I Didn't Know That!: Leave No Trace Principle #4 - Leave What You Find

You’re walking down a trail and come upon a brilliantly colored and intricately patterned rock. It’s gorgeous! You want to take it home to show your nephew. Then maybe you’ll find a place for it on your desk to remember this amazing trip. You reach down to pick it up to stow it away in your pocket. But wait!

Riverbeds are often full of fascinating finds, like these intricate river rocks.

NPS Photo

The natural world is full of fascinating finds that awe us with their beauty and intrigue. From colorful rocks and seashells to artifacts, feathers, and fossils. While you may be tempted to bring these items home with you, please leave them where you find them.

Did You Know?

Leave what you find is one of the 7 Leave No Trace Principles. These Principles empower you to leave nature as unchanged by your presence as possible. It’s a way of protecting the natural world and yourself and to preserve our outdoor spaces for the enjoyment of generations to come. 

2019 super bloom in Death Valley National Park.

NPS / Kurt Moses

A Part of the Experience

Finding “treasures” in the natural world is part of the experience of exploring our protected places. With over 300 million visitors to parks each year, if everyone took something, it would leave a huge impact! And it would alter the experience for everyone. Imagine visiting Petrified Forest National Park and seeing no petrified wood. Or going to see a “super bloom” in Death Valley National Park and finding no flowers. Every item removed from its place also removes a piece of that place for future visitors. Leave what you find and let others experience the same sense of wonder and discovery that you felt when you found a “treasure” in the natural world.

A colorful piece of petrified wood found at Petrified Forest National Park.

NPS Photo

Role of Natural Items

The items we find in nature have a role to play, either in the ecosystem or the story of the landscape. Leaving what we find in place helps to preserve both.

All natural items play a role in their ecosystems. For example, flowers are more than just beautiful. They are also important sources of pollen for pollinators. And, if fertilized, they become seeds or fruit, which could be food for other animals or become new flowers!

Even dead things have a role to play! For example, dead leaves and sticks might seem to have no purpose, but they actually play a big role. They can provide cover for amphibians, reptiles, insects, and even pollinators. Birds can use them to build their nests. And as they decompose, they also recycle nutrients back into the soil.

A bighorn sheep skull in Glacier National Park.

NPS Photo

But it's just a...

Click through the drop down boxes below to find out what roles these items play in their ecosystems.

Rock

• Soil formation: Rocks weather over time to create soil, which provides a medium for plants to grow and supports diverse communities of organisms, from fungi to insects.

• Habitat and shelter: Rocks provide habitat and shelter for a variety of organisms, particularly in rocky habitats such as shorelines and mountainsides. Organisms may use rocks as protection from predators, for thermal regulation (to keep cool or warm), or as a surface to attach to.

• Water retention: Rocks can help to retain water in the soil, reducing erosion and providing a more stable environment for plants and other organisms.

• Nutrient cycling: When rocks weather, they release nutrients into the soil that can be taken up by plants.

• Geological diversity: Rocks provide geological diversity and contribute to the unique characteristics of ecosystems. Rocks tell a story of the geologic past. 

Feather

• Nesting material: Feathers are often used as a material for building nests, providing a warm and soft environment for young birds to grow and develop.

• Decomposition: When birds molt or die, their feathers decompose and release nutrients back into the ecosystem. This helps to keep the soil fertile and support other organisms in the food chain.

Shed Antlers

• Nutrient cycling: Shed antlers, like other bone material, are composed of a variety of essential nutrients and minerals which can be slowly released into the ecosystem as the antlers decompose. This process helps to keep soil fertile and support the growth of plants and other organisms.

• Chewing: Shed antlers are an important source of calcium and phosphorus. Many animals chew on them for nutrients or to sharpen teeth.
• Stimulation: Wolves have been known to bring antlers back to their pups as "toys." 

Flower

• Reproduction and pollination: Flowers are the reproductive organs of plants, and they produce nectar and pollen to attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds. Pollinators assist in the transfer of genetic material between plants, which allows for plant reproduction and genetic diversity.

• Food and habitat: Flowers provide food for insects, such as bees and butterflies, as well as larger animals like birds and bats that may consume the nectar and pollen. The flowers also provide habitat for numerous insects and other invertebrates that live among the petals and leaves.

• Beauty and aesthetics: Flowers contribute to the overall beauty and richness of the natural world.

Pine Cone

• Seed dispersal: Pine cones are full of seeds that are dispersed by birds, squirrels, and other animals that eat or carry them away from the parent tree. This helps to maintain genetic diversity in the ecosystem and allows for the expansion of new populations of pine trees.

• Nutrient cycling: When pine cones fall to the ground and decompose, they release nutrients into the soil that can be taken up by other plants. This helps to maintain soil fertility in the ecosystem.

• Habitat and shelter: Pine cones can provide habitat and shelter for a variety of organisms. For example, some species of birds use pine cones as nesting material, while others may use them for cover or protection from predators.

Dead Leaf

• Nutrient cycling: Dead leaves decompose and release their nutrients back into the soil, where they can be taken up by other plants. This helps to maintain soil fertility in the ecosystem.

• Habitat and shelter: Dead leaves provide habitat and shelter for a variety of organisms, including insects, fungi, and small mammals.

• Water retention: Dead leaves help to retain moisture in the soil, reducing erosion and providing a more stable environment for plants and other organisms.

• Carbon sequestration: Dead leaves and other plant material can sequester carbon in the soil, helping to reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.

Empty Bird Nest

• Shelter and habitat: Empty bird nests can provide shelter and habitat for a variety of organisms, including insects, small mammals, and other birds. Some species of birds, such as owls and woodpeckers, may use old nests as roosting sites or as a temporary refuge.

• Signaling and behavior: Some bird species may use old nests as signaling devices to mark territories or attract mates.

• They're often reused! Many species of birds, including house sparrows, wrens, and common starlings, save time and energy by using old and abandoned nests as their own.

Role of Cultural Items and Artifacts

Just as with natural items, it is important to leave cultural items and artifacts where you find them. These items, and their original locations, tell us a story of our shared heritage. When they are taken, that story is harder to piece together. These items are sometimes sacred or extremely meaningful to specific cultures and communities and are often irreplaceable.

What do I do if I find an artifact?

1. Leave it be! Don’t pick it up or move it in any way.  

2. Document the location. Note where you are. Snap a picture of the artifact where you found it. Step back and photograph the artifact with a landmark. 

3. Alert a park ranger. Show a park ranger your pictures and the location of the artifact. If you cannot find a ranger, visit the park website and click the “Contact Us” link at the bottom the page. 

Pot shards at Petrified Forest National Park.

NPS Photo

It’s the Law

Leaving what you find isn’t just good etiquette, it’s also the law—especially on federal lands.

Archeological items are protected by a law called the Archeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA).

Many natural items are also protected by law. For example, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act prohibits anyone without a permit from taking bald or golden eagles, including their parts (feathers, skulls, etc.), nests, or eggs. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act provides similar protections to listed migratory birds.

Here are just a few other laws that help preserve and protect our natural and cultural resources.

• NPS Organic Act of 1916
• Code of Federal Regulations § 2.1 Preservation of natural, cultural and archeological resources
• Antiquities Act of 1906
• Federal Cave Resources Protection Act
• National Historic Preservation Act
• Wilderness Act
• The Paleontological Resources Preservation Act (PRPA)

Check the Compendium!

Some natural items like berries, nuts, firewood, or unoccupied seashells, may be gathered in certain areas and in certain quantities. Check the Superintendent’s Compendium for the park that you are visiting (often available on park websites) for specific regulations related to collecting natural resources. Or ask a park ranger. When in doubt, leave it be!

A hiker chooses to take home a photo memory rather than taking a moose antler from Denali National Park.

NPS / Emily Mesner

What You Can Do

Leaving what you find doesn’t have to put a damper on your outdoor experience. There are many ways to appreciate and enjoy found items without disturbing them or taking them with you. Here are some ways you can enjoy nature’s treasures in a low impact way.

• Bring a camera and take pictures

• Bring a field guide to identify flowers, plants, and mushrooms

• Leave cultural artifacts where you found them and tell a park ranger

• Start a nature journal and record, make sketches, and write about what you find

• Do a photo scavenger hunt, where you take pictures of what you find instead of collecting the items

• Learn more about the fourth Leave No Trace Principle, Leave What You Find

Starting a nature journal is a great way to capture memories of what you find while exploring nature.

NPS Photo

Pass It On!

Did you learn something new? Pass it on! Protecting our ecosystems and historic artifacts is a job for us all, but there’s no way for everyone to be an expert in everything. That’s why sharing knowledge is so important!

Download or screenshot this card to share with a friend or help spread the word and encourage others to Leave No Trace by leaving what you find so that everyone can enjoy the treasures that nature has to offer. Thank you for helping protect our natural spaces for generations to come.

Check out other I Didn’t Know That! Topics.

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I Didn't Know That! with Leave No Trace
Principle 4: Leave what you find

• The natural world is full of fascinating finds. While you may be tempted to bring these "treasures" home with you, please leave them where you find them.
• The items we find in nature have a role to play either in the ecosystem or the story of the landscape. Leaving what we find in place helps preserve both.
• Every item removed from its place also removes a piece of that place for future visitors. With over 300 million visitors to parks each year, if everyone took something, it would leave a huge impact! And it would alter the experience for everyone.
• Here are some ways you can enjoy nature's treasures in a low impact way:
  • Take pictures!
  • Start a nature journal & sketch what you find.
  • Bring a field guide & get to know the flora & fauna. 
  • Be in the moment, try to use all of your senses!
• go.nps.gov/idkt

In Collaboration with Leave No Trace

This article is part of the I Didn't Know That!: Leave No Trace series and was developed in collaboration with Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. 

Leave No Trace 7 Principles © 1999 by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics