Camping Lightly on The Land

How to Build a Sensitive Camp

First, the Please Do Nots.
* Please, never line your pathways or campsite with deadfall or rake away the natural leaf and humus covering of the soil.
* Please do not decorate your site with rocks, one well built altar is plenty! Rocks destroy our equipment and are a hazard!
* Please, never, ever line your fire ring with stones!
* Please do not embed fire rings in the soil!
* Please, leaving your unoccupied campsite with gear, tarps and articles exposed to view are eyesores to your fellow Members and display a lack of understanding for the Land.

Nature is round and soft, cities are square and have sharp edges.

Bear this in mind when siting your camp and particularly when developing pathways. Never develop a path in a straight line; let it meander, take your time, slow down. Straight paths create natural channels for erosion and soil compaction. For the same reason never rake away the natural leaf and humus covering of the soil and never line your pathways with deadfall. This practice simply creates natural canals for rain water. After a year or two, move your pathway and allow the natural vegetation and friability of the soil to recover. Remember that the soils in the flats of the Big Bottom will compress with use. The high traffic area around your fire ring and your pathways will gradually lower by as much as 3-4 inches.

Please show restraint in placing decorative stones and other features around your site. They are a safety hazard and ruin Church grounds equipment. One well-built group altar means more than many poorly sited ones. And we cannot say it enough, never have rocks around your fire ring!

Fire rings must be placed on the surface of the ground to allow their movement for grounds maintenance. Do not embed fire rings in the soil! When siting your fire ring, remember that it will become the natural focus for people in your camp; allow plenty of room for chairs and seating around the fire. As your fire is used a small mound of ash will develop, by lifting your ring above the ground surface on this small mound of ash you will prevent it from becoming waterlogged during times of rain. Periodically remove the wood ash and spread widely about the woods; as long as you have burned no paper or plastic, the ash is good for the plants. The Church discourages stockpiling of firewood as it impedes grounds maintenance and harbors wood-boring insects.

Campsites are best sited well away from any roads or major trails; this will preclude having to move your site as camp facilities grow. It is best to occupy your prospective site for a few overnight visits, in particular during rain. Take your time and notice the small things, particularly how surface water flows. A very small amount of drainage control for surface water is permitted with reluctance. If you must move more than just a few cubic feet of soil to control drainage, you should consider moving your site a bit or constructing a platform. Site your tents in a small, compact arc around your fire ring, ideally no more than 10 feet from each other. Given that a registered fire ring controls no associated territory, this is the best way to preclude issues of unwanted access from arising. The Church actively discourages widely-spread-out group campsites and will encourage others to camp in the spaces created.

Considerate removal of brush to create a campsite is encouraged. Likewise a small amount of branch trimming is also encouraged. When removing small brush you must remove the root ball as well, to prevent dangerous staubs from projecting above the surface and creating a trip hazard. When trimming branches saw them off cleanly to the body of the tree, which will promote quick healing.. Avoid tents and tarps colored in blaze orange. Tarps are available in forest green and look so much better in the woodland. No permanent glass features of any kind are allowed in a camp site. The best of sites are those that appear as natural as possible.

When setting up your camp site, plan for how you will stow it when you are away. Unoccupied campsites with gear, tarps and articles exposed to view are eyesores to your fellow Members and display a lack of understanding for the Land. Plastic or folding chairs are popular because they can nest and be laid down on the ground by the edge of your tent without danger of weather damage. Likewise, plastic tables with removable legs will break down and can be stowed on the ground.

With care in selecting and setting up your camping gear you will find that everything can break down and be stowed away in one tent. With foresight, your fly tarp can simply have its front poles removed and convert to a foul weather covering for your main tent containing your camping gear. Dome tents are popular and efficient; by adding one support pole in the center when breaking camp you will ensure that they will not collapse in any kind of weather. With a bit of planning you can ensure that your belongings are neat and safe while only requiring one tent registration for the camping season.

With just a bit of forethought you can minimize the visual and environmental impact of your automobile. During Moon Service and Off Weekends never, ever leave your car in the access openings to the High Meadow opposite the Drum Circle and Stone Circle. Park your car in a row next to the wood line so that you minimize its visual profile and allow room for the next person. With just a little thought you can park to make your car small; just squeeze it in, out of the way. Never, ever block access to the kitchen or stage road for any reason. When driving on the High Meadow or wet roads, keep your wheels out of the ruts and wet spots. Plan how you will drive the next 20 feet to avoid tearing out the grass. If you park on a slope think about how you will get out if it rains. With a little practice you too can learn the art of country driving.