Monday

Burning Man Theme Camp Earth Guardians

Earth Guardians

Burning Man Volunteers formed the Earth Guardians in 1998 to assist in education and conservation efforts. Originally blessed the “The Guardians of the Grand Bolson “, Earth Guardians focus on emerging issues that have the potential to impact the playa or our community and develop LNT practices to reduce impacts. We also visit the Black Rock desert outside of the Burning Man event both to introduce participants to the beauty of the area and to participate in restoration and education activities. We also work closely with BLM and other desert users, and together, we received national recognition in 2001 for restoration projects in Black Rock/High Rock National Conservation Area.

Earth Guardians volunteers have developed Burning Man-specific LNT principles and practices and shared those though the Burning Man Survival guide, JRS emails and the Burning Man web site to the citizens of Black Rock City. These volunteers lead an annual LNT backpacking training trip each year in the Black Rock Desert and are ‘on-call’ during the event to talk with groups and camps about LNT practices or problems. In 2002, the Earth Guardians began hosting a Leave No Trace Tour of Black Rock City during the event and identifying camps that exemplified the LNT ethic. Earth Guardians also begain a ‘Camp of the Day’ Contest that year to reward camps that push the boundaries of LNT practices. Winners of the contest receive 2 tickets to the next year’s event for their efforts at innovation. The remaining Earth Guardian volunteer teams are busy during Burning Man leading nature walks for participants, completing restoration of sensitive areas around the playa such as Frog Pond, outdoor education and monitors for hot springs and burn platforms.

At each year’s Burning Man, Earth Guardians pick new outreach areas to develop new materials and activites around. For the last couple of years we have also formed a partnership with BLM to explore different themes for outreach to the residents of Black Rock city. In 2004 and 2005 Earth Guardians focused on air toxics, from burning sythetic materials, reducing impacts from oil spills, and reuse of materials. At this year’s event, in keeping with the look to the future, Earth Guardians continue to feature an updated Black Rock Interpretive walk which includes a timeline of the ‘greening’ of Burning Man and highlights different department’s proactive, eco-friendly changes in operations and includes our efforts outside the event (e.g. participate in Public Lands Day, Friends of Black Rock, restoration of wilderness areas and Gerlach, and contributions to environmental education). This ‘interpretive walk’, will pose the question” what impacts will you leave for the future, positive or negative?’ It will include a much stronger emphasis on reuse, reduce, recycling and use of green resource to reduce our impacts beyond the Black Rock Desert.