Leave No Trace In New Hampshire

The New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development (DTTD) is partnering with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics to launch a statewide “Leave No Trace” campaign.

The collaborative educational effort encourages visitors to practice sustainable tourism through seven principles that provide a road map of things to do to venture into the state’s great outdoors more consciously.

This summer, it is expected that 3.45 million visitors will enter the Granite State and many of those travellers will be drawn to the state’s natural attributes that include the White Mountains National Forest; a scenic stretch of the Appalachian Trail; and state parks that offer thousands of miles of recreation from the Seacoast to the Great North Woods, including biking, hiking, fishing, ATVing, and more.

Taylor Caswell, Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs, observed that: “The state’s tourism industry has been incredibly resilient over the last year and a half, and we are expecting to see close to $1.8 billion in summer travel spending.”

Caswell continued: “This is great news for our state, but we need to make sure that all travelers are educated on ways to stay safe, as well as protect and respect the natural resources for which New Hampshire is famous.”

In recent years, an increasing interest in hiking and outdoor adventures has led to issues with overcrowding not only in New Hampshire, but in outdoor recreation destinations nationwide. In addition to Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, DTTD engaged federal, state, local and regional partners to further enhance the program.

The “Leave No Trace” program includes:

• Plan Ahead and Prepare: There are many ways to experience New Hampshire’s outdoors; pre-planning goes a long way to ensure a safe and more enjoyable adventure.
• Trash Your Trash: Litter can spoil even the most beautiful areas of New Hampshire’s wide-open spaces and crystal-clear waters.
• Be Careful with Campfires: Preventing wildfires and stopping the spread of invasive bug species today keeps campfire traditions alive for years to come.
• Keep NH’s Wildlife Wild: Stay safe and respect wildlife that call New Hampshire home, including black bears, moose, and wild turkeys.
• Stick to the Trails and Camp Overnight Right: Sometimes the path well-traveled is the best path to follow to prevent injury and reduce damage to plants, trails, and the landscape.
• Leave it as you find it: To preserve the state’s millions of acres of pristine wilderness and incredible historical landmarks, refrain from picking or taking items.
• Share the Outdoors: Everyone deserves to have a great time outside and to not be bothered by others.

New Hampshire Commissioner of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Sarah Stewart points out that: “We certainly recognize the need to strike a balance of responsible and sustainable tourism, and believe it is a shared responsibility. ‘Leave No Trace’ provides all of us the steps we can take to ensure what we love about New Hampshire is here for future generations to enjoy.”

While Andrew Leary, National Outreach Manager at the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, observes that: “We are fortunate enough to be the stewardship education partner for Visit New Hampshire, and to all the visitors and residents who recreate outdoors in the Granite State.”

Leary adds: “Avoidable impacts happen when we recreate outdoors, but with your help, everyone who loves spending time outside can be the solution to protecting New Hampshire’s wonderful outdoor experiences.”

Go to visit https://www.visitnh.gov/leavenotrace to learn more about the program.