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June 23, 2022

What is Leave No Trace

The Leave No Trace 7 Principles were originally made for the backcountry but can also be helpful for your local hikes. More people than ever are exploring the outdoors and that is amazing but it is our responsibility to be good stewards of these green spaces so more people can enjoy them. LEAVE NO TRACE SEVEN PRINCIPLES 1. Plan Ahead and Prepare 2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces 3. Dispose of Waste Properly 4. Leave What You Find 5. Minimize Campfire Impacts 6. Respect Wildlife 7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors © Leave No Trace: www.LNT.org Leave No Trace...

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May 17, 2022

Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center Trail Highlight

It is time for a trail highlight! Check out this write up on Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center from our very own Backyard Guide, Sarah De Leon. As is the whole point of ExploreMore, there really is SO much to discover right in your own backyard. Like the Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center for instance. Just 20 minutes south of Dallas, in the same area as Cedar Hill SP and Cedar Ridge Preserve, the Dogwood Center is the lesser known beauty of the area. With over 200 acres of plants and wildlife from east, west, and central Texas, the center is home to...

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April 27, 2022

What Kind Of Hiking Shoes Do You Need?

One of the most common questions I get is what kind of shoes do you need to go hiking. Well that really depends on your personal needs, where you are going and how long you will be exploring. In this video, I do a quick summary of the 3 main shoe types. Hiking boots, hiking shoes or trail runners and water shoes or camp shoes. I personally save my hiking boots for long backpacking trips or really rocky terrain. I use my trail runners to most for day hikes and I use my water shoes for river crossings and to...

History of Earth Day

Written by Haley Cottey On April 22nd, 1970, millions of Americans rallied on the first Earth Day from coast to coast to demonstrate their shared value for a healthy and sustainable environment. Organized protests took place all over the country to protest businesses, factories and power plants that were polluting and contributing to loss of wildlife and wilderness. Those with few other commonalities stood side by side to show that our earth is for us all no matter our political, spiritual, or economic alignment. In 1969, Santa Barbara, California suffered from a massive oil spill which led US Senator Gaylord Nelson...

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February 24, 2022

Interview with Dennis Dabney

By Debbie Simon We all know nature is open and available to anyone who wants to enjoy its healing aspects, but statistically speaking people of color are much less likely to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. In a 2021 Outdoor Participation Trends Report found that only 9 percent of outdoor participants in 2020 were black, a level that change little in the past 7 years. According to the survey, most black people considered themselves only casual participants of outdoor activities. Only 7% of black people surveyed enjoyed car, backyard backpacking and RV Camping. In this interview with Dennis...

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