Practical tips for environmentally friendly camping
© Antje & John Burke
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This information is published here to be used. Should you wish to include some of this in your own publications (reports, field guides or whatever), please cite: Burke, A. & Burke J. (2002). Practical tips for environmentally friendly camping. http//:www.enviro-science.info/camping… Thank you. |
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We love going to the bush and particularly the desert but we are aware that wilderness areas in Namibia are so special because they can give a sense of space of a magnitude hardly any other place on earth can provide. Yet, the Namibian environment, particularly the Namib Desert, is extremely fragile. Due to very low rainfall, vegetation and soil do not recover quickly once trodden on or driven over. Animals are easily scared away and tracks last virtually forever. |
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So if you are serious about only leaving footprints, there are many ways to reduce the impacts of camping and similar activities on the environment. Below we provide a few suggestions that have arisen from over 40 years of combined camping experience, largely in the Namib Desert. We are publishing this info here in the hope that some people may find it useful.
Contents of our camp guide
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Innocent, but lasting impact – tracks!
Perhaps not considered a bad impact on the environment by many people, those who have visited the West Coast Recreation area north of Swakopmund can appreciate why we worry about too many tracks in the desert.
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Although there are some direct impacts of newly made tracks in hitherto pristine terrain, such as crushing of nesting birds, lichens and vegetation and changes in soil structure, the main impact in arid areas is visual. Tracks criss-crossing the landscape certainly take away the wilderness character of an area, and - this is the worrying part - tracks in arid areas take decades or sometimes even centuries to recover. |
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In particularly vulnerable areas, such as the southern Namib Desert, we always stay on the track. Even when making camp for the night, thus abandoning the conventional "laager" approach. |
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A trap we fell into ourselves by innocently following a very visible track right through the centre of the Klinghardt’s plains. This track was not supposed to be there and by following it, we unfortunately reinforced its visibility. We have subsequently closed it with rocks, so if you do see a track that is blocked off, there is a good reason for it and it should not be followed. |
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Tracks are worse in some areas than in others. In areas of moving sand, e.g. dunes, tracks disappear very quickly. However, if there is too much traffic, even if the tracks disappear on the surface there is still an impact through sand compaction on animals living in the sand. The most track sensitive surfaces are gypsum and gravel plains, salt pans as well as some dune valleys.
And sometimes, we admit, there are situations where one cannot avoid making a new track. for example, if you have to turn around on a narrow one-spoor track. Yet impacts can be minimised.
One basic rule is to make a "3-point turn" rather than turning around in a big half-circle.
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3-point turn |
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U-turn |
And then, try to level the newly made track, as it will speed up the rehabilitation of the track.
One can use a rake or a broom, or for the very sophisticated, John’s "desert track eraser" (an old paint roller on a long handle) which works extremely well in soft surface habitat. The main emphasis should be to get rid of the middle "mannetjie" and any piled up areas.
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John got a "Zinc Star" for this idea from the Skorpion Mine Environmental Management Team, so perhaps it’s not so loony as it may seem at first? We can certainly report that of all things we have tried this works extremely well. |
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No camping without a camp fire?
So what’s wrong with having a nice, big blazing fire in the evening to braai or cook once food? Admittedly, not having a fire does take away a bit of the camp romantic. However, firewood is scarce in desert areas, and the little that does exist should not be picked up and burned off in an evening. Old branches and logs provide an important habitat for the smaller creatures in the desert and once this organic material is decomposed its nutrient are returned to the soil. Everything, not only water is scarce in the desert, so every molecule of phosphorous, potassium and other nutrient returned to the soil counts.
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Bringing firewood along (preferably acquired from certified dealers) is one step better than picking up what’s there (which is strictly prohibited in park areas in any case). But strictly speaking gas stoves are certainly the most environmentally friendly.
Unfortunately not all camp sites have demarcated fire places, and if many people use one place eventually every single corner shows remains of a previous fire. This certainly spoils the feeling of visiting a pristine area. |
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We have opted for a compromise by using a little charcoal stove. Charcoal does not take up as much space, and our "suitcase" like stove folds up easily. It leaves no burn marks and all ash is taken along in a separate bag and disposed off at some regular waste disposal point. Another big advantage to fire is that the stove can be moved around. |
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And if you want a quick cup of tea, the "billy bin" is the most efficient hot water boiler we have ever seen. Just a handful of sticks and leaves will boil two cups of water in almost an instant. |
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There is nothing worse than setting up camp and finding bits of toilet paper with "skid" marks under each bush or blowing around. In the windy desert areas toilet paper invariably blows around, even if initially lodged under a stone. |
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There is only one thing to do, if there are no toilets available, make an adequately deep hole, then do your business, burn the toilet paper and close the hole again. For larger groups camping at one spot for more than a night, digging a latrine should certainly be considered. |
Spending lots of time out camping, we do like some comfort, but also cherish the many practical things that have been accumulated over the years.
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There is a fire extinguisher, always handy at the backdoor. We keep the gas bottle outside, mounted on the roof-rack. The shelves in the back allow us to get to most things without having to unpack half of the car. Our roof-top tent has certainly proofed to be suited for well - most situations (except the winds at Pomona in the Sperrgebiet). Fitted water tank with tap, long-range fuel-tank are probably standard for most outdoor people in Namibia, a freezer with solar panels is probably more important for those who spend a lot of time out in the bush.
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More suggestions?
If you have some good ideas, you would like us to know about, please send an e-mail to antje.burke@enviro-science.info, and we may include your suggestion in our next update. We will, of course, acknowledge the provider of the new idea. Photographs are welcome.
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