Why do you visit Québec's national parks? Whether it's for the outdoor activities, the intimate contact with nature or other reasons, don't forget an important fact: thousands of people visit the same territories as you do every year, each of them seeking an exceptional experience in nature.

Québec's national parks belong to all of us, and to future generations. In order to protect the integrity of the natural heritage of these territories, it is our responsibility to take care of these unique environments when doing our favourite activities. Our actions outdoors can cause permanent impacts on plant and animal life, as well as problems that can affect the quality of the nature experience for other visitors.

That's where Leave No Trace Canada comes in, the Canadian version of the popular Leave No Trace American program. This code of ethics for outdoor activities is based on seven principles, which suggest behaviours to adopt as we do our activities in order to leave the natural milieus as beautiful (or even more so) as it was when we arrived.

• Find out about the regulations in the national parks, and the characteristics of the territories you would like to visit.
• Plan an itinerary that suits all members of your group.
• Be prepared for bad weather, natural risks and/or all forms of emergencies (adapted equipment and clothing, first aid kit, cell phone).
• Try to plan your excursion to avoid visiting a park during the busiest periods.
• Travel in small groups. Plan on groups with a maximum of 4 to 6 people.
• Reduce the packaging on your provisions to minimize the amount of garbage to bring home.
• Tell those close to you about your itinerary.

• Limit your activities to the marked trails only.
• Do not take shortcuts. This illegal practice is destructive of plant life.
• Walk in single file in the middle of the trail, even if is muddy or wet. Walking outside of these zones contributes greatly to the deterioration of plant life and causes extra erosion.
• Even in the winter, circulating outside the trails damages small trees buried under the snow.
• Camp only on designated sites.
  
• Do not spread out on your campsite.
  Concentrate your activities to the area where there is no vegetation.

• Bring back all garbage and left-over food. Before leaving, inspect the rest area or campsite to make sure not to leave any garbage or food. Pick up all garbage even if it is not your own.
• Use the toilets when there are some nearby, both for urine and feces.
  
  When there are no toilets nearby:
  
  

  Urinate on mineral surfaces so that animals will not be attracted by the salt and damage the vegetation. Bury your feces in a hole that is 15 to 20 cm deep. Fill the hole carefully afterwards. Take your used toilet paper and personal products with you.

  
  
• For washing dishes, use existing infrastructures when available.
• If there are no infrastructures nearby, stay far away from rivers, streams and lakes, and use a small amount of biodegradable soap. Filter the dirty water before draining it on the ground. Pick up solid waste and put it in the garbage.
  

• Help to preserve our heritage: touch only with your eyes.
• Leave stones, plants, and all other natural or cultural objects where they are.
• Do not transport or introduce indigenous or non-indigenous species.
• Do not build any type of structure or installation.

• Use a gas camp stove for cooking.
• If you make a fire, only use sites that are designated for this activity.
• In the national parks, the use of dead wood is prohibited.
• Keep your fire as small as possible to minimize emissions from wood combustion.
• Burn the wood down to ash and carefully put your fire out.
• Learn to enjoy the light from a lantern or a candle rather than a fire.

• Appreciate the plant life without picking, pulling out, or trampling them.
• Observe wildlife at a distance. Don't follow or approach the wild animals.
• Never feed wild animals. This can be harmful to their health and alter their natural behaviour, ultimately compromising their chances of survival.
• Leave your pets at home.
• Protect the wildlife and your food by storing your supplies and your garbage in a safe place.

• Be respectful of other visitors and the quality of their experience.
• Be courteous. Let others pass you on the trail.
• Let the sounds of nature reign. Speak softly and avoid being noisy.
• And don't forget that respect for the first six principles stems naturally from respecting the seventh principle.