How do we keep the San Juan Islands stunning? By leaving only footprints. National Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers will show the public how on Sept. 8–10. LNT traveling trainers will be visiting the islands for three days of hiking, camping and star gazing.

9/8 – San Juan Island: Join the traveling trainers at 5 p.m. in the San Juan County Park day use area for an evening workshop focused on LNT in sea kayaking and camping.

9/9 – San Juan Island: Take a hike with the traveling LNT trainers. Learn about LNT and tips for low impact hiking. Time and place TBA. The traveling trainers will join the National Park Service Star Gazing Extravaganza in celebration of the San Juan Island National Historical Park’s 50th Anniversary at 6 p.m. for a presentation in American Camp.

The Traveling Trainers will also be available for short demonstrations on the Washington State Ferries as they travel between Anacortes and the islands.

In 2014, The San Juan County Council adopted a resolution that became known as the San Juan Islands Seven – an adaptation of the leave no trace principles to fit the unique ecosystem in the San Juans. The was a result of the local terrestrial managers working group, a coalition of conservation-oriented governmental and non-governmental land managers, reaching out for help with trainings to instill leave no trace principles in locals and visitors. Based on that resolution, San Juan is the first county in the U.S. to be designated as a voluntary “Leave No Trace” area. The San Juan Islands National Monument site on Lopez Island was also chosen as an LNT demonstration site – one of 10 in the country that exemplify the guiding principles through management, programming, outreach, and integrated messaging into signage and other materials. Now, with a standard in place, the traveling trainers can help take LNT in the islands to the next level.