Leave No Trace: hikers, and invasive non-native plants on trails

• Spent 6 months thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, from Georgia to Maine

• Seeds of invasive non-native plants ‘hitchhike’ on shoes, clothing and gear of recreationists, and can be carried long distances before being removed or knocked off

• With support of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, conducted surveys of Appalachian Trail thru-hikers to understand their knowledge of invasive non-native plants, and to explore whether they adopted specific Leave No Trace minimum-impact practices in line with avoiding introducing or spreading invasive species

• Published ‘best practices’ for minimising the introduction and spread of invasive non-native plants along recreational trails and in protected areas

• Here are some things you can do:

  • Clean your shoes, clothing and gear before and after going outdoors

  • Wear gaiters over your shoes

  • Stick to marked trails

  • Camp on designated or well-established campsites

  • Identify and report sightings of invasive plants using smartphone apps, such as iNaturalist and EDDMapS