Towering one thousand feet above rests a giant granite monolith, Spider Peak, wrestling only with gravity and the harsh weather of the Wind River Range in Wyoming. The massif's reflection glimmers in the turquoise lake dwelling below displaying the peak’s splendor to the heavens above. The delicate alpine forget-me-nots and marsh marigolds bask in the sunlight along banks displaying their beauty to the gray jays, picas, big horn sheep and the rare wilderness wanderer.
This image is one of many imprinted in my heart and mind after twelve years of exploring and leading others in the wilderness. It is quite disturbing to imagine returning to Spider Peak one day and discovering a vandalized scene: the delicate flowers withered and trampled; the turquoise lake oil-covered and murky; the gray jays and picas nowhere to be found; and toilet paper, food scraps and human waste left for public display.
Unfortunately this story is true for many places throughout creation. People have a potential that no other creature in all of creation has: to both create and vandalize. It is for this reason that the community of outdoor users has adopted an environmental ethic built around these familiar phrases: “Leave No Trace”, “minimum impact”, “pack it in, pack it out”, and “leave only footprints”.
You don't need spend a great deal of time venturing to the outdoors for these phrases to become second nature in your vocabulary. As an outdoor educator, these are some of the first principles that I teach when going to the wilderness. Though these principles do equip us to preserve our wild places, they fall short when thinking about how God has called us to care for his creation.
God's creation is not limited to the environment, but encompasses all things. There is nothing in this world outside of creation, including ourselves. Before sin entered the world, God’s creation was in perfect harmony. Man and woman’s relationships with the creatures, with each other, with the land, with ideas, with creativity, and with work were good. In the Jewish tradition, this is referred to as shalom, universal flourishing. Every square inch of creation working in right relationship with the creator. This is clearly not the case today. The author of Romans captures the severity of these wronged relationship when he writes; “For we know that all the rest of creation has been groaning with the pains of childbirth up to the present time.” (Romans 8:22).
God intends for us to care for and cultivate His creation, not to tip toe around and attempt to remove ourselves from it. Andy Crouch writes in his recent book Culture Making, "Creation begins with cultivation, taking care of the good things that culture has already handed on to us." He goes on to say, "One who cultivates tries to create the most fertile conditions for good things to survive and thrive. Cultivation is conservation, ensuring that the world we leave behind, whether natural or cultural, contains at least as many possibilities and at least as much excellence as the one we inherited" (74-75).
This idea of cultivating creation makes sense when applied to a relationship with another individual. Friendships take a great deal of work, investment and time. What kind of relationship will it be? A relationship can be built on trust and compassion or on manipulation and selfishness. Because of our fallen nature, we must be intentional if we desire loving relationships. Relationships are not about leaving as little trace possible, but are about leaving the right kind of trace. The same is true for our relationships with any other area of creation, whether it is the environment, academics, vocation or even time.
Next time you venture to the wilderness, focus on leaving the right trace. Here is a list of three practical things that you can do:
1. Learn the names of the trees and Animals in the area you are going. It is amazing how knowing a just a little bit about the surrounding flora, fauna and ecological systems change how one cares for a place. It increases your attentiveness to the surroundings helping you slow down, look listen, and appreciate the creativity and glory of the creator.
2. Bring someone that has not been to the wilderness.. Giving someone the opportunity to appreciate first hand the beauty and awesomeness of the wild is truly a gift. How much more is one able to care for something when they experience it and understand it? This also creates space for new and deeper relationships.
3. Be creative. You don’t have to be an artist or even have a steady skilled hand. Leave the digital camera at home and paint a picture with water color, sketch an illustration with charcoals or write a story or poem. Do something that demands that you be still, you observe and you soak in the surrounding. Become part of the space you are in.
I am not implying that the Leave No Trace ethic is wrong; I am actually an instructor for the organization and believe in the principles that have been established. But I am saying that as Christians we must scrutinize every area of our life, our community, our work, our recreation, our food and our time. We must ask the question: “What kind of trace am I leaving?” Is it one that is honoring and glorifying to the Creator or one that is self-serving, or even vandalizing the goodness that God has entrusted to us? What kind of trace do you want to leave?
Ryan Carlson lives in Black Mountain, NC with his wife, Annie and dog, Stella. Ryan is the Director of Black Mountain Expeditions and has been leading and teaching in the wilderness for twelve years. Black Mountain Expeditions provides wilderness and cultural expeditions that are purpose-filled, character-shaping and committed to the growth of young adults. www.blackmountainexpeditions.com