Council signs up to Leave No Trace Seven Principles

28th June 2021

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Leave No Trace Launch (2)

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has become the first Council in Northern Ireland to sign up to Leave No Trace Ireland, an all-island body which promotes the  ‘Leave No Trace’ Seven Principles to protect and conserve natural and cultural heritage.

Speaking about Leave No Trace, the Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Errol Thompson, said:

“Signing up to Leave No Trace Ireland underpins Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s approach to long term sustainability and care for our environment. The Council is committed to ensuring that the Fermanagh and Omagh district is a great place to live, work and visit, and the message of  ‘Leave No Trace’ is an important factor in the sustainable delivery of this.

While the Council has consistently promoted a leave no trace message to residents and visitors over the last number of years, formally adopting Leave No Trace reinforces our commitment to protecting the environment and encouraging others to do the same for the benefit of everyone.

One of the benefits of membership is that the organisation offers a range of educational opportunities all based upon the Leave No Trace Seven Principles. The Council will avail of and support these opportunities to help embed the principles within our communities for people of all ages.”

The Leave No Trace Seven Principles provide a simple framework of minimum impact practices for anyone visiting the outdoors. Although Leave No Trace has its roots in the countryside, the principles have been adapted so that they can be applied anywhere — from remote areas, to local parks and residential areas. They also apply to almost every recreational activity.

The Leave No Trace Seven Principles are to:

  • Plan ahead and prepare;
  • Travel and camp on durable surfaces;
  • Dispose of waste properly;
  • Leave what you find;
  • Minimise campfire impacts;
  • Respect wildlife;
  • Be considerate of other visitors. 

Already, the Council’s Community Wellbeing Co-ordinators have undertaken training in the Leave No Trace schools’ programme and visited a number of schools across the district in June as part of a pilot schools’ programme developed by the Council.

The programme includes a mix of educational and recreational activities to bring a fun and new learning experience of the Leave No Trace Seven Principles to primary school children to promote and inspire responsible outdoor recreation.

The Council will also hold a number of events and activities within communities to promote the Leave No Trace Seven Principles and roll out a marketing and communications campaign to raise awareness of the principles and encourage everyone to care for and protect the natural environment.

For further information on Leave No Trace or to get involved please visit the Council website at www.fermanaghomagh.com or contact Ryan Hanna, Countryside Recreation Officer at Fermanagh and Omagh District Council on 0300 303 1777 or email info@fermanaghomagh.com