The 7 principles of Leave No Trace Outdoor ethics are directly in line with our goals in preparedness. They mesh perfectly with our desire to avoid conflict and leave no trace of our passing, as well as enabling us to be good stewards of the world The Creator made for us to enjoy. It’s just an added bonus that it makes us harder to track. We’ll cover the 7 Principles (copyright lnt.org) and how they apply to our goals in preparedness.
Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.
Psalm 77:19
Principle 1: Plan Ahead & Prepare
It’s right there in the title: PREPARE. We spend our days making plans for the Great Apocalypse (TM) or the zombie hordes. We prepare. Preparedness means always having a plan and knowing how you’re going to handle things ahead of time.
Attending training is part of planning ahead and preparing. We plan on the bad things that could happen and prepare by taking courses and engaging in experiences that teach us how to handle the crazy times ahead. We learn new skills to cover our shortfalls.
We plan our bug out or evasion routes ahead of time. We do dry runs, we get ready. In short, we plan ahead and prepare.
Principle 2: Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces
While in outdoor ethics this means using surfaces that are already impacted and would not leave additional signs of human habitation, we have a different reason for this principle. It is harder to track someone who is moving on a hard or packed surface than it is on a soft one. Tracks are harder to find or follow.
Camping on an established campsite enables me to blend my use of it with others and hopefully obscures my trail from someone trying to follow me. They will know that SOMEONE camped there, but not necessarily me.
Principle 3: Dispose of Waste Properly
Absolutely no one wants to pollute the natural world. We also want to deny any potential adversary any usable intelligence on our supply status. Leaving trash behind enables someone to see what kinds of food we have and whether or not we are likely to have more. It would also indicate the number of us traveling. Other trash, like gun cleaning equipment used to maintain weapons, could indicate to an adversary what systems we are using and the state of our maintenance. Leaving behind damaged or broken equipment might give them an insight to what we are likely to use or have. Leaving behind that remnants, for example, of making a field expedient antenna might indicate that we have others in another location that might have more supplies.
We should pack out trash or bury it securely and deeply.
Also included in this is our personal human waste. Field Sanitation and Hygiene is important. Learn proper techniques for the disposal of human waste in the field. It’s even in the Bible:
Carry a shovel with the rest of your gear; once you have relieved yourself, use it to dig a hole, then refill it, covering your excrement.
Deuteronomy 23:13
You’d have known that if you’d actually read Deuteronomy.
Principle 4: Leave What You Find
Don’t disturb nature as you go through it is a good rule, but this also means to try not to leave a path as you move. Try not to damage plants, trail surfaces, or grassy areas. Not only does this preserve natural beauty, it makes you harder to follow.
It also means don’t pick things up as you go. Generally, note what you see, but don’t necessarily pick up human items that you find.
Principle 5: Minimize Campfire Impacts
We certainly don’t want to do a great job of fleeing the Mongol Hordes in the cities just to die in a wildfire that we created. The Leave No Trace fire methods also apply to trying to remain unseen.
Whenever possible, use a small camp stove rather than an open fire. If you do use an open fire, make it as small as possible on a hard surface.
If you need a larger fire, use an established fire ring, so that your traces of use will be blended with many others in the same place. Once the ashes cool, scatter them. Water is a great place to dispose of ash.
Principle 6: Respect Wildlife
In a without rule of law scenario, the flight of animals because you spooked them can give away your location. A lot of wildlife, including species that “seem” safe, can be dangerous and territorial. Respect them by watching them and not going near them. In a world without hospitals or urgent cares, bites and stings can become deadly through infection.
Principle 7: Be Considerate of Others
Our application of this is the awareness that others are out there and by trying to reduce our contact with them. If we can be aware, we will detect others before they detect us. We can give them a wide berth for our safety and theirs.
As you can see, the 7 Seven Principles of Leave No Trace apply just as well to our goals in preparedness during an event or incident, whether long term or short term.
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