x
Breaking News
More () »

Cape Hatteras National Seashore Wants You to 'Leave No Trace' or Giant Trenches Like This One

National Parks officials are reminding Outer Banks visitors of the seven 'Leave No Trace' principles after this huge hole was found along the beach in Avon, NC.

AVON, N.C. — You may not think you're doing any harm, but Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS) says digging huge holes in the beach can lead to dangers for people and animals. 

Cape Hatteras officials say someone dug a giant trench in the beach in Avon Thursday night. The problem is that leaving such a large hole can lead to visitor injuries, damage to emergency response vehicles, delays in responding to swimming-related emergencies, and could also prevent sea turtle hatchlings from making it safely to the ocean. 

RELATED: Sea turtles set nesting record at Cape Hatteras Seashore

Have you heard of the seven principles of the Leave No Trace program... ? The individuals responsible for digging this trench in Avon last night broke four out of seven of the principles.

CHNS says concerned visitors reported the hole to their staff, and it's a good thing, too. They say the hole may have filled with the recent rain water and created additional hazards to children and adults walking along the beach. 

The hole has been filled back up, but CHNS is using it as a teaching moment, reminding Outer Banks visitors of the seven principles of the Leave No Trace program. CHNS says in this case, four out of the seven principles were broken. 

The 7 Principles of the Leave No Trace program:

 

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare

  • Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll visit.
  • Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.
  • Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.
  • Visit in small groups when possible. Consider splitting larger groups into smaller groups.
  • Repackage food to minimize waste.
  • Use a map and compass or GPS to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging.

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces 

  • Durable surfaces include maintained trails and designated campsites, rock, gravel, sand, dry grasses or snow.
  • Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.
  • Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary.
    • In popular areas:
      • Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.
      • Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.
      • Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent.
    • In pristine areas:
      • Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.
      • Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

  • Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite, food preparation areas, and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food and litter.
  • Utilize toilet facilities whenever possible. Otherwise, deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, camp and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.
  • Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
  • To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.

4. Leave What You Find 

  • Preserve the past: examine, photograph, but do not touch cultural or historic structures and artifacts.
  • Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
  • Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
  • Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts 

  • Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the environment. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.
  • Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires.
  • Keep fires small. Only use down and dead wood from the ground that can be broken by hand.
  • Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.

6. Respect Wildlife 

  • Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
  • Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, [habituates them to humans], and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
  • Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.
  • Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
  • Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors 

  • Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
  • Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
  • Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.
  • Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.
  • Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.

RELATED: Nags Head Fire Destroys Home; Family, Pets Displaced

RELATED: Cape Hatteras, Cape Lookout National Seashores celebrate International Lightship weekend

RELATED: Sea turtle hatchlings in Nags Head

RELATED: 7-Foot-5 Shark, Pico, Stops By the Outer Banks

RELATED: Corolla Wild Horse Dies After Getting Entangled in Wire; Power Company to Install Guards

RELATED: Why Lighthouses Look The Way They Do

RELATED: What Are Those Weird Jellyfish-Like Blobs Washing Up On Outer Banks Beaches?

RELATED: NC Wildlife Sanctuary Upgrades Expected To Promote Research In Outer Banks

RELATED: 'At First I Thought I Was Picking Up Trash': NC Man Finds Prehistoric Treasure at Myrtle Beach

Before You Leave, Check This Out