![]() ![]() Army Corps of Engineers.īased on USGS science, some low-impact outdoor practices communicated by land managers include visitors collecting only dead and fallen campfire wood that they can break by hand choosing small campsites in sloped areas that are more than 200 feet from water and concentrating activity on durable surfaces like rock or areas that lack plant cover. Organizations include the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics and federal land management agencies, such as the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. USGS science is used by many organizations to develop and communicate low-impact outdoor practices. ![]() The site is in the Annapolis Rocks camping area along the Appalachian Trail in Maryland. Credit: Jeffrey Marion, USGS This side-hill campsite concentrates camping on a small area of disturbance. Visitors will be able to print the maps or download them to a smartphone app or GPS device, and accompanying tips will be provided on low-impact camping suggestions. The USGS has begun a study on the Pacific Crest Trail to identify the most sustainable campsites and develop online maps for easy navigation to those locations. Sediments also introduce nutrients that cause algal blooms in water, diminishing the amount of dissolved oxygen that’s critical to fish survival. These have the potential to affect trout reproduction, as sediments carry fungus and bacteria that harm trout eggs. Runoff and pollution from campsites can degrade aquatic environments, leading to impacts such as decreased water clarity and purity. Campsites in sloping terrain can still have sufficient flat areas for tents, but are smaller, will likely resist future expansion and will have less impact than larger campsites. Campsites in large, flat areas are frequently expanded by campers, which can cause more water runoff with soil and pollutants into lakes and creeks. USGS scientists are also examining what influences the expansion of campsite size and creation of new and unnecessary campsites. ![]() “Understanding the effects that campers are having on the area can help rangers develop strategies on the best way to prevent further tree loss and explore options for recovery.” “With 2,000 campsites in Boundary Waters, that’s approximately 36,000 tree stumps in a single wilderness area,” said Marion. This significantly alters natural environments, especially wildlife habitat. A USGS study of campsites in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of northern Minnesota found that 44 percent of campsite trees had been damaged and approximately 18 trees per campsite had been cut down, primarily for firewood. One of the major issues associated with camping is the common practice of cutting down trees for firewood. Trees cut down for firewood in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota. Credit: Jeffrey Marion, USGS ![]()
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