What you can do

Living Sustainably

Recreation

Where do I start?

Tread softly simply means to apply low impact principles to all outdoor recreational activities. Some of these principles are as simple as traveling only where permitted, avoiding creeks, wildlife, wetlands and other delicate areas, and acting responsibly.

Bushwalking

Easy ways to make a difference:

Leave your pets at home – National parks and reserves are refuges for native animals and the lasting scent left by domestic pets can easily scare animals and birds away from their homes, often causing them to leave their young unprotected. Dogs and other domestic pets (other than trained assistance animals such as guide dogs) must not be taken into national parks, state conservation areas, nature reserves, historic sites or Aboriginal areas. Contact your local council and visit the National Parks and Wildlife website to find an area where you can take your dog
Stay on the track – whether you're walking or driving through the bush, stay on the track, even if it's rough or muddy. Walking on edges and cutting corners on steep, zigzagging tracks increases erosion and scarring. Stay on rocks and hard ground wherever possible and avoid wet areas on the track as this just widens the bog area
Tread softly – keep group sizes small to lessen the environmental impact. If there are no tracks, spread out rather than follow in each other's footsteps. A plant will be more likely to recover if walked on once than if trampled by the whole party. Swamp and bog plants, mosses and other soft vegetation are very easily destroyed by trampling, so watch where you put your feet
Tread quietly – remember that you are the trespasser tread carefully and quietly. Keep noise to a minimum as it disturbs wildlife and reduces the enjoyment by others. Walk around snakes - leave them alone.
Dress appropriately – Choose footwear to suit the terrain and tread lightly. Lightweight walking boots or even running shoes are usually all you will need
Don't feed birds and animals – it's bad for their diet and can encourage them to become dependent on humans for food. Or they may become pests. Secure all food in animal-proof containers. Remember to collect and stow all rubbish including unwanted food scraps. Discarded organic litter such as apple cores or orange skin adds nutrients to the soil increasing the spread of weeds
Don't pick flowers or break branches – even if you think the wood is dead, it provides an important habitat for many insects and other animals
Report wildlife injuries – injured, sick or orphaned native animals cannot be kept as pets. Specialist wildlife rehabilitation groups care for and return injured native animals to the wild. If you find an injured native animal contact WIRES on (02) 8977 3333 or 1800 641 188
Use designated fireplaces or fuel stoves – most recreation areas have barbecue facilities. Use established fireplaces wherever possible and never leave a fire unattended. Extinguish campfires and barbecues properly before leaving and remove any food scraps and rubbish. In most areas firewood is not provided. Bring your own or take a gas barbecue. Do not cut standing timber, alive or dead, for firewood
Observe fire bans – listen to local radio, check the NSW Rural Fire Service website or contact your local Forests NSW office for updates
Leave the bush as you found it – at the end of each trip reflect on the outing. Take a moment to think about how you could lessen your "footprint" and "tread more softly" on your next walk