areas

• Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.
• Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.

3.Dispose of waste properly

• Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled food. Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter. Burning trash is never recommended.
• Deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6-8 inches deep at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.
• Bury toilet paper deep in a cathole or pack the toilet paper out along with hygiene products.
• To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.

4.Leave what you find

• Preserve the past: observe cultural or historic structures and artifacts, but do not touch them.
• Leave rocks, plants, and other natural objects as you find them.
• Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
• Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.

5.Minimize campfire impacts

• Campfires can cause lasting impacts on the environment. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.
• Use established fire rings, pans, or mound fires where fires are permitted.
• Keep fires small. Use only sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand.
• Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.

6.Respect wildlife

• Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
• Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
• Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
• Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.

7.Be considerate of other visitors

• Respect others and protect the quality of their experience.
• Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
• Greet riders and ask which side of the trail to move to when encountering pack stock.
• Take breaks and camp away from trails and others.
• Let nature’s sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.

https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/

For this session, we were divided into seven teams to learn the seven principles. Each team was responsible for one principle, and we utilized the SPEC model of student teaching, where each team taught their assigned principle to the other members.

Having undergone various training sessions before, this was my first experience with such a training format. I was grouped with mountain guides actively working in other areas of Hokkaido and nature guides. Through discussions, we were able to share our experiences from our respective fields, making it a very enriching training session.