Tactic A5.1 | Visit Sedona
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Tactic A5.1

Leave No Trace

Adopt and expand Leave No Trace programs.

Research shows Sedona’s visitors, businesses and residents are interested in supporting sustainability initiatives. The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics has heightened
awareness of the theme. There is a strong general awareness in Sedona of Leave No Trace but there is a need for information on how to support the theme with action.

This tactic would educate visitors, businesses and residents on how to act on Leave No Trace principles. Discouraging littering and removing rocks from USFS land (a federal
offense), respecting private property and the privacy of residents, respecting residential areas, minimizing single-use plastics, recycling, and “pack in, pack out” are among the
messages that could be developed.

IMPACTED PILLARS

TIMEFRAME Short-term (12-18 months)

LEAD PARTNER SCC&TB

SUPPORTING PARTNERS USFS, State Parks, Keep Sedona Beautiful, Sustainability Alliance, Sedona Businesses

ALIGNING RESEARCH Resident Survey, Business Survey, Visitor Survey, Nonprofit Focus Group, Land Managers Focus Group, Public Input, Industry Best Practices

TARGET / STATUS TO DATE FY22

1. Track favorable visitor perception through visitor surveys TARGET = 90% / STATUS = 96%
2. Measurement of litter on public lands (social trails baseline report OCWC) TARGET = TBD / STATUS = TBD
3. Number of LNT messages and/or impressions throughout all channels TARGET = TBD / STATUS = TBD
4. SedonaLeaveNoTrace.com page views TARGET = 5,000 / STATUS = 3,952
5. Number of in-market signs produced and placed TARGET = 50 / STATUS = 50

PROGRESS TO DATE

Leave No Trace

Adopt and expand Leave No Trace programs 

FY22  In the fourth quarter of FY22, the SCC&TB in partnership with the City of Sedona erected 50 light pole banners along SR179 and 89A in Uptown advocating for the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace, as well as the Sedona Cares Pledge.  The banners are viewable from tens of thousands of cars daily.

In the second quarter, the SCC&TB launched the official Leave No Trace Partner Program on National Take a Hike Day November 17. The agreement includes co-branding that will make Leave No Trace highly visible to Sedonans and our visitors. The 725-plus chamber partners can use official Leave No Trace materials promoting their famous “7 Principles,” easily-understood practices that help people minimize their environmental impact on the outdoors. The partnership will help visitors see that we expect respectful outdoor behavior while giving them the information they need to practice it.

The SCC&TB continues to educate visitors to recreate responsibility at our Visitor Center as well as in our Consumer eNewsletter which is sent to over 150,000 opted-in subscribers. A significant amount of Leave No Trace and Recreate Responsibly messaging was infused throughout the new Experience Sedona Guides and Destination Event Planners that came out in late July/early August.

FY21:  The SCC&TB aggressively expanded Leave No Trace promotion and education to visitors, partner and residents.  Targeted outreach was a particularly productive area.

  • The SCC&TB’s new LNT-informed website was promoted via the Consumer e-News Letter in February, reaching 156,627 opt-in subscribers with a 25.3% open rate.
  • On March 28, 2021, the SCC&TB Consumer eNewsletter promoted the Leave No Trace blog and LNT link to 155,000+ opt-in email recipients.
  • The SCC&TB promoted LNT in its newsletter to partner businesses on 1.11.21, 2.8.21, 2.15.21, 2.22.21 and 3.8.21.
  • On March 31, the SCC&TB distributed a press release to 796 media sharing Leave No Trace information and promoting our partnership.
    • The release was added to VisitSedona.com's Press Release page and SedonaChamber.com as a blog.
  • On April 1, as part of marking the start of Earth Month 2021, the SCC&TB added a high-visibility LNT poster at the Visitor Center.
  • The SCC&TB promoted Leave No Trace principles on the new Green Travel blog and tab https://visitsedona.com/about-us/green-travel/.
  • In April 2021, the SCC&TB partnered with Slide Rock State Park staff to distribute clean-up kits created by LNT and the Arizona Office of Tourism for Earth Day. The kits include a trash bag, a Sedona clip, a Sedona Cares Pledge sticker, and planting seeds as a thank you gift.
  • 37 SCC&TB  members have accessed the online “Proud Supporter” LNT Toolkit.

In April and May, the Oak Creek Watershed Council inventoried social trails at three popular sites -  Red Rock Crossing, Carroll Canyon Trailhead, and Thunder Mountain Trail systems. The assessment will provide baseline data as Leave No Trace messaging increases. OCWC will continue to monitor these sites annually, and Oak Creek Stewards will monitor trail usage during trash pickup.

A report assessing social trails, signage, and rehabilitation efforts through photo point monitoring will be posted to the OCWC website in July 2021. The report will be shared with land managers.

The SCC&TB continues to ramp up its partnership with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, increasing branding and visitor awareness of the partnership and well as educational messaging through multiple touchpoints: collateral distribution, SCC&TB websites, visitor guides, social media and at the Visitor Center.

The SCC&TB is leveraging our partnership with Arizona Office of Tourism through their Appreciate AZ Leave No Trace campaign by accessing downloadable assets such as LNT-branded stickers, brochures, posters and clean-up kits.

The SCC&TB is deepening local partnerships with the USFS Red Rock Ranger District, City of Sedona and the private sector for solutions to issues at trailheads, where many LNT principles can be brought to bear.

FY20: The SCC&TB became a Community Partner of Leave No Trace, allowing the SCC&TB to access the resources needed to engage visitors, businesses and residents about using Leave No Trace principles in their interaction with the natural environment:

  • Use of Leave No trace logo for marketing and communications.
  • Use of the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace.
  • Sedona, AZ and website link listed on the Leave No Trace website.
  • Feature in Center’s Enews.
  • Partnership package including educational/promotional materials.

During FY20, the SCC&TB encouraged a marketing partnership LNT developed with the Arizona Office of Tourism, aiding in the promotion of LNT Principles statewide. The SCC&TB arranged for LNT to appear at a SCC&TB Strategies for Success event, introducing LNT principles to SCC&TB partners.

In FY20, the USFS required all permitted outfitter/guides to provide LNT information to customers.