Tread Lightly and Keep Outdoor Recreation Enjoyable for Everyone
At Tom Wood's we proudly support Tread Lightly and their principles for responsible land use. We encourage everyone to read more about them below then ask yourself "How can I make a positive impact when I'm enjoying the beautiful places this nation has to offer?". It is cool to care, I promise.
Tread Lightly! is a national nonprofit organization with a mission to promote responsible recreation through stewardship programs and ethics education to ensure off-roading opportunities are accessible for future generations. For over 30 years, the Tread Lightly! team, along with its members, partners and volunteers has worked together to improve access through on-the-ground trail improvement projects, public land cleanups and strategic educational messaging tailored to promote responsible riding.
As off-road and outdoor recreation grows in popularity, so do the impacts on public land and trails. Tread Lightly! works collaboratively with industry partners, public land agencies and off-road enthusiasts to maintain access to these places by promoting minimal impact recreation. Supporters of Tread Lightly! practice environmentally responsible outdoor recreation by adhering to the T.R.E.A.D. principles, an outdoor ethics messages that promotes minimal impact recreation on land and water.
The T.R.E.A.D. principles include:
TRAVEL RESPONSIBLY
Travel responsibly on land by staying on designated roads, trails, and area. Go over, not around, obstacles to avoid widening the trails. Cross streams only at designated fords. When possible, avoid wet, muddy trails. On water, stay on designated waterways and launch your watercraft in designated areas.
RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS
Respect the rights of others, including private property owners, all recreational trail users, campers, and others so they can enjoy their recreational activities undisturbed. Leave gates as you found them. Yield right of way to those passing you or going uphill. On water, respect anglers, swimmers, skiers, boaters, divers, and those on or near shore.
EDUCATE YOURSELF
Educate yourself prior to your trip by obtaining travel maps and regulations from public agencies. Plan for your trip, take recreation skills classes, and know-how to operate your equipment safely.
AVOID SENSITIVE AREAS
Avoid sensitive areas on land such as meadows, lake shores, wetlands and streams. Stay on designated routes. This protects wildlife habitats and sensitive soils from damage. Don’t disturb historical, archeological or paleontological sites. On water, avoid operating your watercraft in shallow waters or near shorelines at high speeds.
DO YOUR PART
Do your part by modeling appropriate behavior, leaving the area better than you found it, properly disposing of waste, minimizing the use of fire, avoiding the spread of invasive species and repairing degraded areas.
Being responsible doesn’t mean being boring. Do your part to keep your favorite trails open, healthy and beautify. Start by learning more about Tread Lightly!’s mission, impact, upcoming projects and how to become a member by visiting treadlightly.org.