“Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time.” – Unknown
I love this quote! I wish I knew who said it so that I could give proper credit but it appears their name is lost forever. As a Boy Scout I learned the "Leave No Trace" principle and it is a lesson that I took to heart. As a nature and landscape photographer I continue to practice "Leave No Trace" and do my very best to have a little impact on the environment as possible. This quote says essentially the same thing but takes it a bit further.
"Take nothing but photographs"
- how many times have you been hiking in the woods or walking through a meadow and come across some beautiful wildflowers? Have you had the urge to pick a few to bring home for your dining room table? Did you want to pick it so that you can photograph it under better lighting conditions? You may have said "yes" to one or both of these questions - I know I have. I hope that you, like me, have suppressed that urge and left the flowers to grow. I found this daffodil while hiking along a wooded trail at Monmouth Battlefield State Park. I love spring and the re-birth of the woods with daffodils (and their relatives) being among my favorite subjects. It is only right to leave them for others to enjoy. The same goes with trying to dig them up and replanting them at home - don't do it! It is being more and more common to hear stories of "invasive, non-native" plants taking over. There is a reason the flowers aren't growing naturally in your yard - keep it that way.
"Leave nothing but footprints"
- most of the time that I am hiking I will stay on established trails but I do, occasionally leave the trail to explore or to get a better shot. I only do this when it is safe for the surrounding environment - if I ever see a sign indicating a sensitive area or find that I cannot enter an area without damaging it, I stay on the trail. I am also very careful not to cause damage - I am not blazing a new trail, there is not need for a machete to cut down trees and brush. I carefully plot my course and then take a different route back to the trail. This also includes carving your mark in a tree or painting rocks - if you want to profess your love for someone do it in a song or poem, no one wants to see "Jimmy loves Sally" carved in the trunk of a beautiful oak tree or spray painted on a rock wall.
"Kill nothing but time"
- this is self-explanatory and is related to "leave nothing but footprints." There is no reason to wantonly kill things when you are out enjoying what nature has to offer. This includes not only creatures that walk, crawl, fly, wiggle, etc.... but also the plants and trees you encounter. This, of course, changes if you are lost in the wilderness and have to live off the land or die but that isn't what this post is all about. Find a place to sit and quietly observe to natural world going by. This bench is one of many at Lake Topanemus Park, a place I visit often during lunch when I need to relax and recharge.All photos are copyright Joseph S. Valencia All Rights Reserved They may not be used in any way without express written permission of the photographer. If you wish to use any of the photos you may contact the photographer at valencia32photo@gmail.com
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Valid points Joe. We love our nature hikes. I often end up carrying a trash bag to areas we've previously walked and seen a lot of litter. That drives me crazy so I pick it up.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Patricia! I will pick things up from time-to-time, fortunately I haven't come across too much.
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