Outdoor Living Skills Concepts: Outdoor living skills are the skills necessary to keep people safe and comfortable when interacting with the outdoor environment. There are many things that can be done to help minimize our impact on the environment. Nature is a complex, intertwined system, the smallest damage can have extensive repercussions. Objectives: The students will state actions Time: 1 Hour 45 Minutes that can effect the environment. The students will demonstrate Leave No Trace (LNT) practices The students will build an LNT campfire, set up a shelter, select a campsite, and learn about personal hygiene when camping. The students will explain the 3 W’s of clothing and how this system works. Equipment: 2 Sets of Wicking Layer (Pants/ Shirts) 2 Sets of Warm Layer (Pants/ Shirts) 2 Sets of Waterproof/Shell 2 Pair Gloves 2 Hats 2 Tarps 8 Strings Backpack Paper Clipboards Pencils Trowel Fire Kit (Kindling, Tinder, Pan) Note to Teacher: In the field, you have a perfect opportunity to show students the effects of human impact. Being able to show the lack of vegetation around a disturbed area is a much more effective way to teach the “travel on durable surfaces” principle than hypothetically explaining it. They will be more willing to accept LNT principles if they can see how the environment can be impacted and how it affects their lives. Activities in Lesson: What Do You Take? (15 min) Clothing Relay (20 min) Selecting a Campsite (10 min) Shelter Building (30 min) LNT Campfire (20 min) The Wilderness Bathroom (10 min) Vocabulary Bulk Firewood- large size of wood used when making a fire, also referred to as fuel. Cat Hole– a hole dug in the ground to be used to bury human waste when going to the bathroom in the woods. Giardia– any of various flagellated, usually nonpathogenic protozoa of the genus Giardia that may be parasitic in the intestines of vertebrates including humans and most domestic animals. A suspected cause of diarrhea in humans. Hypothermia– abnormally low body temperature. Kindling- size of wood used in making a fire. This size of wood ranges in diameter from pencil lead to thumbnail. Leave No Trace- an outdoor ethic designed to assist individuals with their decisions when they travel, camp, and utilize public lands. Mound Fire- a fire built on a mound of nutrient deficient soil, used to minimize the impact of fire to the earth. Pan Fire- a fire built in a pan, used to minimize the impact of fire to the earth. Riparian Zone- the banks of a river or stream. Tinder- size of wood used in making a fire. This size of wood is the size of a pencil and smaller in diameter. Wrist Wood- size of wood used in making a fire, typically the size of ones wrist in diameter. 111 Outdoor Living Skills What Do You Take? (15 min) Materials: pencil, paper, clipboards 1. Begin by asking the students: Has anyone been camping before? Where have you been camping? What types of things did you bring camping? 2. Break the students up into groups of two or three and hand out a pencil, paper, and clipboard to each group. Tell them to imagine they are going on a one-week campout on the north end of Bradford Woods. There are no access points and they will be hiking in and out, no cars, vans, etc. As a group, they should put together a list of 10 essential items to put in their backpack. Let them know they do not need to be specific about certain things. For example, they do not need to list all of the different foods that they would take. “Food” in this case is ok and will only count as one item on the list. During discussion encourage them to elaborate on each of these essentials. Give them a few minutes to work and then have them come back together to discuss their ideas. 2. Here are some ideas of what their list could contain: first aid kit, compass, map, water or a means to obtain it, food, clothing, knife, flashlight, shelter, whistle, sleeping bag, etc. 3. There are no right and wrong answers here; everybody's thoughts should be different. Ask the participants to explain the difference between wants and needs. (Needs: function/ survive, wants: comfort) Because of different comfort levels could there be variation between peoples wants and needs? (Yes, for example, we have different tolerances to cold weather, cleanliness, etc.) Do our choices of what to take on a camping trip effect the environment before we even get there? (Yes, for example, repackaging food can help with trash and litter. Different soles on boots can affect the impact on soil and vegetation.) How about once we get there? (Yes, for example, if we use a stove for cooking rather than a fire, were the appropriate tools necessary to build an LNT campfire packed?) 4. Take time to discuss how you would pack a backpack. Clothing Relay (20 min) Materials: 2 pairs of wicking, warm and waterproof layers, 2 pairs of gloves, 2 hats 1. Begin by explaining the concept of the 3 W’s of clothing. Talk about the use of cotton materials compared to synthetic/wool. 2. Divide the group into two teams. Then divide each team in half. Have each team face across from one another in a single file line (each team should look like they are about to play tug-o-war with the clothes being where the center of the rope would be). Each line should be at 10 yards apart from their teammates across from them. Put a pile of clothes on the ground in front of one of each team’s lines. 3. You will need to have a wicking top and bottom, a warm top and bottom (preferably synthetic or wool), an outer shell pants/jacket, gloves, and a hat for each team. These layers should be large enough for the participants to be able to put them on over existing layers. The object is to get the student at the head of the line to put on the layers in the correct order, say the name of the layer, and explain the layer’s function. Once all the layers are on, the student should run across the area to their teammate at the beginning of the other line, take all the layers off and turn them over to the teammate who will repeat the process in its entirety. 4. After a team has won the race, ask the following questions: Why is layering important? (It allows for a greater range of comfort, and protects against the elements better.) What is hypothermia? (It happens when your body begins to lose heat faster that it can produce it.) How can you treat it? (The quicker you act the better chance of recovery. Get the victim out of the elements, into some type of shelter. Remove all wet clothes and replace with dry clothing. You can give them warm, not hot, liquids; preferably something like Jell-O that will offer the body quick fuel for producing heat.) 112 Outdoor Living Skills Selecting a Campsite (10 min) Materials: map 1. Create a hypothetical map to include hills, water, trees, etc. Have enough copies for 3 or 4 groups. Go over the map explaining the different features on it. Have each group select a spot on the map for their campsite and decide why they chose to put their site there. Come back together as a group to discuss their site selections. 2. After the students have discussed their campsite selection ask the following questions: Has anyone heard of LNT? (Leave No Trace) Does where we decide to have our campsite affect the environment? (Yes, damage to vegetation, previous usage, etc.) Why do we not want to have our campsite close to water sources? (Because of the riparian zone. This zone acts as a buffer and by disturbing it you may limit it’s ability to act as a filter. It is any area of land that is within 200 feet of a water source.) Why would a hard surface like slickrock be better for a campsite than the forest floor? (Studies have shown that surfaces most resistant to human impact are slickrock or rock outcroppings; gravel bars and sandy beaches; dry, grassy meadows; and open forest with a grassy understory.) Shelter Building (30 min) Materials: 2 tarps, 8 pieces of string 1. Divide the group in half, and give each group a tarp and four strings. Have one group build a shelter big enough for the entire group and high enough to cook under (cooking shelter). Have the other group build a shelter that one or two people could sleep under during bad weather. Bring the groups together and present/discuss both shelters. 2. After each group has visited each others shelter ask the following questions: Do you think your shelter would really serve its purpose? How else could you make a shelter? What could you use to make a shelter if you did not have a tarp? Was it easy to build your shelter because you had people to help you? How could you have built your shelter if you were alone? 3. A demonstration of the proper way to hang food should be given. Animals that gain access to our food in parks are becoming habituated and this is becoming a serious problem for campers and animals. In the Great Smoky Mountains, the black bears have become such a problem that shelters in the park have to be covered with chain link fence to protect hikers. The LNT Campfire (20 min) Materials: sticks 1. Discuss what you need to have a fire. Discuss the LNT principles of a campfire. Talk about the four different types of wood needed to build a fire (tinder, kindling, wrist wood, and fuel). First demonstrate how to make each of the three fires (lean-to, teepee & log cabin) 2. Then divide the students into small groups and have them set up a fire, making sure they remember to give their fire everything it needs were it to actually burn. They can choose between the lean-to, teepee and the log cabin or they may try all three if they like. Reconvene as a large group and have each group present their design, explaining why they built it the way they did. Do not light each fire. 2. After each group has explained their fire, gather all the wood they used to set up their fires and build one fire for the group. If you do not have enough wood, have the students gather more wood. Once you have enough wood for your fire, build one in the fire pan, revisiting the essential elements of a fire. You will be the only person actually lighting a fire. 3. While building the pan fire, discuss how the mound fire is built. A fire pan may be too bulky to take on backpacking trips, so a mound fire may be more practical. 4. While building the fire you will light ask the following questions: Why do we use the mound fire or fire pan? (To keep from damaging the ground beneath, for example the organic material, vegetation, bacteria, roots, etc.) 113 Outdoor Living Skills What are some other ways that fire can affect the environment? (Fires scar the earth permanently, smoke can scar rock faces for a long period.) Why do we scatter the ashes instead of burying them in a cat hole? (Spreading them does not concentrate the effect, and will not be as noticeable to the next traveler.) The Wilderness Bathroom (10 min) Materials: shovel 1. Begin by asking the students: Why would we want to dig cat holes for human solid waste? (So that our waste is not noticeable to other animals and people.) Why is it important to build the cat hole 6 to 8 inches deep? (This layer of soil will break down the waste more quickly.) Why do we not want to use soap in or around the water? (Some soap contains phosphates, which are powerful plant nutrients. This upsets the level of plant growth in a river, and is an unnatural process.) Do we really need to pack out our toilet paper? (Toilet paper takes a long time to decompose and is not the most pleasing thing to see scattered throughout the woods.) 2. Discuss some of the LNT ideas about hygiene. This can be a difficult section to talk about, which is why it has become such a large problem. 114 Outdoor Living Skills Evaluation Notes √ Students can state actions that can effect √ √ √ √ √ √ the environment. Students demonstrated Leave No Trace (LNT) practices. Students built an LNT campfire. Students set up a shelter. Students select an appropriate campsite. Students can list LNT personal hygiene. Students can explain the 3 W’s of clothing and how this system works. Keep in Mind This module was designed as a LNT outdoor living skills module, not as a survival module. There are a lot of decisions that will change when a person’s life is in danger. For example, the debris shelter is a survival tool that is not low impact because of all of the sticks and leaves needed to build it. If you are in a survival situation a debris shelter can be useful. However, this module is a way for people to learn how they can help leave the environment as undisturbed as possible for the next person. Back in the Classroom Have a park ranger from a nearby park visit your class and discuss ways visitors to their park can leave as little mark as possible. Investigate what other states are doing to reduce the impact in their parks. Write to the governing body for a particular park and suggest to them ways they can reduce the impact. Make a display for your school that describes ways other students can help reduce the impact when they visit a park, even if it is in their neighborhood. 115 Background America’s Recreational Habits Recreational use of America's wild lands has exploded in the past forty years. In 1974, total wilderness visitation was approximately 7 million-visitor days. In 1995, our wilderness lands hosted close to 20 million visitor-days per year. During a single night, as many as one thousand people have camped in one valley of California's San Gorgonio Wilderness. Campsites in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of Minnesota have suffered an 80% loss of vegetation (Cole and Hampton 1995). The World Health Organization estimates that the average adult produces about one liter, approximately two pounds worth, of excreta (half of that is solid) per day. For the sake of discussion, consider the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. More than 100,000 backcountry overnight stays were counted in 1995. If most of those visitors stayed in the park for twenty-four hours, that means more than 100 tons of human solid waste and urination was left in the backcountry of the Smokies in just twelve months (McGivney, 1998). This information is just one way to look at the importance of LNT principles. Most damage to wild lands is the result of lack of education, not malice. In fact, it would be difficult to find a more intelligent, caring group of individuals; most backcountry users are anxious to do the right thing. Yet good intentions alone have fallen short. We must try and show children the importance caring for the environment during recreational experiences and let them make decisions on their own. Overcrowding is a big problem in our parks today, half of all wilderness use happens in only 10% of the total 100 million acres of designated wilderness. If we want our future generations to have the wilderness experience, we have to educate and practice these principles now. As the amount of open space decreases, visitation at local, state, and national forests and parks increases exponentially. The impact people have on the land degrades the quality of the land making it unsuitable for camping or, perhaps more importantly, for the animals who rely on it for their habitat. Following minimum impact standards can greatly reduce the impact an individual has on an area. People often relate minimum impact techniques to camping, but there are many minimal things a person can do during a simple walk in the woods, or even within their homes. The idea of Leave No Trace was initiated by the U.S. Forest Service in order to provide outdoor recreators with practical information that would help minimize their environmental damage. The program has evolved and now combines the talents and expertise of four federal land management agencies, the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. LNT Principles 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 Other Visitors Selecting a Camp Site using LNT Principles The perfect LNT campsite should always be located well out of view from the main trail and at least 200 feet (about 75 paces) from water sources. Studies have shown surfaces found most resistant to human impacts are slickrock or rock outcroppings; gravel bars and sandy beaches; dry, grassy meadows; and open forest with a grassy understory. You will either be camping in a pristine area or one that is popular. There are different criteria for selecting a campsite in each kind of area: Popular areas— whenever possible set up your tent at an established campsite where impact from previous campers is clearly visible. Established campsites typically contain a fire ring, and the ground shows signs of trampling from people and/or pack stock. If a site is so heavily used that the ground is barren and eroded, and tree roots are exposed, camp somewhere else so the land can heal. Pristine areas— where no established campsites are available, camp at a spot that appears to have never been used before rather than in an area that shows modest signs of human disturbance. Make your 116 Background camp on a highly durable or resilient surface, such as slickrock, gravel, or a grassy meadow. Only camp at a pristine site for one night, and then move on. If you are traveling with pack stock or in a large group (12 or more), avoid camping in pristine areas altogether. The ideal low-impact fuel is loose twigs and LNT Campfires Many people associate camping with sitting around a campfire at night and consider a trip incomplete without one. As we learn more and more of the impact caused by fires, many agencies have banned campfires altogether and limit campers’ cooking to backpacking stoves. Should you decide to build a fire, it is important to consider the following information and to leave as little trace as possible. Some reasons to build an LNT fire are: Fire rings. These represent the most obvious sign of human presence, and can prove to be an eye sore to the public. Passing travelers will often use a fire ring as a trash bin, increasing the sign of human presence significantly. Soil Damage. Fires cause a great deal of damage to the environment. The heat from a fire permanently scars the landscape by altering the soil. Repeated fires within the ring destroy organic matter and sterilize the soil as deep as four inches. Building a fire within the fire ring will keep the damage centralized in one location. Consumption of fuel. Another problem with campfires is their insatiable appetite for wood. Campsites in extremely popular and populated areas are usually left barren of fallen wood and nearby trees are typically stripped of branches lower than six feet. This can cause a shortage of homes for wildlife and rob the soil of its needed nutrients. When constructing an LNT campfire: Make sure it is legal to build a fire in the area where you are camped. Make sure there is no danger of it starting a wildfire. Make sure plenty of downed wood is available for fuel, and that it is legal to collect wood. branches that are no thicker than your wrist. Never break off branches from standing trees even if they appear dead. At established campsites, build your fire in the primary fire ring to concentrate impact. In a pristine area where there is no fire ring, build a minimum-impact fire in a selfcontained unit such as a fire pan or on a mound. Eliminate unsightly charcoal by burning wood all the way down to ash. Once the fire is out, scatter the ash. There are two popular types of LNT fires the pan fire and the mound fire: pan fire—needs to have a flame-resistant metal tray with sides high enough (at least three inches) to contain wood and ashes Remove the top layer of topsoil and vegetation and set it aside. Elevate the pan with a few rocks to protect the ground below from heat, which can kill vegetation. Construct the desired fire and burn it until there is only ash is left. Mound fire—you will need a trowel, a large stuff sack, and a ground cloth. Locate mineral soil if possible (streambeds, or anyplace where soil is frequently disturbed by flooding) and use the trowel to fill the large stuff sack. Lay down your ground cloth (a large trash bag works fine) and begin spreading soil on it. Try and form a circular, flat mound at least 6 to 8 inches thick. The thickness of the mound is critical in preventing any heat-caused damage to the surface beneath the ground cloth, and to keep the ground cloth from melting. Now construct a fire on top of the mound and light. Both pan fires and mound fires should be kept small, using only small scraps of wood for fuel. Make sure the fire is completely out and then scatter the leftover ashes across a broad area away from the campsite. The ashes should be cool enough for you to run your hands through them. If you build a mound fire, return the mineral soil to its original location. There are multiple ways to actually build a fire. The three illustrated in the back of this module are the lean-to, teepee, and the log cabin. You will need the four levels of wood for the fire. 117 Background Tinder is the light, airy material that catches fire quickly, burns hot, and burns long enough to catch the kindling on fire. This material MUST be absolutely dry. If you are in a situation where finding dry tinder is a problem sap from evergreens, pitch will burn even in a downpour. The oils found in the sassafras tree, which are flammable, will also burn even when wet. Kindling is the next step in the building process; these are small pieces if wood that range from the size of pencil lead to a pencil itself but no bigger. Wrist Wood is next, and it will range from the size of a pencil to about the size of your wrist. It is good to have a decent supply of this wood because it is needed to have a fire hot/big enough to start the next level. Bulk Firewood is too big to break and is on what the fire will live. often called “widow makers.” Make sure there are no dead trees near your campsite to prevent accidents from happening (example: if one were to fall on your shelter). A shelter, whether it is a tarp or tent, should be set on a durable surface. It should be set up at least 200 feet (approximately 75 paces) away from the nearest water source. There are several different tents available on the market: read the manufacturers directions before leaving on a trip. Tarps can be set up in several different ways: Illustration of a mound fire: Log Cabin Fire: tinder goes in the center and kindling over that. Tee-pee fire: tinder on the bottom and the kindling leans on it. Lean-to fire: Shelter When choosing a place for shelter make sure there are no dead branches in the trees above, 118 Background Water There are several hazards that can be ingested from natural water sources. To avoid the ingestion of these waterborne pathogens, you should boil, filter, or treat water before drinking it. One of the most common problems in our water sources today, is a protozoon called Giardia. Giardia is an intestinal parasite that remains active in the human body for varying lengths of time. Once you have ingested Giardia you are always a carrier. Giardia is transmitted through fecal matter and ingested orally, usually through water. LNT Personal Hygiene and the Wilderness Bathroom Human Waste Disposal In regards to human waste, if there is an outhouse provided, use it to concentrate impact. In most backcountry situations where there is no outhouse, burying your waste in a shallow cat hole is the best disposal method. The cat hole should be located at least 200 feet away from any water sources, campsites, and trails. Maximum conditions for decomposition are achieved when the hole is dug in organic soil, which is rich in microorganisms, and in a spot that is somewhat moist but receives a fair amount of sunlight. Use a trowel to dig a hole that is about 4 to 8 inches deep, and 4 to 6 inches in diameter. Once you have made a deposit, throw in some soil and stir it all with a stick. Then place at least 2 inches of topsoil back in the hole and camouflage the site. Pack out toilet paper, or avoid the hassle by using a natural wiping alternative such as snow, leaves, or river stones. Tampons and disposable diapers must be packed out as well. Urine does not need to be buried, but avoid urinating on plants because animals are attracted to the salty liquid. The proper way to pick up toilet paper is to pick it up using a bag as a glove, then pull the bag over your hand so paper is inside the bag and the hand does not touch the paper. Washing With the exception of hand washing, bathing should be considered optional in the backcountry because it has inevitable environmental impacts. Any washing activities should take place at least 200 feet from natural water sources and, preferably, on a durable surface such as gravel or slickrock. If you use soap, make sure it is phosphate free and biodegradable. If you do not use soap, washing in a natural body of water is acceptable by LNT standards only if it is a large lake or river. Minimize tooth-brushing impact by using salt or baking soda instead of toothpaste. The Three W's of Clothing The three W's of clothing stand for wicking, warm, and weatherproof. The function of this system is for the wicking layer to pull the moister away from the skin, the warmth layer is there to insulate, and the weatherproof layer is to keep out the wind, cold, rain, etc. Layering is important because it is very versatile. You get too hot you have the option of removing clothing. Synthetic fabrics are important because even when they are wet they retain a great deal of their insulation qualities, unlike cotton that retains hardly any. 3 W’s Song (To the tune of “Do your ears hang low?”) Are your clothes picked well? Do they keep you nice and warm? Will they keep you safe and dry From a crazy weather storm Do they wick the sweat to the layer in between? Are your clothes picked well? Are you dressed alright if You had to stay the night? Did you bring non-cotton socks And a wicking pair of tights? Will you stay warm and dry 119 Background Til the early morning light? Are you dressed alright? If you get real cold it can Make you really sick. Hypothermia it’s called And you won’t recover quick. If you wear your layers Wicking, warm, and waterproof Then you won’t get cold! Hypothermia Hypothermia happens when your body begins to lose heat faster than it can produce it. When you begin to shiver, it is your body involuntarily trying to produce heat. This is a natural process and is not a bad process; just be aware of what your body wants to do. Hypothermia is most dangerous when the temperature is between the 30's and 50's (Fahrenheit). We are usually underdressed in this type of weather, and underestimate the power of being wet in this situation. Some signs of hypothermia are uncontrollable fits of shivering, slurred speech, loss of feeling in arms and legs, and drowsiness. If you notice any of these signs the more quickly you act the better chance there is of recovery. Get the victim out of the elements, into some type of shelter. Remove all wet clothes and replace with dry clothing. You can give them warm, not hot, liquids, preferably something like Jell-O that will offer the body quick fuel for producing heat. Proper Way to Hang Food 120 Standards Grade 3 English/ Language Arts 3.7.2 Connect and relate experiences and ideas to those of a speaker. 3.7.3 Answer questions completely and appropriately. 3.7.15 Follow three- and four-step oral directions. Science 3.1.6 Give examples of how tools, such as automobiles, computers, and electric motors, have affected the way we live. 3.1.8 Describe how discarded products contribute to the problem of waste disposal and that recycling can help solve this problem. 3.2.5 Construct something used for performing a task out of paper, cardboard, wood, plastic, metal, or existing objects. 3.3.6 Describe ways human beings protect themselves from adverse weather conditions. 3.4.6 Explain that people need water, food, air, waste removal, and a particular range of temperatures, just as other animals do. 3.6.3 Explain how a model of something is different from the real thing but can be used to learn something about the real thing. Social Studies 3.2.5 Explain that people are citizens of their community, state, and nation and explain the importance of good citizenship. Grade 4 English/ Language Arts 4.7.1 Ask thoughtful questions and respond orally to relevant questions with appropriate elaboration. 4.7.4 Give precise directions and instructions. Science 4.1.6 Explain that even a good design may fail even though steps are taken ahead of time to reduce the likelihood of failure. 4.3.12 Investigate, observe, and explain that heat is produced when one object rubs against another, such as one’s hands rubbing together. 4.6.1 Demonstrate that in an object consisting of many parts, the parts usually influence or interact with one another. 4.6.3 Recognize and describe how changes made to a model can help predict how the real thing can be altered. ate directions when referring to relative location. Grade 5 English/ Language Arts 5.7.1 Ask questions that seek information not already discussed. 5.7.2 Interpret a speaker’s verbal and nonverbal messages, purposes, and perspectives. 5.7.3 Make inferences or draw conclusions based on an oral report. Science 5.1.5 Explain that technology extends the ability of people to make positive and /or negative changes in the world. 5.1.6 Explain how the solution to one problem, such as the use of pesticides in agriculture or the use of dumps for waste disposal, may create other problems. 5.4.5 Explain how changes in an organism’s habitat are sometimes beneficial and sometimes harmful. Grade 6 English/ Language Arts 6.7.1 Relate the speaker’s verbal communication (such as word choice, pitch, feeling, and tone) to the nonverbal message (such as posture and gesture). 6.7.2 Identify the tone, mood, and emotion conveyed in the oral communication. 6.7.3 Restate and carry out multiple-step oral instructions and directions. Science 6.3.12 Describe ways human beings protect themselves from adverse weather conditions. 6.3.13 Analyze and give examples of the consequences of human impact on the physical environment and evaluate ways in which technology influences human capacity to modify the physical environment. 6.3.17 Recognize and describe that energy is a property of many objects and is associated with heat, light, electricity, mechanical motion and sound. 6.4.13 Give examples of how human beings use technology to match or exceed many of the abilities of other species Social Studies 4.3.2 The World in Spatial Terms: Estimate distances between two places on a map, using a scale of miles, and use cardinal and intermedi121 122
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