SUNY Morrisville has been recognized by The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics as an educational community partner supporting its goals and mission.
The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, also referred to as Leave No Trace (LNT), is a national organization that protects the outdoors by teaching and inspiring people to enjoy it responsibly through cutting-edge education and research. LNT recognized SUNY Morrisville as a community partner in its recently published 2017 annual report and also on its educational partner webpage.
As educational partners, the SUNY Morrisville Environmental Sciences Department incorporates LNT into programming by teaching its main outdoor principles: plan ahead and prepare; travel and camp on durable surfaces; dispose of waste properly; leave what you find; minimize campfire impacts; respect wildlife; and be considerate of other visitors.
The LNT principles also have motivated Morrisville students to become involved within the community. Recently, members from Morrisville’s Conservation Tri-Society student club responded to a need from the Boy Scouts of America Leatherstocking Council, based out of Utica, and presented an LNT program to community members at the organization’s University of Scouting event.
“The spark was lit for students to do more and get the word out to others,” said Brendan Kelly, associate professor of forestry and renewable resources and Conservation Tri-Society co-advisor. “They really enjoyed the presentation and it gave them confidence.”
All SUNY Morrisville environmental sciences students receive an LNT card displaying those principles, with their application then being applied to the curriculum for a variety of classes, including Introduction to Forestry & Natural Resources and Introduction to Recreation Area Management. The LNT principles are expanded to specific actions with water systems for the Riparian Ecology & Wetland Management class, while hunter LNT ethics are presented in the Wildlife Ecology & Management course.
Plans are already in the works for the Conservation Tri-Society to become involved with additional LNT training opportunities this coming spring semester.
To learn more about Leave No Trace, visit its website.
