The Subaru Canada Leave No Trace Pledge approaches a historic milestone in effort to preserve green spaces
10,000 Canadians have committed to protecting natural areas by signing the Subaru Canada Leave No Trace Pledge. The Pledge, a joint project of Subaru Canada and Leave No Trace Canada, was launched in the spring of 2023 and includes planting a tree for every signature.
“Everyone that has signed the pledge should feel really proud of the impact they’re making,” says John Trenholme, the chair of Leave No Trace Canada (LNTC), a national non-profit that promotes the sustainable use of parks and natural spaces. “As an individual it easy to feel like you can’t have an impact, but when it comes to protecting green spaces, our individual actions add up, just like planting trees. One tree isn’t a lot, but we’ve planted 10,000. That’s a forest!”
For Subaru Canada the Pledge is part of their Adventure On Parks program, a way to connect to the things Subaru owners love most – getting outside and responsibly exploring the country.
“The completion of our 10,000 tree goal is just the beginning,” said SCI Chairman, President and CEO Tomohiro Kubota. “We will continue encouraging Canadians to commit to exploring responsibly.”
Subaru Canada and LNTC created the Pledge, found at takethepledge.leavenotrace.ca in response to the growing number of people recreating outdoors in parks and natural areas. Outdoor recreation and park use were both increasing across the country before 2020 and then exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic. A Park People report found that 66 percent of Canadians increased their park visits since 2019, while a Leger Opinion study for the Trans Canada Trail found 40 percent of Canadians increased their trail use in 2021.
“All these new visitors are great news. We know spending time in nature is good for our physical and mental health, and so these wellness behaviours are a positive sign,” says Trenholme. “However, these are sensitive spaces. Heavy traffic has an impact, especially because many of these new visitors aren’t well versed in Leave No Trace principles and what environmental stewardship means.”
LNTC’s partners and supporters noted that the increased traffic led to more waste left behind, more off-trail damage, more campfire scars, more wildlife disturbance, and more user conflicts. With interest in parks and outdoor recreation continuing to grow–Parks Canada says National Park use continues to increase by two to 10 percent per year–so too will the impact without education.
“I think most of the detrimental things we see in natural areas are from people who are not intentional about the impact they’re having; they just don’t know there is a better way,” says Trenholme. “That’s where the Seven Principles help. They’re guidelines, easily learned and applied, and relevant wherever you are in nature.”
Signing the Pledge is a commitment to knowing the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace. First developed more than 30 years ago, the Principles are more than “take only pictures and leave only footprints”. They cover everything from pre-trip planning to disposing of all types of waste, campfire use, and respecting other trail users and wildlife habitats.
Research by Brock University’s Garett Hutson backs this up. “Leave No Trace principles and practices give people the tools to experience natural areas responsibly and sustainably,” Hutson say
The Seven Leave No Trace Principles are:
1. Plan ahead and prepare
2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces
3. Dispose of waste properly
4. Leave what you find
5. Minimize campfire impacts
6. Respect wildlife
7. Be considerate of others.
Reaching 10,000 pledges is a milestone, not an end, says Trenholme. The Pledge will remain live at takethepledge.leavenotrace.ca, and for every signature received, Subaru Canada will continue to plant a tree with Forests Canada, the tree planting partner.
“We’re asking everyone to take the Pledge,” says Trenholme. “In more ways than one, it is a long-term investment in the future of Canada’s natural spaces.”
Lean more about the Seven Principles and take the Leave No Trace Pledge at takethepledge.leavenotrace.ca
Interviews with representatives of Leave No Trace, including instructors, are available. Please email Sruti Islam, comms@leavenotrace.ca for more information and to arrange interviews.
