Bushcraft ethics

[jeff_c]

I think there was another thread on this here not long ago. Perhaps if someone could link it, that would be great. It may have been on another site.

Do you all consider woodland / bushcraft ethics in your skills practice?

I am not necessarily a tree hugger, but I am environmentally conscious. I believe in "no trace" backpacking principles and have always been very conscious of my presence in the field.

When I make shelters and or traps (for practice) I use only downed limbs (plenty around). If I have campfires I am very conscious of how, when and where. I try not to disturb the ares I play in. I often pack out trash left by less considerate folks. I get REALLY tired of seeing other peoples trash on the trail. And I am even more disgusted by seeing people destroy fauna in order to make their campsite more "comfy". I cannot STAND to see crap carved in trees.

What about you all? Do you think of these things when you are practicing your skills?

 

[Bushman5]

well, now that the rabble rabble and pitchfork some posters of the other thread has died down.......

It really depends on your area......here i can chop trees all day and in six months there as a gazillion more. I can build fires and they disappear with the next rain.

I generally burn my TP, cover my scat with forest floor duff, scatter my campsite materials and scatter my fire ashes.

most of my camps are so far off trail and in very innaccessible areas, the average joe hiker would never even know i was there.

in any case, here in the Wet Coast, nature reclaims itself in hyperspeed.

your region may be different. If i was in another region my tactics would change to match the region.

 

[myright]

This thread on the heels of your post in the RAT forum about someone being unethical for cutting down a tree?

To be on topic - I don't go out of my way to destroy things on the trail but I've been known to trim a branch or two It bothers me more to see trash on the trail then it does seeing someone cut down a tree. My house is made out of lumber along with most of things in it..... My car spits fumes out of its tail pipe and I've got a few aerosol cans around the house. Hell, I even keep some the fish I catch. Does that make me an unethical human?

 

[jeff_c]

This thread on the heels of your post in the RAT forum about someone being unethical for cutting down a tree?

To be on topic - I don't go out of my way to destroy things on the trail but I've been known to trim a branch or two It bothers me more to see trash on the trail then it does seeing someone cut down a tree. My house is made out of lumber along with most of things in it..... My car spits fumes out of its tail pipe and I've got a few aerosol cans around the house. Hell, I even keep some the fish I catch. Does that make me an unethical human?

And I posted here and not there for a reason. Also I did not mention that thread in my post here. I am curious as to the thoughts of others on this topic.

And I didnt say you were an unethical human being. I simply wondered (here specifically and NOT on the RAT forum) if people considered the impact of their actions in the woods.

 

[jeff_c]

well, now that the rabble rabble and pitchfork some posters of the other thread has died down.......

It really depends on your area......here i can chop trees all day and in six months there as a gazillion more. I can build fires and they disappear with the next rain.

So was it here that there was another discussion? (Sorry I don't have search capabilities here). And if this has been a flare up in the past, Mods can certainly delete this thread. No need to cover things ad nauseum.

You comment on the region is certainly valid. Of corse in a jungle environment you could probably build a hut, clear an acre and plant crops and it would likley be gone in a few months .

I was just taught to not be wasteful. (not a judgment statement just my approach). I don't mind things being harvested for a reason, but I have seen sevearl posts here and on other sites lately where knives were "tested" by hacking into live trees. Seems odd to me. That's why I was curious to others opinions.

 

[myright]

And I posted here and not there for a reason. Also I did not mention that thread in my post here. I am curious as to the thoughts of others on this topic.

And I didnt say you were an unethical human being. I simply wondered (here specifically and NOT on the RAT forum) if people considered the impact of their actions in the woods.

Don't get me wrong, Jeff. I'm with you on this topic. I was just a little put off by your post on the RAT forum. I've should have done a little better at self moderating before letting that carry over here.

I don't like seeing our wilderness get abused either.

One of the worst things I've ever seen I came across on a trail while hiking in the Smokies. The wife and I were headed to some falls (can't remember which ones). There were quite a few people there when we got there so we decided to take one of the smaller trails leading away from the falls. When we walked about 10 yards away from the falls on this trail we realized what this trail was for. People were using it as a bathroom. There was human feces EVERYWHERE, toilet paper EVERYWHERE - right there in the middle of the trail. Apparently some people couldn't wait because there were a few pair of soiled drawers laying around also. There was plenty of trash around there also. Horrible....

 

[Ravaillac]

Interesting question.

Stuff like plastics or glass is a big problem because it will last for decades so I'd really avoid that anywhere.

About cutting trees, burning wood... I often indulge, but that's mostly because others don't. If everyone did it it wouldn't be possible, and I thank most people for not doing so. Well I know mostly people don't do it mostly by lack of interest for nature and lack of know-how put thanks anyway.
What also help me is the fact that most around here are commercially exploited and heavily articialized anyway. Not like I was soiling pristine nature.
When I do I try to take broken trees, pick those in thick bushes where they'll be replaced quickly. Yet I know that even picking dead wood on the ground can affect nature (Actually in some occasion, picking living trees could be less harmful than harvesting dead one).

I think the Connovers in their great "Snow Walker Companion" book make an excellent point. They make a comparison between a (real world) modern Native in Canada and a couple of average urbanite hikers in the US.

The native is using a practical oriented approach using snow mobile, chainsaw, rifle... While the hiker couple are into the leave no trace approach.

The point they make is that the native guy's way is perfectly suited for northern wilderness where it makes little difference, but would be completly unsustainable in more visited wilderness areas, while the hikers leave no trace approach might be necessary in more populated/exposed areas but may in the end have more impact on nature if you look at the whole picture (think of all the energy and material necessary to produce a gas canister and all the high tech gear).

I think that sums it pretty well.