Meadow Lake Provincial Park
“Leave No Trace”
School Group Pre-Trip Activity Package
Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport’s Meadow
Lake Provincial Park is a founding partner of
LEAVE NO TRACE CANADA, and is leading
the way in the incorporation of Leave No Trace
ethics into their environmental and cultural
education programs.
By
adopting the ethics of LEAVE NO
TRACE, and communicating them to our youth,
we will be helping to preserve Saskatchewan’s
natural areas to ensure that they remain healthy.
“The Leave No Trace educational program promotes skills and ethics to
support the sustainable use of wilderness and natural areas1”
Leave No Trace’s Seven Principles:
“At the heart of
Leave No Trace are
seven principles for
reducing the damage
caused by outdoor
activities.”
Plan Ahead and Prepare
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Dispose of Waste Properly
Leave What You Find
Minimize Campfire Impacts
Respect Wildlife
Be Considerate of Others
Major impacts / concerns with school groups and other park visitors are:
 Litter - even small pieces.
 Flower picking - Reproductive capabilities of the plants are destroyed and it’s illegal.
 Noise - Disturbs wildlife & other visitors.
 Weather extremes – Camping beside a lake often means cooler temperatures.
 Campfires - Large fires waste wood and fires need to be put completely out!
 Pets - Pets not on a leash put stress on wildlife and it is important to dispose of feces properly.
 Trees – damage by nails, axes, rope often are the cause of disease and death of many trees.
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Information found in chart is adapted from www.lnt.org and the Leave No Trace - Skills & Ethics booklet, North America
Leave No Trace Pre-Trip Activity Package
Instructions: In order for your class to visit the park without leaving a trace, park management requires each class
to complete the Pre-Trip Activity Package (Leave No Trace Introduction and one or more of the following
classroom activities). It should take no more than an hour to complete one of the activities provided.
Part 1: Leave No Trace Introduction
Outline and discuss the seven Leave No Trace principles
(adapted for Meadow Lake Provincial Park - Saskatchewan, as outlined below) with your students. Emphasize and
explain the importance of why they are learning these principles. Refer to www.leavenotrace.ca for more Leave No
Trace information.
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Plan Ahead and Prepare
Learn about areas you visit. Know the
regulations/concerns for the park.
Be prepared. Don’t forget clothes to protect
you from cold, heat, wind, rain or snow!
Prepare for hazards and special emergencies.
Repackage your food to minimize waste.
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Durable surfaces include established trails
and campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses or
snow. In Meadow Lake Provincial Park,
visitors should camp in designated campsites.
Good campsites are found, not made.
Altering a site is not necessary
Concentrate use on existing trails and
campsites. Avoid flowers and small trees.
(If hurt, they may not grow back).
Walk single file in the middle of the trail,
even when wet or muddy.
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Dispose of Waste Properly
Pack it in / pack it out. Put litter, even
crumbs in trashcans or carry it home.
Use bathrooms or outhouses when available.
If you have to ‘go,’ act like a cat and bury
poop in a small hole 4-8 inches deep and 100
big steps from the water. Place your toilet
paper in a plastic bag and put the bag in the
garbage can back home.
Keep water clean. Do not put soap, food or
poop in lakes or streams.
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Leave What You Find
Leave plants, rocks and historical items as
you find them so others can enjoy them.
Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch
cultural or historic structures and artifacts.
Treat living plants with respect. Do not pick
plants, use axes on trees or put nails in trees.
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Good campsites are found, not made. Don’t
dig trenches or build structures in your
campsite.
Minimize Campfire Impacts
Use a camp stove for cooking. It’s easier to
cook on and clean up than a fire.
Check for fire hazard levels and fire bans.
Fires are only permitted in government
provided fireplaces/barbeques.
Keep your fire small and remember that fires
aren’t for trash or food.
Do not snap branches off live, dead or
downed trees. It is unlawful to transport
wood into or out of the park.
Burn all wood to ash and be sure that the fire
is completely OUT and COLD before you
leave or go to bed.
Respect Wildlife
Observe animals from a distance and
NEVER approach, feed or follow them.
Human food is unhealthy for animals and
feeding them starts bad habits, alters natural
behaviors and exposes them to predators and
other dangers.
Protect wildlife and your food by storing
your meals and trash securely.
Control pets at all times or leave them home.
Avoid wildlife during sensitive times:
mating, nesting, raising young or winter.
Be Considerate of Others
Make sure the fun you have in the outdoors
does not bother anyone else. Remember that
other visitors want to enjoy the outdoors also.
Listen to nature. Avoid making loud noises.
You will see more animals if you are quiet.
Be courteous. Yield to other visitors.
Part 2: Activity Options
Activity Option (A): Lettuce Consider Our Impacts2 – (use this activity in combination with another activity)
Objective: Students will form an environmental ethic based on wilderness impacts they have caused.
Age: Kindergarten and up
Materials: One head of lettuce (romaine works better than iceberg)
Group Size: 5 or more
Time: 15 minutes (varies with group size)
Procedure: Have the students stand with you in a circle. With the head of lettuce in your hands, ask the group to
think of one thing they have done in the wilderness or park that they aren’t proud of. Give them a moment to think
about this, and then begin by confessing your own ‘Leave No Trace sin’. After you have confessed your sin, you
must remove one piece of lettuce from the head of lettuce. Next pass the head of lettuce to the person on your left,
while keeping the small piece of lettuce in your hands. That person must confess their ‘Leave No Trace sin,’ peel
off a piece of lettuce and then pass the rest on. This continues until the last person (the person on your right) peels
off a piece from the head. Then explain to the group that you are going to try to ‘rebuild’ the head of lettuce. So,
the person holding the head of lettuce will start by replacing their piece of lettuce exactly as they found it. In turn
each person replaces his or her little piece of lettuce until it gets back to you. Undoubtedly, you will be holding a
lop-sided head of lettuce. Finally, explain to the group that the head of lettuce is representative of the earth. Each
one of us impacts our world in some way, and even when we try to put it back, it is impossible to put it exactly how
it was when we found it. This is why it is important to Leave No Trace, reduce our impacts to begin with and travel
responsibly.
Activity Option (B): Campsite Travesties3
Objective: Teach students the cost of leaving a trace using drawings and discussion.
Age: Grades 3 and up
Materials: Paper, crayons/markers, ‘travesties’ prepared ahead of time on slips of paper.
Group Size: Any size.
Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour
Procedure: Ask each student to draw his or her ideal campsite (generally or for their upcoming trip). When they
are finished, have them present their illustration to the group. Next, pass out slips of paper with ‘campsite
travesties’ that the artists must add to their pictures. Please refer to the ‘Major impacts / concerns with school
groups and other park visitor’s section on the front page of this publication.
Some other examples of ‘travesties’ include:
- A group of 20 pre-teen campers moves in next to your campsite (add bright yellow tents, stereos and footballs).
- The flowers at your site are all picked/trampled.
- The ‘garbage monster’ visits your site (add Styrofoam, food wrappers, flashlight batteries).
- Food and litter at your campsite attracts animals (add rats and a dead skunk with its head caught in a jar).
- There are axe markings and nails pounded into the trees around your site.
For follow-up discussion, ask students how they felt about making the changes to their pictures (most of them will
be upset at having to ruin their own artwork). Ask students if they have ever seen any of the ‘travesties’ in real life,
and discuss what could be done in each case to prevent leaving a trace at a campsite.
Modification: Kindergarten to Grade 3 –have students think of a time when they saw something bad being done
to nature. Allow time for them to draw/color the ‘Leave No Trace sin’ they are thinking of. Have each student
present his or her picture to the class and say why the action is bad and how the scene could be corrected.
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Activity adapted from a Jeff Leisy activity-U.S. National Park Service (published in the Leave No Trace Training Cookbook)
Activity adapted from the Leave No Trace Training Cookbook
Activity Option (C): Ethi-Thinking4
Objective: Students will be able to: 1) generate a list of activities done outside that are harmful to wildlife and the
environment; 2) discuss reasons these activities are inappropriate; and 3) recommend alternative activities.
Age: Grades K-8 and up
Materials: art materials (crayons, construction paper, magazines for photos) to make discussion cards
Group Size: any
Time: one or two 20-40 minute periods
Procedure: 1) With students, make a list of activities that people do that seem harmful to wild plants and animals.
Think about things they’ve seen or know about that might be harmful. Refer to the ‘Major impacts / concerns with
school groups and other park visitors’ section on the front page of this publication. Some other ideas could be:
- Carving initials in trees
- Removing plants from environment, like digging up orchids
- Destroying bird nests
- Illegally killing, collecting, harassing, or possessing wildlife
- Picking up baby wild animals in the environment (birds, fawns, etc.)
- Driving vehicles (cars, motorcycles, ATV’s, snowmobiles) over fragile environments
2) Students cutout photos or make drawings to create cards that show these activities and describe what is
happening. (Or, teacher could prepare in advance; laminate and use again).
3) Collect the cards. Count students off to make groups of four each. Hand out one card to each group and ask
them to discuss (or present skits, poems, etc.):
a) What is happening?
b) Does it harm wildlife? How?
c) Does it seem to be appropriate or inappropriate behavior? Why?
d) Is the person doing it having fun?
e) What else could he or she do that would satisfy their needs/interests without being harmful?
4) Ask each group to report to everyone else about:
a) Their feelings concerning what is happening to the outdoor activity shown in the picture; and
b) Their recommendation for an alternative activity the people could do that would not be harmful.
Modification for Grades K-2: Students draw things they know about or have seen happen that would hurt wild
plants and animals. Students will describe their drawing and what people should do instead.
For Older Students: Older students can dramatize the situation in skits, ‘commercials,’ songs or poems.
Part 3: Assignment
Upon arrival to the park, your class must donate up to five photographs of your Leave No Trace activities or up to
five Leave No Trace drawings for a Leave No Trace album to be kept in the park interpretive centre. The purpose
of the album is to help us communicate the Leave No Trace message to other park visitors. (Please ensure all
necessary Freedom of Information and Privacy Act forms accompany all photographs).
Part 4: Feedback and Evaluation
Complete the enclosed Post-Activity / Post-Trip Feedback Form and send to the Park within 2 weeks of your class
trip. Feedback is crucial to help us present the Leave No Trace Pre-Trip Activity Package clearly and in a manner
suitable for your needs. It is also important for us to gauge the effectiveness of the Leave No Trace message with
the students. If you are interested in a Leave No Trace program upon arrival at the Park, please contact us to book
your program.
Publication Designed by:
N. Dancey (12/03/04) [email protected]
(student: www.mhc.ab.ca/etol)
for Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park-SK
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Activity from: Project Wild – Activity Guide (Canadian Wildlife Federation, 1990)
School ________________________________
Teacher _______________________________
Address _______________________________
City/Town _____________________________
Postal code ____________________________
Phone # ___(
)__________________
Meadow Lake
Provincial Park
Please Print Clearly
Part 4: Post-Activity / Post-Trip Feedback Form
Complete this form and send to Meadow Lake Provincial Park within 2 weeks of your class trip. Feedback is
crucial to help us present the Leave No Trace Pre-Trip Activity Package clearly and in a manner suitable for your
needs. It is also important for us to gauge the effectiveness of the Leave No Trace message with the students. All
Feedback forms returned within 2 weeks of your trip will be entered into a draw to win 2 nights free
camping for your next school education field trip.
A) Leave No Trace Activity Evaluation – to be filled out after completing the Leave No Trace Pre-Trip
Activity Package with your students.
1. How do you rate the overall layout and design of the Leave No Trace Pre-Trip Activity Package? What
recommendations would you make for us to improve the design for next year?
2. How effective were the activities? What activity suggestions or modifications do you have?
B) Post - Trip Evaluation - to be filled out upon return from your trip to
Meadow Lake Provincial Park.
1. How do you rate the overall effectiveness of incorporating the Leave No Trace Principles into your school
trip? Do you think this activity made a difference in your students’ environmental ethic? How?
2. Were your students aware of their actions while in the Park? Did they consciously try to be aware of their
behavior and decrease their impacts on our park? Give specific examples.
3. Have you discussed the impacts on the park with your students and reviewed the Leave No Trace principles
with them since your return from the Park? What do you think their retention of the Leave No Trace
message will be?
Mail To . . . . . .
Meadow Lake Provincial Park
Box 70-Dorintosh, SK-S0M 0T0
Phone (306) 236-7680
Email: [email protected]
This publication has
been designed by Nicole
Dancey and Cypress
Hills Interprovincial ParkSaskatchewan