Class at Trail of Tears teaches how keep nature pristine

Although a small group of outdoor enthusiasts spent the last week hiking, boating, camping and cooking at the Trail of Tears State Park near Jackson, no one would notice.

The group, part of the Leave No Trace Master Educator course, consisted of seven Southeast Missouri State University students, a Boy Scout troop leader from Michigan, trail guides from Springfield, Mo., and other outdoor ethics instructors. Their effect on the environment is minimal, and their goal Sunday -- the last day of the course, called "demonstration day" -- was to inform the public on how they can help maintain the area's natural landscapes while using them recreationally.

Southeast instructor Tom Holman, who teaches many of the recreation major courses on campus, said the Leave No Trace course has never been taught in the area before.

"You'd have to fly to Colorado or you'd have to go up to the Adirondacks in New York to take this class," said Holman, who was approached by Southeast senior Kristin Schulte about bringing the course to Cape Girardeau County. "She's really done a lot to make this happen."

Leave No Trace was sponsored by Landmark Learning, a nationally recognized outdoor leadership skills based training organization.

Teresa Martinez of Denver, part of the Continental Divide Trail Alliance, assisted in teaching the course that focuses on seven principles, including how to plan and prepare for a trip, the best surfaces to travel and how to properly dispose of waste.

"They go hand in hand with anybody who spends time outdoors. It's common knowledge and principles that people need to apply to everyday life," said Southeast senior and Sikeston, Mo., native Richard Paylor.

The course also teaches how to preserve natural lands, such leaving native plants and rocks where they are, minimize campfire effects, to be respectful of other park visitors and wildlife.

"We're in their home, and we need to be aware of that," Paylor said, who has been interested in the outdoors since he joined Boy Scouts at age 11.

He said he took the course hoping to bring awareness to others as a trail guide once he graduates. Paylor and the other graduates are joining more than 3,500 Leave No Trace master educators worldwide.

"I think everybody was already bought in in their own way when they started here, but know I think they're saying 'I really want to make this be more a part of who I am,'" Holman said. "They really want to go out and spread the word about how people can go out and leave no trace in the environment."

Graduates of the master educator course can go on to train others in Leave No Trace skills.

Springfield, Mo., resident Grant Williams and Cape Girardeau resident Kyle Gerecke hope to take the skills they've learned to other countries.

William said he's excited to bring his skills with him when he moves to the United Kingdom, and Gerecke, who has traveled to Singapore, China, New Zealand and Australia, said he'll be headed to Mexico for a mountaineering trip in less than a month.

Gerecke said the Leave No Trace course was important for him to take because he's an avid hiker and backpacker in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.

"I'm out there all the time, and I often see the impact people are having. The places you love are slowly being destroyed," he said.

To learn more about Landmark Learning and the outdoor courses they offer in the United States, visit www.landmarklearning.org.

ehevern@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent Address:

Trail of Tears State Park, 429 Moccasin Springs, Jackson, MO