Leave No Trace Stock Users Education Program
Leave No Trace (LNT) was created by the US Forest Service in the 1960’s, when recreation on public lands increased significantly, with a corresponding level of damage to those wild places. Then in the early 1990s, the Forest Service worked with the National Outdoor Leadership School to develop hands-on, science-based minimum impact education for non-motorized recreational activities.To educate, encourage, and solicit active participation in the wise and sustaining use of the back country resources by horsemen and the general public.
This statement is the basis for the BCHA LNT Stock Users Education Program. The BCHA Board has directed that we become the primary trainer of stock users in LNT principles and practices nationally. To that end the LNT Master’s Education Program was established. The program is a partnership between BCHA, State and Affiliate Members, the US Forest Service and LNT Inc.
BCHA coordinates, manages and monitors the program in cooperation with State and Affiliate memberships. Qualified BCH members are selected to become LNT Master Educators.
The students are taught and teach the LNT Principles and Practices outlined in the LNT Master Educators Handbook. Upon completion of the course the Master Educators teach Train the Trainer courses in cooperation with the local BCH units. The LNT Trainers then put on LNT Awareness Workshops. Twenty of our state and affiliate memberships have already had a member attend the Master Educator Course.
BCH of California Takes the Lead with Leave No Trace Stock Use Education
Back Country Horsemen of California (BCHC) is being nationally recognized for our leadership in Leave No Trace education of stock use. In 2015 they were awarded the contract to provide the only Leave No Trace Stock Master Educator course in the country. BCHC earned this remarkable opportunity through hard work, sustained effort in promoting environmental friendly land use with stock. The classes will be taught by BCHC’s Wilderness Riders and Master Educators of LNT.
Back Country Horsemen of California provides the “Leave No Trace” Stock Course regularly every April, it is switched from Northern California to Southern California each year as well as offering additional classes as the needed. For details on the BCHC 2018 LNT Master Class you’ll find it here. They also can provide a Team of Instructors to travel to your State under special arrangements. To learn more about this exciting opportunity, contact Back Country Horsemen of California through their website www.bchcalifornia.org, or contact Stacy Kuhns lnt@bchcalifornia.org
The focus of our training and education activities are the seven LNT Principles:
- Plan 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