Livingston Montana has joined the ‘Recreate Responsibly’ movement, which provides guidelines to help travelers advance resident and visitor safety and the sustainability of tourism resources.
‘Recreate Responsibly’ encourages everyone to have a holistic outdoor experience by following all aspects of responsible recreation: keeping yourself, others, and outdoor places safe; accessing outdoor benefits essential to the human experience; and building an outdoors for all through justice, diversity, and inclusion.
“We’re encouraging everyone in Montana to help protect our remarkably beautiful assets by limiting their impact on nature and people,” said Jan Stoddard, of the Montana Office of Tourism.
The ‘Recreate Responsibly’ guidelines include:
1. Know Before You Go: Check the status of the place you want to visit. If it is closed, don’t go. If it’s crowded, have a backup plan.
2. Practice Physical Distancing: Keep your group size small. Give others space on the trails, river access spots, fishing areas, and at attractions so everyone can have the personal space to enjoy the wonders of our area.
3. Plan Ahead: Prepare for changing weather conditions (you can experience all four seasons some days here!) and bring practical shoes and outerwear layers, carry bear spray in the backcountry, have a backup plan with your group if you get separated, and research local conditions of your destination.
4. Play it Safe: Slow down and choose lower-risk activities to reduce your risk of injury. Search and rescue operations and health care resources are both strained.
5. Explore Locally: Limit long-distance travel and make use of local parks, trails, and public spaces. Be mindful of your impact on the communities you visit.
6. Leave No Trace: Respect public lands and waters, as well as Native and local communities. Take all garbage with you.
7. Build an Inclusive Outdoors: Be an active part of making the outdoors safe and welcoming for all identities and abilities.
For More Information The Recreate Responsibly Coalition is an active coalition of more than 1,000 businesses, agencies, nonprofits, and influential voices who are working together to help everyone experience the benefits of nature. Born out of a desire to see people enjoy the outdoors safely at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Recreate Responsibly’s diverse community has grown into a collaborative hub to share common sense guidance about getting outside responsibly during this public health crisis and beyond. Visit https://www.recreateresponsibly.org/ for more information.