{"id":1747,"date":"2019-09-14T20:46:11","date_gmt":"2019-09-15T01:46:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carcampingtips.com\/?p=1747"},"modified":"2020-10-12T16:46:02","modified_gmt":"2020-10-12T22:46:02","slug":"what-are-ways-camping-negatively-impacts-the-environment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/what-are-ways-camping-negatively-impacts-the-environment\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Ways Camping Negatively Impacts the Environment?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In this current day, there are a lot of impacts to the environment caused by humans, and your camping plans just might be adding to them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A pile of garbage in the forest park near the campfire site.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But don\u2019t fear, there are ways you can minimize your effect on the environment while enjoying the outdoors. From picking up trash to following Leave No Trace principles, camping fun is possible while protecting nature. And better yet, follow some of our advice and you might just be leaving your favorite camping spot looking a little better for your stay.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fire pits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some of the oldest evidence of human habitation comes in the form of fire pits. So even though that little fire ring doesn\u2019t look very enduring, the evidence of it may be there for a millennia or more. How is that for leaving a mark in the environment?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There isn\u2019t much you can do about already scorched or fire broken stones, so you need to focus on the immediate effect of fire pits, the largest of which is the potential to cause a fire.<\/strong> A few forest fires are sparked naturally by lightning strikes, but humans cause a majority with the largest culprit being sparks or coals from campers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another problem with fire pits is, well, the act of gathering the material to have a fire. Often established campsites will be devoid of deadwood, will have branches from trees cut off and even live trees cut down. \u201cProactive\u201d campers may bring wood from home or other non-local areas, potentially introducing insects and diseases to new areas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What You Can Do:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first is you can choose not to have a fire<\/strong>. Sure, a campfire is nice, and there is just something about being outdoors that makes you feel like you need to have one. But if you look around and see an already abused area with no easily found firewood, forgo the pleasure unless you can find a local source to buy wood from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, when starting a fire, don\u2019t pull bark off of trees<\/strong>. Sure, some tree species make excellent kindling, but just like too many branches picked clean to start a fire, too much bark removed isn\u2019t healthy to the tree and impacts the tree\u2019s ability to grow and fight off insects and disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Always keep your fires a manageable size<\/strong>. Flames should not be more than two feet high, and one foot above the wood is far more reasonable. This will make your firewood last longer and keep any wind gusts from sending flames and sparks farther than you intended. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before you light a fire, clean out the existing fire ring<\/strong> if it is full of ash. Scatter old and cold ash through the woods; do not dump it in a pile or water. While having a fire, do not burn debris, plastic, or glass. Before going to sleep or leaving the campsite, douse any remaining embers and coals<\/strong> thoroughly with water. Do not leave them smoldering overnight and do not bury them, as this can make the coals last longer, eventually catching something else on fire. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And lastly, do not make new fire rings<\/strong>. If you are camping in a spot without a fire pit, just don\u2019t have a fire. Creating a new ring will not only encourage future use, creating a new, established campsite, but the marks of it will remain for thousands of years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trash<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the first signs to know someone has been to a spot before you is to see debris on the ground. There is nothing more spoiling of a sense of wilderness and nature than beer cans or wrappers littering the forest floor. But those are just the quickly seen bits of trash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were camping at an established community campground that was pretty neglected. There were so many nails in our fire pit it looked like someone had burned a house in it<\/strong>. Besides the ugliness of all that metal and the fact we ended up with a spike in our tire despite being careful, really it was a huge distraction from another problem: fishing line. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our scavenger of a dog walked around sniffing for something tasty while we dealt with the bucket load of nails. The next thing we knew, we looked up, and he had a length of fishing line dangling from his mouth<\/strong>. It had smelled like fish to him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While I\u2019ll save you from the terror of trying to determine if he\u2019d swallowed a hook, how to be sure, how to get the line out of his esophagus, and what it would do to his gut if we didn\u2019t (not good things), I\u2019ll just end that he is fine, and we now go around and collect those unseen bits that anglers leave on the ground or are caught in trees. Fishing line isn\u2019t just a threat to our pets, it entangles birds and fish<\/strong> as well as other creatures, cutting through their flesh or guts and causing death. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What You Can Do:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Always follow the saying, \u201cpack it in, pack it out<\/strong>.\u201d Carry trash bags with you and pick up all debris that you come across from cans to wrappers to even fishing line and cigarette butts. It doesn\u2019t belong in nature and can harm something if left. While camping, don\u2019t leave any waste, including biological<\/strong>. Eggshells and coffee grounds may decompose, but they will also attract wildlife. You don\u2019t want animals to associate campsites or people with tasty smells and food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While camping, walk along shorelines to look for trash that washes up and do your best to clean it up. Balloons are another object that you\u2019ll often find in remotes areas. We\u2019ve cleaned up what looked like an entire engagement party\u2019s worth of helium balloons from a remote camping spot on Lake Mead. Keeping the woods clean starts at home by not launching debris into the waterways and air.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Balloons I found in middle of nowhere<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Human Waste<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you are camping, it inevitably is going to happen. You are going to need to use the bathroom when there is no facility nearby. When you pull into a remote camping site, there is no bigger turn off than stepping out of your car and into \u2026 well, you know. The smell and sight of scattered toilet paper and feces are bad enough, but what is worse is the potential bacteria that can make you seriously ill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What You Can Do:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There is no way not to have to go to the bathroom, so you need to do it responsibly. Dig a shallow hole or trench, deposit your business in it, and then re-cover with soil<\/strong>. Be sure not to leave toilet paper out; it lasts longer in the environment than you realize. Or you can carry a porta-potty with you. There are a multitude of small and collapsible units that store easily as well as ones that use something called a \u201cwag bag,\u201d that forms a solid gel (instead of that nasty smelling blue liquid that goes everywhere). You simply seal the bag and toss it in a dumpster. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, it is always a good idea to carry hand sanitizer<\/strong>. Use it before eating and cooking, because you never know exactly what you just put your hand on in the woods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soil Damage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From erosion to compaction, the soil takes a beating from our use. Camping is no exception. Paths to areas like water sources and toilets quickly become mud or erode into nearby streams and lakes. Parking areas compact under the weight of cars. Shorelines are damaged as people remove rocks for fire rings. Even overuse of tent spots can create a hard surface that quickly puddles water just where you don\u2019t want it during a rain storm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What You Can Do:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Do your best to camp on durable surfaces such as rock, sand, or stone<\/strong>. Camping on moss and grass might sound lovely, but you are damaging the plants that hold the soil in place and keep it from becoming something as hard as concrete. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Always try to park on hard surfaces <\/strong>as well, even it if means walking to your camping spot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t remove stones<\/strong>, especially from shorelines or banks and slopes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay on established trails and don\u2019t create new paths<\/strong> even if existing ones are in poor shape. New trails without revegetation of old pathways will just cause new erosion points. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep your footprint as small as possible<\/strong>. Use a small tent with the minimum number of stakes needed to hold it down. If you can anchor it with rocks, that is even better. The less you spread out and walk around, the better it will be for the soil and plants where you are camping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Natural Habitat Spoilage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most of us go camping to enjoy nature and get away from urban areas, but when people have been there before you and not been careful, the experience can quickly be ruined. Trash destroys the aesthetics of a place as well as impacts the wildlife. Overuse of trails and campsites create mud and erosion that is no fun to hike through and can damage water sources. Broken branches, cut trees, and opening up of areas that should be forested ruins the wilderness feel as well as the ecology of an area. The noise from other campers can also quickly dispel any sense of peace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t

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Nature worth protecting<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n

What You Can Do:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n