The environmentally sensitive way to travel is to take only photos and leave only footprints.
But some freedom campers are leaving something more and farmers are kicking up a stink about it.
Ben Aubrey farms Glencairn Station above Lake Benmore and says the freedom campers who flock to the area are leaving so much human waste behind it ends up on his sheep.
“It’s just unpleasant handling sheep with human whatever all over their feet, legs and things. It puts you off work a bit!”
Quite.
A friend has a dog which likes to roll in smelly things, it also likes to leap up and sit on the back of his motorbike . . .
Another friend has come across used condoms.
This explains why farmers are very wary about allowing unfettered access to their properties. It’s not just concerns over what people might do while they’re there, it’s also fears about what they might leave behind.
Homepaddock 
The proliferation of the budget campervans(budget as generic not the brand) with no facility for retention of any liquid waste, is an environmental, social and health scandal on a vast scale. I use a caravan that is certified self contained to a standard comparable to most dwelling consent standards. That is I retain all black (toilet) waste and have storage for 10% more volume of grey (sink,basin and shower) waste water than the volume of fresh water capacity carried. All such vans belonging to my club, NZ motor homes or “Wings” carry a green triangle sticker indicating this status on the rear window and the official compliance card at front left. At its last AGM it was resolved to make selfcontainment a condition of membership applications. Members choose freedom camping for many reasons, the main ones probably being avoidance of crowds, a wish to dwell at out of the way beautiful spots (we have so many) for short times, economy, and in our case as responsible dog owners avoiding the plethora of “no dogs” signs. Nearly all DOC sites ban vans carrying dogs but have no problems with humans leaving a trail of glass, excrement , paper, cans cigarette buts etc. The fact that our dogs are under tight control at all times, leave no residue apart from the small amount of urine that we cant retrieve and to most would be unobserved, carries no weight with the nazis at DOC.
The commercial promoters of the back packer type vans have no system of waste control and take absolutely no responsibility for ameliorating the disgusting waste that remains in picnic areas, rest areas DOC reserves and other target stopovers that are often supplied in lists with the vehicles. We responsibles have a joke that the freedom vans have a toilet on board in the form of a shovel and they always are returned in immaculate condition.
My Sympathy to Ben and all like him, it is disgusting but in defence of those of us who care, lobby your local authority for more compulsory compliance to be evidenced at WOF as lpg and electrical compliance certs are, we are on about it all the time.
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I say they should fight fire with fire – if they see these campers, dump a load of manure nearby. No law against that surely?
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“This explains why farmers are very wary about allowing unfettered access to their properties.”
It doesn’t ‘explain’, HP, although it’s certainly a very good example.
The ‘explanation’ as to why farmers et al should be wary about allowing others unfettered access to their properties is precisely because it is *private* property.
No ‘example’ is required, because that ignores the fundamental point.
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Sus – You’re right, the right to restrict entry is part of a property right and should need no explanation.
But try telling that to people who don’t understand that the property rights that apply to a 1/4 acre property in town apply to much bigger ones in the country.
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“But try telling that to people who don’t understand that the property rights that apply to a 1/4 acre property in town apply to much bigger ones in the country.”
Er, you do realise that you’re talking to a libertarian? 🙂
Try talking freedom and the free market to *anybody* these days, it seems!
(Not that it stops me. I enjoy the bloodsport!)
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Sus – I’d made that assumption from your comment. Are you the Libertarian Sus whose posts I enjoy at Not PC?
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Yes I am, and thank you.
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