Leave-No-Trace Plan

Many of the members of Camp D.O.A. ( including the camp leaders ) are long time backpackers and mountaineers, well versed in the Leave-No-Trace ethic. Each year our camp was near 3 & G, and according to the Matter-Out-of-Place (MOOP) cleanup map, was in one of the cleanest areas on the playa after the event was over. We intend to continue that tradition by doing the following -

The Camp Leader will be the Ambassador to the Black Rock Desert and leader of our Leave-No Trace-Team, assisted by camp co-leaders. We will help plan our purchases, inform our other camp members on what to bring to the playa ( and more importantly what not to bring ), and encourage camp members to reuse, recycle, reduce our camp materials. We will make sure we have enough vehicle space to get all our stuff to the playa and back home again. Our team will keep our camp clean before, during and after the event and delegate and enlist help when it is needed from our fellow camp mates.

We will be responsible for cleanup and trash management in our camp, including activities and parties we host. We will see that our gray water does not impact the playa and that we have plenty of grey water containers. We will make sure that all camp members understand and agree with the policies and practices of Leave No Trace at Burning Man.

We will oversee daily tasks and will have a plan in place when we get ready to leave, when it's time to break down and sweep our camp for every last trace. The Ambassador will make sure EVERYTHING left goes with us.

The Ambassador will encourage our participation in community line sweeps and restoration with our neighbors and DPW.

The camp leader, and core members will oversee our camp breakdown and cleanup.

To minimize our impact on the Playa, we will follow these rules:

Before the event

We pledge to Leave No Trace in and around our campsite, including our own and others’ waste.

We will read the survival guide, make sure all camp members understand it, complete our camp’s Leave-No-Trace Plan and share it with all camp members.

We will plan the assembly and takedown of our structures and decorations and tape the edges of any carpets that may fray.

We will inventory vehicle space so that we can pack out everything easily.

We will take the packaging off of just about everything so as to minimize trash and possible MOOP.

We will bring mostly prepare or easy to eat / no cleanup needed foods so as to minimize grey water and messy cleanup problems.

We will not bring anything that might become MOOP and get left on the playa.

During the event

We will clean up our camp daily.

We will clean up as we go, realizing that any trash or MOOP (matter out of place) can blow away or be buried at any moment.

We will keep our recyclables and trash bags clearly separated for easy disposal,

We will have special cleanup crews for any high traffic activities we host and take care of any trash left by guests, invited or otherwise.

We will never leave trash in or around the port-o-potties.

We won’t dig large holes or trenches.

We will keep all items tied or weighted down, and leave papers at home.

We will not dump any grey or black water on the playa – clean water only.

We will encourage members of our camp to carry a personal trash (MOOP) container and a cigarette butt container when they are outside camp.

After the event

We will put aside time and have designated volunteers for the final cleanup.

We will take all trash in sealed containers to dispose of at home.

After cleaning our camp, everyone in our camp will devote at least two hours to the general city cleanup (e.g. trash fence, local port-o-potties, café, etc).

We will leave extra space in every vehicle on the way to the desert, knowing that repacking will inevitably take up more space and ensure that no items can detach during the ride home.

We will pack out everything, including any unevaporated gray water and scum

We won’t put trash in or around the port-o-potties – EVER !

We will help out our neighbors and fellow citizens if they need help breaking camp and cleaning up.

We will bring the following items for camp operations

Reusable utensils, including a portable coffee cup for the café

Large water containers for camp water supplies.

5-gallon buckets and trash bags for recycle items and separate buckets for trash items.

Containers for Grey water disposal - more than enough.

Containers for smokers’ butts - several.

Large tarps for floor covering to make picking up dropped items easier.

We will bring the following items for our camp’s breakdown and clean-up

Flat blade shovel to smooth out any areas we disturb.

Rope and string for tying loose stuff down.

Small spare bags for collecting trash as we wander.

Lots of industrial strength trash bags.

Several sledgehammer for compacting 5-gallon buckets and driving stakes.

Multiple vise grips for removing stakes and rebar.

Packing Out and Restoration of Our Site

We will take away everything we brought with us plus any MOOP we see..

Our restoration team will use stakes on the outside of our camp’s border to define our boundaries, break up any dunes that formed around vehicles or structures, then divide up our area and begin line sweeps. We will leave our camp cleaner than when we found it – just as we would in the wilderness back country.

Black Rock Desert Restoration

Each and every day, our camp members will make a special effort to look for MOOP and remove it, whenever they are out and about, both in BRC and the open playa.

Our camp members will help to restore the natural characteristics of the playa in our neighborhood, removing all burn scars, dunes, leftover debris, or other physical traces of our presence.

Our camp members will participate in DPW line sweeps and local restoration efforts.

ALL CAMP MEMBERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO READ AND AGREE TO THIS PLAN!

More LNT information - http://earthguardians.burningman.com/index.htm