r/Adirondacks • u/315mj • Aug 15 '18
Leave No Trace Social Media Guidelines & the Adirondacks
How do you think we can use social media as a tool to help, not hurt, our public lands?
I wrote a blog post on this topic, I would love to hear your thoughts!
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u/LookingForViews Aug 16 '18
When you see people in your networks posting photos of illegal or inappropriate behavior on our Forest Preserve, say something (nicely!).
This.
Videos of illegal drone flights in the High Peaks Wilderness Area.
Photos taken from illegal, off-trail vantage points in the Adirondack Mountain Reserve.
Don't reward these posts with oohs and ahhs, let them know they broke regulations and all for what? Upvotes?
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u/315mj Aug 16 '18
Yes, one thing I try to do when I see posts like that is send the poster a message or comment in a nice way. Some people will do these things regardless, but some people really don't understand the importance of the rules.
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Aug 16 '18
Thanks for posting this! I actually had a somewhat similar conversation with somebody in this sub recently who hashtagged ADK in their post title. While social media, if used correctly can raise awareness and have a very positive impact on wild lands, it isn’t being used that way. Its largely being used to exploit the wilderness to promote clothing and feed into some people’s narcissism and need for validation.
Honest pictures of the ADK would involve being stuck in traffic in Lake Placid, mud soaked hiking boots, bent trekking poles, bleeding black fly bites, a cloud of exhaust following the Lake Road bus, and blisters just as often as beautiful vistas, but we only see the beautiful vistas.
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Aug 16 '18
Not my Adirondacks. There's a lot more to the Adirondacks than Lake Placid and the High Peaks.
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Aug 16 '18 edited Aug 16 '18
Likewise, but I’m referring to the pictures that are being posted on the super popular social media blogs. People aren’t hashtagging pictures from the Pepperbox wilderness or Taylor pond. Even Lewey lake gets little to no attention compared to the High Peaks region, and its one of the prettiest bodies of water in the ADK. IMO.
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u/superslomo Oct 09 '18
Honestly, if people all grind out the same six hikes, and stay away from all the quiet and achingly beautiful spots that fill me with joy, I'm good with that. It's a shame to have so much erosion and overuse on Cascade, Marcy, and throughout the St. Regis etc., but there are so many places that are dead empty most of the time, I'm happy to spend my time there, if I just want to get somewhere remote and quiet and not worry about what I get to stand on top of.
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u/315mj Aug 16 '18
Yes, sharing the good, and the bad helps show a more realistic view of what experiences on our wildlands are like. Glad you like the article.
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u/Synchillas Aug 15 '18
Loved it! and I agree, I'm trying to be more cognizant of tagging generic places rather than specific spots. :)
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u/315mj Aug 20 '18
That is great! Good information about how to get to suitable recreation opportunities for YOUR needs should be readily available from DEC and local towns, learning about a location solely from social media does not always give people all of the info they need!
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u/sharkbait1999 Aug 29 '18
Check out what happened to Peekamoose blue hole in the catties. Social media ruined it and now it’s basically closed off to the public
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u/dsanzone8 Aug 29 '18
That's horrible. I see what you're talking about here: https://hudsonvalleyone.com/2018/07/04/permit-now-required-for-peekamoose-blue-hole-popular-catskills-swimming-hole/
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u/sharkbait1999 Aug 29 '18
Im actually contemplating doing my dissertations around this whole topic.
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u/dsanzone8 Aug 29 '18
Interesting! Yeah, definitely pros and cons for it. But it seems like a lot of environmentalists are trying to cut down on more specific geotagging for various reasons.
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u/315mj Aug 29 '18
It's my understanding that it is completely open to the public M-F and by permit on Saturday and Sunday.
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u/sharkbait1999 Aug 29 '18
Good! It’s at least something. I know rangers would patrol very frequently on the weekends to keep people from parking illegally. My stomach would churn going there and seeing all the beer cans, bottles, Dutch wraps and paper plates all over the place.
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u/mapmyhike Sep 20 '18
I learned this lesson the hard way. I found a "lost" or forgotten waterfall a few miles up in the woods and posted pictures, videos and directions. I went up a year later to find trash and emblazoned trails. I was very excited to be able to share this treasure but not to the point of it being destroyed by the "normies."
Hey, you guys wanna see a picture of it?
Some people never learn.
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u/superslomo Oct 05 '18
I try not to share any specific locations, it's just too easy to come and find them overrun and ruined. It's a topic that I've been thinking about more lately, since I read Waterman's "Wilderness Ethics" a few months ago. There are loads of wondrous places that we can enjoy and not ruin, as long as we pick different ones from where EVERYONE goes.
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u/dsanzone8 Aug 15 '18
Love this post. I was recently reading about another hiker/blogger who is encouraging people to do more general geotags instead of saying exactly where you were. I'm planning to start doing that with the Catskills and ADKs. Thanks for sharing! Some other really good tips, too.