Environmental Stewardship

Environmental stewardship is one of the most important aspects of outdoor recreation and education, in my opinion. If outdoor professionals fail to protect the environment that they work in, they will have no jobs, and there will not be a natural environment to enjoy because of the irresponsibility of others. Using Leave No Trace ethics is one of the best ways to promote a sustainable environment and protect the natural world around us. Developing a sense of ecological literacy is another great way to protect the environment. Knowing where you are and how you should act in a certain environment is important for maintaining and preserve natural areas. Another way to be respectful of the environment is to follow the rules and regulations set out by parks and other protected areas. These rules are formulated to protect what we have so that we do not destroy it. Educating people on how to be respectful of the environment and to maintain it is one of the many jobs an outdoor recreation professional has.

The flower in the picture above represents my personal artifact for environmental stewardship. I feel like the bee in the flower represents the natural cycle that should not be altered and left as in tact as possible. I took this picture while hiking in Oregon, and it made me realize that this is becoming less common to see, and protecting the environment is one of the most important objectives and outdoor professional can do.