Outdoor Recreation Ethics

What is Leave No Trace and Why is it Necessary?

When you take a trip to the Chugach or Tongass National Forests, the biggest and wildest national forests, you expect to find wild Alaska.A river pours around mossy rocks in a rain forest.

Leave No Trace (LNT) is a set of principles designed to cultivate outdoor ethics and protect the natural integrity of our public lands. By promoting and following these principles, you blend your visit with the natural environment and serve as a steward of our public lands.

The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace:

  • Plan Ahead and Prepare
  • Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
  • Dispose of Waste Properly
  • Leave What You Find
  • Minimize Campfire Impacts
  • Respect Wildlife
  • Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Whether you are going on a short walk from town or on a long expedition into the backcountry, we ask that you embrace Leave No Trace and that you encourage others to do the same. By serving as responsible stewards we can preserve the integrity of the Chugach and Tongass National Forests and enjoy the wild Alaska experience for years to come.

An orange sunset fills the sky over a bay amidst forested islands.

Leave No Trace Principles for the Chugach and Tongass National Forests

Portions of this information contain text copyrighted by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. For additional information on Leave No Trace in general, visit www.LNT.org 

For outdoor enthusiasts who use motorized or mechanized vehicles (e.g. off-road vehicles, mountain bikes, jet skis, snowmobiles, motor boats, etc.), Tread Lightly! is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting ethical vehicular recreation on our lands and waters. Please visit www.treadlightly.org for more information.