The Catamount Outdoor Family Center is now a proud partner of Leave No Trace! 

The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics has been partnering with other organizations and small businesses for over 15 years; these partners all share the same passion and commitment for protecting our natural resources. Catamount is thrilled to be a part of this important movement and we look forward to working with our staff and users to create wise and sustainable habits while recreating in the Catamount Community Forest and beyond!

 

About Leave No Trace

Leave No Trace is also a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The organization provides “Leave No Trace programs, education, training and outreach in all 50 states and more than 100 countries around the globe. Utilizing the power of science, education for all, and stewardship to support and protect nature, Leave No Trace is on a mission to ensure a sustainable future for the outdoors and the planet.”

 

Why did Catamount decide to partner with Leave No Trace?

Just like Catamount, Leave No Trace is for everyone! Every outing, no matter the season, has an impact on the natural world. Whether you enjoy Catamount by exploring its offerings casually on foot or wheels, competing in one of the Weekly Race Series options, or participating in other Catamount events and programs, you are leaving an impact on the Catamount Community Forest. Although these individual impacts can vary in extent, their cumulative impact can have a massive effect on the local ecosystem! It is up to every user to make sure these cumulative impacts are for the better. By partnering with Leave No Trace, Catamount will be better equipped to further its mission of creating outdoor experiences that build active lifestyles, friendships, and environmental awareness. Implementing the Leave No Trace Seven Principles and ethics at Catamount will help all of us learn the proper skills needed to minimize our specific impacts here and now; Moreover, it will help ensure that these natural resources are around for future generations to enjoy and to recreate in as well. 

 

What does this mean for those using Catamount Outdoor Family Center’s Trails & other resources? Although our day to day operations will look very similar, Catamount will implement the Leave No Trace Seven Principles and ethics into our camps, programs, races, and everyday activities! It all starts with you, Catamount members and users will be encouraged to consider their specific usage type(s) cumulative impact on the Catamount Community Forest’s landscape and learn about the best ways they can help mitigate that impact now and over time. Catamount aims to provide education and resources on how to make every outside adventure more sustainable than the last for our visitors. Catamount holds a strong connection to the local community and we hope that Leave No Trace knowledge will permeate throughout the surrounding area, helping to create more sustainable outdoor enthusiasts in WIlliston, VT and beyond! 

 

How can I learn more?

 

“No matter where or why you get outside, it’s yours to protect. Leave No Trace.”

© 1999 by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: www.LNT.org.