Region 6
 

Outdoor Safety & Ethics

Safety Information

The most effective way to prevent mishaps is to adequately prepare for the trip. Knowledge of the area, weather, terrain, limitations of your body, plus a little common sense can help to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip.

Please view the recreation Outdoor Safety and Ethics pages for more information on lightning situations, what to do if you get lost, and a helpful materials checklist.

Ethics

As with outdoor safety, backcountry ethics or how you recreate and use the forest determine how it will be left for the next visitor. Whether you are a seasoned wilderness hiker or a first time visitor to a campground, please respect other users and use minimum impact techniques.

With increasing demands on our wilderness, backcountry and developed recreation sites, it is up to all of us to keep these areas in good condition for the next visitor as well as the next generation.

Check these organization websites for more information on outdoor safety and ethics:

Features

Be Safe; What to do if you encounter a marijuana cultivation site

Marijuana growers are active in the nation’s national forests and it’s important for your safety to be aware of your surroundings. Here is a tip sheet to stay safe in the woods...


Hypothermia

Hypothermia literally means low (hypo) temperature (thermia). As safety conscious outdoor enthusiasts we are concerned mainly about low body temperatures. For our brain, and other vital organs, to function properly we need to maintain four requirements: 1- adequate oxygen, 2- adequate fluid (blood) pressure, 3- adequate blood sugar, and 4-proper temperature.