Case study of
#00093 Leave No Trace education and a 'pack it in, pack it out' ethic
Appalachian Trail, USA
#00086
OngoingRegion
Implementer
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Location
Appalachian Trail, USA39.3256, -77.7397
Description
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy applies Leave No Trace principles across the ~2,200-mile Appalachian Trail through on-trail education and signage, promoting pack-it-in-pack-it-out norms among one of the US's highest-traffic long-distance hiking communities.
Lessons learned
- Encouraging hikers to carry out litter left by others — not just their own — distributes stewardship across the entire user base without requiring additional staff presence on a 2,200-mile corridor.
Documented Jun 26, 2026