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Leave No Trace and Orienteering

Many Navigation Games activities take place in schoolyards and parks that are already heavily trafficked. When orienteering in more remote areas, or at camp, be aware of and teach the following Leave No Trace principles.

The Seven Principles​

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare​

Orienteering is fundamentally about planning. Before you leave the start, you study the map, plan a route, and prepare for the terrain. Teachers prepare the course, check the area for hazards, and set time limits. This principle is woven into every activity.

2. Travel on Durable Surfaces​

Orienteering involves off-trail travel through natural terrain. Orienteering is naturally low-impact because each person chooses a different route to the checkpoints. Unlike a hiking trail where hundreds of people walk the same path, orienteers spread across different routes, and new trails are unlikely to form.

Research supports this. A 1972 study of three orienteering events in southern Sweden with up to 9,300 participants found that vegetation recovered quickly despite trampling. A biological survey of routes used during the 2001 World Orienteering Championships in Tampere, Finland showed no harm to any significant or valuable area. A UK study of an event with 1,200 competitors on a National Heritage site found that most vegetation recovered within three weeks. The International Orienteering Federation considers orienteering a sport of low ecological impact.

Orienteers also work with land managers to stay out of sensitive areas. Course designers mark out-of-bounds zones on the map to protect fragile habitat. Checkpoints are placed at features that can handle foot traffic, not in fragile areas.

When introducing off-trail navigation, teach the principle explicitly: "Choose where you step to minimize your impact."

3. Dispose of Waste Properly​

Orienteering courses use checkpoint markers that are set up and taken down for each event. We do not leave permanent infrastructure in the environment. All equipment is removed after the activity.

Teachers should model this: pick up any litter you find during setup, and check that all markers and flags are collected at the end.

4. Leave What You Find​

Orienteering teaches observation without collection. Students learn to notice and name features (rocks, trees, fences, stream crossings) without disturbing them. The whole point is to use the environment as it is.

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts​

Not directly relevant to orienteering activities, but relevant to camp settings where orienteering is part of a broader outdoor program.

6. Respect Wildlife​

Orienteering takes place in wildlife habitat. Students should know to give animals space, stay quiet in sensitive areas, and avoid disturbing nests or dens. Animal-O uses pictures of animals at checkpoints, which is a natural opening to talk about the real animals that live in the space.

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors​

Orienteering in public parks means sharing the space with walkers, joggers, dog owners, and other park users. Students need to know:

  • Don't block trails. Step aside for other users.
  • Be aware that running through a park with a map can look unusual to other visitors. A friendly wave goes a long way.
  • Keep noise levels reasonable, especially near residential areas.

The Bigger Picture​

Orienteering builds a relationship with outdoor spaces. Students who spend time navigating through a park, noticing its features, and returning to it session after session develop a connection to that place. That connection is the foundation of environmental stewardship. People protect places they care about, and orienteering teaches kids to care about the spaces they explore.

Resources​