Journalist Shikha Tripathi grew up in the striking landscape of the Kumaon Himalaya and she later earned an advanced degree in mountaineering. But it wasn’t until she took a NOLS Trip Leader course that she learned the principles of Leave No Trace, an experience that shifted her perspective on human presence in the outdoors.

NOLS Instructor Molly Absolon reflects on the evolution of environmentalism in the U.S., calling for a renewal of the energy and commitment of the 1970s, the era when NOLS began developing the minimum impact camping techniques that evolved into Leave No Trace ethics.

Doug Schnitzspahn, editor of Elevation Outdoors, reflects on how the Leave No Trace principles he learned on his NOLS course apply to daily life. Building on the core concept of “leave what you find,” he articulates a LNT ethic that’s transferable to the front country.