Leave No Trace

Leave No Trace Paddling Principles

"Leave only paddle strokes"

Paddling is considered one of the fastest growing activities in the United States. As the number of paddlers in Connecticut State increases adopting the Leave No Trace Principles can help reduce the impact of paddling on Connecticut State's fragile water trails.

No trace recreation involves identifying the traces of presence that you may leave behind and eliminating them through creative solutions. Keep in mind the potential impact of the following traces and be sure to minimize them.

Please take a moment to review the principles and be sure to check out CWTA's Leave No Trace training opportunities.

Plan Ahead And Prepare

Design Your Trip - To match your kayaking and outdoor skill level

Educate Yourself - Know your destination and route's regulations, hazards, topography, and facilities.

Know The Area and What To Expect - Find out about camp sites and sensitive animal/bird populations.

Plan For Your Group - Match skills, behavior, and group size with the type of destination. Keep group size small, from 4 to 6 people.

Schedule Your Trip In Advance - Obtain permits, make reservations, check tide tables, obtain and study nautical charts and topographic maps, and leave a float plan.

Plan Your Meals - Avoid leftovers and repackage food in reusable containers to minimize waste.

Use Proper Gear - Be prepared for weather, hazards, and emergencies. Bring appropriate attire and gear, emergency equipment, food, and water.

Travel Skills -  Develop your paddling skills, weather awareness, coastal hazard awareness, leadership and first aid training before your trip.

(Return To Top)

Travel And Camp On Durable Surfaces

Recognize Durable Surfaces - Concentrate use in durable areas, including established trails, rocks, sand, gravel, and dry grasses.

Hike on durable surfaces and spread out when traveling on shore. Hike at low tide on hard sand, gravel or rock in the intertidal zone. Avoid crushing intertidal life.

Use trails where they exist.

Protect The Area – Take any meal breaks at least 200 feet from fresh water sources and establish a low impact strategy.

Avoid fragile vegetation.

Keep your group small to minimize physical and social impacts.

Choose a shelter site with a small slope so rainwater can drain.

Disperse Use In Pristine Areas - If you must use these areas, treat them with extreme care.

Before departing, make sure your campsite is clean or cleaner than when you arrived.

Avoid places where impact is just beginning.

Avoid sites and trails that show signs of slight use.

Allow time for recovery.

(Return To Top)

Dispose Of Waste Properly

Pack It In, Pack It Out - Pack out all trash and garbage. Inspect your stop off area before moving on. Remember to bring extra bags.

Practice Good Sanitation - Use available toilets, bring a portable seat or pack out waste in a poop tube. Urinate and disperse diluted waste waters below the high tide line, if there is no available toilet. Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.

Minimize soap and food residues in water.

(Return To Top)

Leave What You Find

Preserve The Past - Do not excavate, disturb, or remove cultural or historic structures and artifacts. For detailed information about the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979, visit the National Parks Service's Archeology Program. Waterways were the highways of early inhabitants. Ancient structures, artifacts, and rock art are abundant along rivers. Be sure to leave them undisturbed.Paddling is considered one of the fastest growing activities in the United States. As the number of paddlers in Connecticut State increases adopting the Leave No Trace Principles can help reduce the impact of paddling on Connecticut State's fragile water trails.

Leave Natural Features Undisturbed - Let photos, journal entries, drawings, and memories be your souvenirs. Remember that what you consider taking may be important to the ecology of the area.

Avoid Spreading Invasive Species - Spreading non-native plants and animals can cause irreversible damage to the ecosystem by eliminating native species. Help prevent such changes by washing your boats and gear.

(Return To Top)

Respect Wildlife

You have created a nonprofit organization, identified the stakeholders and partners, and drafted a development plan for the trail. Now it is time to go to work—to create access sites, develop facilities, and prepare guide materials for trail users.

Avoid Sensitive Times And Habitats - Learn about local marine wildlife through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or call 1-800-WILD.

Observe From A Distance - Try not to startle wildlife. Stay at least 200 yards from whales, seals, and birds.

Marine animals. The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 prohibits harassment of marine mammals. Do not approach marine mammals on land or on the water. 100 yard is the legal minimum distance between you and a marine mammal.

Sea birds. Do not disturb birds during nesting season.

Intertidal life. Be careful to avoid stepping on mussels, barnacles, urchins and sea stars. Don't move intertidal animals as they may dry out and die.

(Return To Top)

Be Considerate Of Other Visitors

Respect Other Visitors - Keep the noise level down. Travel in small groups, making use of bright colors on the water and muted colors on land.

Yield to Others - At stop-over sites, concentrate your group to one area to allow room for parties arriving later. In areas used by motorized boaters, do what you can to be noticed and make your intentions obvious.

Keep an eye out for fishermen and give them plenty of room, especially if they are wading or fishing from shore.

Let Nature's Sights and Sounds Prevail - Avoid the use of bright lights, radios, electronics, and other intrusive devices on shores.

(Return To Top)

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the CWTA Leave No Trace Paddling brochure:

Leave No Trace Paddling Tri-Fold Brochure

Leave No Trace

How Long Does It Last

Invasive Species