How to reduce your footprint during your next park visit
 Whether you live in Perth or in regional Western Australia, there are amazing parks right on your doorstep. Every month we feature a national and urban
Camping at Silent Grove (Photo: L-A Shibish)
park, encouraging you to take a trip and visit a park you have never been too before. We’ve featured parks from across WA, including Mirima National Park, Rockingham Lakes Regional Park, Baigup Wetlands, Torndirrup National Park and Herdsman Lake Regional Park.
So, how can you can enjoy your next park visit and help keep our natural landscape wild and beautiful? Leave No Trace is an internationally accepted way of minimising impacts on the places we visit. You can do your bit by following these principles.
1.    Plan ahead and prepare
- Know and follow the park’s rules.
- Prepare for extreme weather, hazards and emergencies.
- Avoid taking plastic water bottles which are not reuseable – take a reuseable bottle.
2.    Walk and camp on durable surfaces
- Concentrate use on existing tracks and campsites.
- Protect water sources – camp at least 50 metres from lakes and streams.
- Protect plant life – avoid spread of phytophthora and other soil-borne diseases by keeping boots, camping equipment and vehicle tyres clean.
- Always walk on tracks, even when wet or muddy, so damage is kept to a narrow section.
3.    Dispose of waste properly
- Check your campsite and rest areas for rubbish and spilled food. Pack up all rubbish and leftover food.
4.    Take only memories
- Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
- Respect Aboriginal sites and other sites of cultural significance.
5.    Respect wildlife
- Keep wildlife wild. Feeding animals can turn them into pests and may make them sick.
- Store food and rubbish securely to discourage wildlife from finding it.
- Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach wildlife.
6.    Be considerate of your hosts and other visitors
- Only visit places where you have obtained appropriate permission.
- Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
Sources:Â http://www.lnt.org.au/
