This principle provides framework for outdoor decision making to reduce the impact of their activity to our beloved nature. It also introduces the importance of taking personal role in preserving the outdoor experience for future generations. This is summarized into 7 principles.1. PLAN AHEAD AND PREPARE. We all know that poorly planned actions often resorts to excessive consumption or too much expenses of any resources, this is same as poorly planned climb or outdoor activity. A poorly planned climb can often resort to e-camp which causes improper located camp site due to unprepared time budgetting of how to reach the destination. Same is true with poorly planned meals which resorts to excessive trash or even improper campfires.
2. TRAVEL AND CAMP ON DURABLE SURFACES. Damage to land occurs when surface vegetation or communities of organisms are trampled beyond repair. This often results soil erosion and unsable trails & campsites.
*In high use areas, LNT suggest that people concentrate activity, which makes further damage unlikely. Use same trail and don't create a new one.
*In areas of very little or no use, LNT encourages people to spread out. Taking different paths when hiking off-tail will avoid creating new trails. Dispersing tents and equipment & moving camp daily will avoid creating permanent-looking campsites.
3. DISPOSE OF WASTE PROPERLY. Though most trash and litter in the backcountry is not significant in terms of the long term ecological health of an area, it does rank high as a problem in the minds of many backcountry visitors. Trash and litter are primary social impacts which can greatly detract from the naturalness of an area. Thus, LNT recommends that trash and litter should be packed out. Further, backcountry users create body waste and waste water which requires proper disposal according to LNT.
*Waste water: Avoiding soap and dispersing dishwater far away from natural resources will prevent contamination.
*Human waste: Proper human waste disposal prevents spread of disease, exposure to others, and speed decomposition. Catholes, 6-8 inches deep and 200 feet away from water, are often the easiest and most practical way to dispose feces.
4. LEAVE WHAT YOU FIND. Leaving rocks, plants, archaeological artifacts and other objects as found will allow others sense of discovery. Similarly, LNT directs people to minimize alterations, such as digging tent trenches, hammering nail into trees, permanently clearing an area of rocks or twigs. Do not vandalize mountain structure, not put your name or write any graffiti in trees or any structures along the trail.
5. MINIMIZE USE AND IMPACT OF FIRE. LNT encourages people to use lightweight camp stoves instead of fires, beacuase the naturalness of many areas has been degraded by overuse of fires and increasing demand for firewood. If a campfire is constructed, LNT suggests using an existing fir ring in a well-placed campsite or to use a fire pan or mound fire. True LNT fires show no evidence of having ever constructed. In the Philippines in general, campfires are never recommended.
6. RESPECT WILDLIFE. If enough people approach or interfere with wildlife, it can be disruptive to animals populations. Feeding wildlife is not advisable as it damages health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
7. BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHER VISITORS Following hiking etiquettes and maintaining quiet allows visitors to go through the wilderness with the minimal impact on the other users. In the Philippine, courtesy such as "Good Morning sir/ma'am, Take care sir/ma'am" are practiced. Also, LNT quotes "LET NATURE'S SOUND PREVAIL".
Other than this principle, mountaineers follow a CREED which quite relative with the LNT:
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