Leave No Trace and the PEAK Program

Whether its hiking, camping, canoeing, swimming, or something else entirely, one of the most important things to remember when spending time in nature is to leave the environment in the exact condition in which it was found. Promoting this concept of responsibly enjoying the outdoor is the main goal for The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, an educational, nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching people how they can minimize their impact on the planet when spending time in nature.

First created by the USDA Forest Service in the 1960’s, LNT has most recently formed a partnership with the National Association of State Parks Directors with the goal to expand the organization’s program in America’s state parks. What’s more, Leave No Trace also works with outdoor gear company REI to promote the PEAK Program, a joint effort that seeks to increase environmental stewardship among children.

Reaching over 100,000 kids each year PEAK, (which stands for Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids), provides special PEAK Packs especially designed for elementary school-age kids who want to explore the outdoors. Each pack contains six activity modules to teach kids compassion for the natural world, and is available for purchase online at the LNT store. Even better, the packs can be borrowed from the LNT Center for just the cost of shipping.