Mindfulness in the mountains spreads the message
By Mike McKenna
There is one undeniable impact of the coronavirus—getting outside has never been more popular.
From local trails to city parks to America’s expansive backcountry, more and more people are getting outdoors. While the benefits of spending time outside are obvious for people, the impacts on open space are often overlooked.
Thankfully, leaders from across the country, as well as right here in the Wood River Valley, are trying to help make folks aware of their impacts.
The #RecreateResponsibly coalition was sparked by the coronavirus pandemic to help protect yourself, to protect others and to protect the outdoors.
“Recreate Responsibly was born from the consensus that as geography started to open up, there was going to be a lot of interest in getting outside, as it was seen as safe,” explained Mason Smith. And the consensus has been accurate. Campgrounds, hiking trails and fisheries across the country are seeing record usage this summer. Many land managers are overwhelmed and need help getting the message out about how to recreate responsibly.
Mason is the head of government and community relations for HipCamp and part of the team behind the #RecreateResponsibly movement in Washington State and California. Idaho is the next state that will hopefully join in.
The mission of #RecreateResponsibly is to share best practices for outdoor uses, especially during this time of increased users, and to help educate new users to the recreation world.
“The simple guidelines are designed to span boundaries and to help us use our lands and water in responsible ways that are safe for ourselves and others,” Mason explained.
The #RecreateResponsibly movement offers seven tenets that help combat the increase in outdoor users: Know Before You Go; Practice Physical Distancing; Plan Ahead; Play It Safe; Explore Locally; Leave No Trace; Build an Inclusive Outdoors.
The #RecreateResponsibly movement is in tune with the Mindfulness in the Mountains messaging The Chamber and Visit Sun Valley created this spring. Our local movement is meant to remind visitors and locals alike to “rise to the occasion” of the coronavirus challenges and be respectful to one another and to our blessed natural surroundings.
The yellow Mindfulness in the Mountains flyers can be found throughout the Wood River Valley and remind everyone to: wear face coverings in public places; observe social distancing; cover coughs and sneezes; wash hands often; stay at home when you’re sick; leave it better than you found it.
The pandemic is impacting everyone differently and we all deserve to be treated with respect. It is also the responsibly of all of us to treat the great outdoors with respect and appreciation, as well.
To find out more, go to RecreateResponsibly.org. For more about Mindfulness in the Mountains, please go to VisitSunValley.com.
