This instrument is designed for parks and protected areas that wish to assess how they are implementing Leave No Trace, at what level it is being implemented, and to identify opportunities for increasing or improving specific aspects of their Leave No Trace efforts.
Staff and Volunteer Training/Training Opportunities: The presence of Leave No Trace training is an important factor in the evaluation of parks. This includes having staff and/or volunteer groups that are trained in Leave No Trace as well as having opportunities available for staff and key volunteer groups to participate in formal Leave No Trace training. The rubric examines the number of staff who are trained as Leave No Trace Master Educators and/or Trainers as well as how many Master Educators or Trainers are a part of volunteer groups working with the agency. It also looks at the level of training (Master Educator, Trainer Course or Awareness Workshop) and number of Leave No Trace training opportunities made available to Agency staff and volunteer groups.
- In certain cases, volunteers are more closely related to staff, as opposed to members of a friend’s group. In this case, discretion can be used in how to count trained volunteers and staff. However, please do not ‘double dip’ and count the same trained volunteer in both Staff and Volunteer categories. In general, the Volunteer category is intended to categorize independent volunteer corps or friends’ groups working formally with management on stewardship issues.
- In certain cases, a friend’s group or close partner may be the one facilitating training opportunities with direct support from park or protected area management. Again, use your own discretion to determine the appropriate score related to the Training Opportunities criteria.
On-Site Messaging: A crucial aspect in conveying important Leave No Trace information to the visiting public is having Leave No Trace language incorporated into interpretive and informational kiosks throughout the park. This assessment examines if parks have Leave No Trace messaging on signage, if that messaging is tailored to the local area, and how often Leave No Trace language is incorporated into on-site messaging.
Educational Materials: The Leave No Trace Center has numerous educational materials park managers can distribute to the public to aid in minimum impact education efforts. The rubric examines the on-site availability of materials including Leave No Trace brochures, pamphlets, stickers, reference cards and more. It also examines whether or not the content of those materials contains locally tailored information.
Online Information: The presence of online Leave No Trace information is crucial in helping visitors prepare for their visit in ways that will help minimize their impact while on-site. This rubric includes reviewing whether or not the park has Leave No Trace information on its website(s), whether that information is locally tailored, and the depth and quality of the information.
- In certain cases, an external website like www.recreation.gov is used for permitting or reservations. If there is robust Leave No Trace information included in this online process, please use your own reasonable discretion on how to score this section of the rubric.
Programs: On-site interpretive programs are a great way for park staff to reach visitors with Leave No Trace information. This assessment examines the incorporation of Leave No Trace into interpretive and education programs including trail outings, campfire talks, ranger programs, and other staff or volunteer facilitated offerings. It takes into account the number of programs Leave No Trace is incorporated into and whether that information is Leave No Trace-specific or general minimum impact message.
Youth Focus: The rubric also looks at the incorporation of Leave No Trace into youth programs in parks. This criterion explores whether or not youth programs include youth curriculum designed by the Center, or if there is Leave No Trace-specific language in Junior Ranger programs, or if minimum impact language that is not Leave No Trace specific is included in on-site youth programs.
Partners: Agencies often work with various partner organizations who work in or around their park. The rubric also examines whether or not agencies require, recommend, or encourage park partners (e.g. natural history associations, friend’s group, etc.) and organizations to disseminate Leave No Trace information to their respective audiences. The rubric also factors in agency partners who utilize Leave No Trace messaging as part of their efforts without it being a required by the agency.
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Numerical Score: 2-8 (increments of 2, weighted)
2: No staff formally trained in Leave No Trace
4: At least one full-time or part-time staffer who is Leave No Trace-trained (Leave No Trace Trainer or Master Educator)
6: At least one full-time staffer who is a Leave No Trace Master Educator and one full-time staffer who is a Trainer
8: Multiple full-time staff who are Leave No Trace Master Educators and Trainers
Numerical Score: 1-4
1: Volunteer organization(s) working with agency has no members formally trained in Leave No Trace
2: Volunteer organization(s) working with agency has at least one Leave No Trace Trainer able to provide education to public
3: Volunteer organization(s) working with agency have at least one Leave No Trace Master Educator and one Trainer
4: Volunteer organizations(s) working with agency have multiple Leave No Trace Master Educators and Trainers
Numerical Score: 1-4
1: Site Provides no formal Leave No Trace training opportunities for staff or volunteers
2: Site occasionally facilitates or makes available Leave No Trace training opportunities for staff and/or volunteers
3: Site facilitates or makes available annual Leave No Trace Awareness Workshops for staff and/or volunteers
4: Site facilitates or makes available annual Leave No Trace Trainer Courses and Awareness Workshops for staff and/or volunteers
Numerical Score: 1-4
1: Site has no Leave No Trace messaging on-site
2: Site has limited Leave No Trace messaging on-site
3: Site has robust standard Leave No Trace content on multiple kiosks, signs, and other locations on-site
4: Site has multiple kiosks, signs, videos, and other on-site messaging that include locally tailored Leave No Trace content
Numerical Score: 1-4
1: Site has no Leave No Trace related information available to the public
2: Site has limited information available to be distributed to the public
3: Site has multiple pamphlets, brochures, stickers, and other items distributed to public that include standard Leave No Trace content
4: Site has multiple pamphlets, brochures, stickers, and other items distributed to public that include locally tailored Leave No Trace content
Numerical Score: 1-4
1: Site has no Leave No Trace messaging on website
2: Site has very little Leave No Trace-related content available on website
3: Site has robust standard Leave No Trace information available on its website
4: Site has robust and locally tailored Leave No Trace information available on its website
Numerical Score: 1-4
1: There is no minimum impact messaging incorporated into interpretive programs, trail outings, campfire talks, or other related program offerings
2: There is some minimum impact messaging incorporated into various programmatic offerings, but not Leave No Trace-specific
3: Leave No Trace is used in a limited number of interpretive programs, trail outings, campfire talks, and other staff or volunteer facilitated offerings
4: Leave No Trace information is presented throughout multiple interpretive programs, trail outings, campfire talks, and other facilitated offerings
Numerical Score: 1-4
1: Leave No Trace is not a component of youth education and outreach at the site
2: Agency and/or volunteer organizations include limited Leave No Trace messaging in their youth programming efforts at the site
3: Agency and volunteers disseminate Leave No Trace to youth through Junior Ranger programs and other locally developed tools at the site
4: Agency and volunteers utilize Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics-provided youth curriculum in addition to other locally developed youth education tools at the site
Numerical Score: 1-4
1: Partner organizations do not include Leave No Trace in their efforts at the site
2: One or more partner organizations utilize Leave No Trace in their efforts at the site
3: Agency encourages partner organizations to include Leave No Trace education, outreach or training in their programmatic efforts at the site
4: Agency requires partner organizations to include Leave No Trace outreach, education or training into their scope of work at the site