Welcome to the countryside code.

The UK contains a lot of wonderful countryside but is also home to many millions of people. England in particular has a significantly high population density which causes our countryside to be heavily used, and sometimes to be heavily misused. If all visitors would follow a few simple rules it would make all the difference to subsequent visitors, and more importantly make a massive difference to the wildlife trying to survive.

The UK Countryside Code has been with us since the 1930's and was revamped in the early 2000's. Its current tagline of "Respect, Protect, Enjoy," sums it up perfectly as it is a simple set of common sense rules that allows everyone to enjoy the outdoors. Unfortunately it is presented as a rather dry government document which, with the best will in the world, cannot be said to be attractive to the casual reader.

In the US the "Leave No Trace" movement embodies all of the concepts in the the UK Countryside Code, but presents its values in a more dynamic way. Interactive quizzes and online courses are a great way to to get a few worthwhile tips and learn some facts that will surprise most of us. Best of all is their non judgemental approach which recognises that none of us are perfect, and encourages small changes in behaviour to make a big difference. Details of the free "Leave No trace 101 online course" can be found here.