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Minimal Impact

Credit: John Muir Trust It's getting harder each year to enjoy a quiet picnic in the hills. Credit: Adam Bage 'Leave nothing but shadow' Credit: Cumbria Tourist Board/ Tony West Limiting impact extends our enjoyment of open spaces
"The hills and wild places where our adventures take place and that inspire us and refresh our spirits are shrinking and deteriorating due to human activities. We need to cherish and protect what we have left, which means being careful to minimise our impact, so that these precious places are there for future generations to enjoy and for the animals and plants for whom they are home. Each one of us can do this by thinking about our impact and following the advice below."
Chris Townsend - President, Mountaineering Council of Scotland

Please click on the headings below to learn more and about how you can make a difference.

  • What is minimal impact?
  • Why is it important?

Minimal impact:

Minimal impact summary: Spread the word! Click here to download a one page summary of best practice.

'Minimal impact' was written for the OIA by John Traynor. John  writes regularly for outdoor magazines and has been backpacking and camping for most of his life.

What is 'minimal impact'?

In a nutshell, minimal impact is about striving consistently to reduce the damage we cause to the natural environment in our outdoor pursuits. As well as following good practice in our recreational activities, it's also about behaving responsibly with consideration to others, respecting seasonal and occasional restrictions to areas in the longer-term interests of the landscape, flora, fauna and birdlife.

It is, of course, also the weight of numbers that can affect an area. In loving it, lie the seeds for our destroying what we cherish. The popular motto 'Leave nothing but footprints' is perhaps better revised these days to 'Leave nothing but shadows'. As far as litter goes, then there is no acceptable alternative to 'Pack it in, pack it out'.

The thorny subject of the principles and practice of access does form part of the debate on the conservation and sustainability of the landscape but the focus here is on good practice. 'Good practice' meaning going beyond the theory of caring to the practical implementation of strategies to protect and conserve the land.

Why is it important?

With care and consideration the outdoor environment can soak up a great deal of use by varied groups of enthusiasts. When areas suffer from over-use, thoughtlessness and lack of consideration, it allows arguments to be made to limit access and control numbers by regulation as well as, of course, causing damage to ecosystems. Good practice allows the land an opportunity to recover even from the weight of numbers.
Whatever your focus on the outdoors, play your part in conserving, defending and enjoying the landscapes we love.

To access the Countryside Code, click here. 

To download a copy of 'The Green Guide to the Uplands' from the BMC, click here