The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) in Lake Placid has released a new Love Your ADK toolkit to help Adirondack businesses increase awareness of the importance of following the Leave No Trace principles when enjoying the outdoors.
The Love Your ADK pledge and accompanying hashtag (#LoveYourADK) are meant to be used on websites and social media to encourage anyone who recreates in the Adirondacks to be a better steward of the lands, waters, and communities. The pledge asks that everyone make the commitment to check for invasive species, be respectful of wildlife and other people, and follow the Leave No Trace Seven Principles.
Education is considered a key in bridging the gap between tourism and environmental stewardship. To help, ROOST has developed the toolkit containing a set of Love Your ADK web banners and social posts for Adirondack businesses to use. These will help educate outdoor recreationists on Leave No Trace principles and other Adirondack information.
“Adirondack businesses can use this toolkit to reach customers and visitors before they get to the Adirondacks,” ROOST CEO James McKenna said in an announcement of the effort sent to the press. “By engaging everyone – locals and visitors alike – we hope everyone will abide by these best practices, which will keep the Adirondacks a special place.”
“We really encourage anyone who is preparing to travel here to visit the website and take the Love Your ADK Pledge,” McKenna said. “We want people to be equipped with the proper education to enjoy the Adirondacks responsibly and safely. If all businesses use these resources and have a consistent message, it is another step that we can take as a community to protect our outdoor spaces.”
The pledge was developed by ROOST in conjunction with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the Adirondack Mountain Club, the Adirondack Council and other volunteer partners. As of May 27, more than 400 people from numerous states had signed the pledge.
The Love Your ADK pledge can be found online, and the business toolkit can also be found here. Businesses and organizations can download the social media posts and website banners to promote responsible stewardship. The website also has the Leave No Trace Seven Principles, as well as an Adirondack Park fact sheet.
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