Availability: Stackpole Books, Cameron and Kelker Streets, P.O. Box 1831, Harrisburg, PA 17105 ($10.95).,ericd

This outdoor-education book describes methods of hiking and camping that minimize the human impact upon the natural environment. Each chapter offers the rationale behind recommended practices, based on the best scientific research on recreational impact. The first chapter, "The Case for Minimum Impact," describes increasing tourist use of wildlife areas and the resulting negative effects. The second chapter, "Backcountry Travel" looks primarily how to reduce the environmental impact of hiking. It describes how to hike across different types of terrain while maintaining the quality of trails, land, and wildlife. Chapter 3, "Selecting and Using a Campsite," discusses terrain characteristics that are prone to suffer most from recreational camping. It discusses camp locations and the amount and type of use a campsite should have. Chapter 4 discusses "Fires and Stoves," their use, effects, and safety. Chapter 5 examines "Sanitation and Waste Disposal," including ways for disposing of various kinds of waste in order to maintain water-table purity. Chapters 6-11 explain minimum-impact camping methods for the following "special environments": deserts; rivers and lakes; coastal areas; alpine and arctic tundra; snow and ice; and bear country. Two additional chapters make a final case for low-impact camping and offer a list of 45 resources for further reading. (TES)

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