Leave No Trace  - Center for Outdoor Ethics

Leave No Trace is a set of principles designed to help recreationists minimize their ecological impact while enjoying the outdoors. The program is managed by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, www.lnt.org, an international non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and inspire responsible outdoor recreation through education, research and partnerships.

Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield National Park was created to preserve the area's historical and cultural significance, and the park has also become an important focal point for outdoor recreation in the Atlanta area. It is especially important to respect the area by not disturbing the historical aspects of the park such as the earthworks, relics and artifacts. This is easily accomplished by staying on the trails and observing the Leave No Trace principles as listed below.

The principles of Leave No Trace originated from the need to protect the backcountry and wilderness areas from human impacts. It is important to recognize that the application of Leave No Trace principles extends far beyond just backcountry areas. The principles extend from the Front country into our everyday life and knowledge of how to apply these principles in these areas becomes increasingly important.

In fact, Kennesaw Mountain topped the charts in 2010 as the most-visited Civil War battlefield park in the country with 1,512,191 visitors! Leave No Trace seeks to avoid, minimize or mitigate future impacts to the land from increased recreation by helping visitors understand and practice minimum impact skills and fostering responsible stewardship of public lands.