MY E-BOOK-CAMPING AND HIKING by William C. Harrison OVERVIEW ABOUT THE AUTHOR Career Mr. William C. Harrison served in the U.S. Military Service for 20 years achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During his military service, Colonel Harrison served as Base Commander of a Research Facility; as Coordinator of First US Army for the establishment of four (4) Army NBC Schools supporting the US National Guard & the US Army Reserve in the states of Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia and New York; as a Laboratory Deputy Director for materials development; as a Deputy Commander for Night Vision Systems; as a New Equipment Team Commander (for test & use of state-of-the-art equipment in South Vietnam); as Coordinator for Outsourcing of DOD Biological Agents and Systems; and as In-Country Coordinator for the US National Academy of Sciences Investigation Team on the effects of agent orange on the South Vietnam environment. Since then, his career evolved as follows: ? Founder and served as Chairman and CEO of Filaments Etcetera, Inc. ? Founder and served as Chairman, CEO and President of WCH EnviroTech Corporation ? Founder and served as Chairman of the Planning for Urban Revitalization of America, Inc. (A non-profit organization) ? Currently serving as Owner and Manager of H-Holdings, an umbrella organization administering several online websites including My Camping Mall, Hiking, Tents; USA Campsite, Camping, Hiking; Filamenz, Electronics, Marine, Fishing; and Video Toy Guy, Toys, Games. Education Southern University (Baton Rouge, LA), Bachelor of Science, 1956 Washington State University (Pullman, WA), Master of Science, 1966 Babson College (Wellesley, MA), Master of Business Administration, 1977 University of Maryland (College Park, MD), Ph.D. Work More than 2,500 hours of Post University training Achievements Mr. Harrison has held professional memberships in (1) the Society of American Military Engineers, (2) the American Defense Preparedness Association, (3) the Hazardous Materials Control Resources Institute, and (4) the Water Pollution Control Federation. He published several professional papers and holds honors in the Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society, the Eta Chi Sigma Honor Society, the Phi Sigma Society (research), and the Society of the Sigma Xi (research). His military awards include the Bronze Star (two awards), the Air Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal. He?s listed in Who?s Who in Science & Engineering, Who?s Who in Finance & Industry, and the International Who?s Who of Professionals. Publications Mr. Harrison has published many articles, blogs and RSS Feeds. Some of those are reproduced below. A WORLD OF CAMPING AND HIKING Camping and Hiking Basics Introduction Camping and hiking involve a multitude of activities. They span the outdoors to encompass such things as camps, trail hiking, roughing it, campsites, sleeping accommodations, erecting tents, backpacking, navigation equipment, and cooking activities. People who engage in these activities are motivated to get away from civilization and spend time in the wilds enjoying nature. They set up tents; they sleep under the moonlight-sometimes with a sleeping bag, or they sleep in a shelter, either motor vehicle or fixed camp site shelter. Camping and hiking often represent very hard work, especially if you have to bring many components of a plan together in an effort to make the venture a success. While the effort may be difficult, it can be lots of fun when the plan comes together as intended. Just make sure that you get all of the right advice and information available ensuring that you have a successful adventure. There are lots of types of camping and hiking adventures to choose from. Examples of adventures include a trip to the beach, a hiking trail trip, a mountain climbing trip, a water sports trip, a recreational vehicle trip, a trip to a state or national park to name a few. Camping and hiking items have wide usage. For the individual nature lover, it may mean a walk through the forest with minimum gear, perhaps a backpack, hiking boots and, if lucky, some survival stuff (food, water, compass, and map). In the age of SUVs, serious campers will likely travel with a fully equipped vehicle. This could include not only backpacks and boots, but such things as sleeping tents, cooking stoves, table, chairs, heaters, and other items that can be used with electricity sourced from the SUV. Camping and hiking are often done in conjunction with other activities, such as picnicking, mountain climbing, fishing, kayaking, and canoeing. The term "camp" has an interesting history. It is derived from a Latin word "campus" meaning field. So camping is for the outdoor enthusiast, the individual who wishes to walk in the woods or play in Mother Nature?s field. You don?t have to be a wilderness expert to walk in the woods but there are some basic things that anyone contemplating a trip should consider. Find out from experienced camping and hiking friends what is needed for such a trip. In the absence of experienced people, check out a good camping book from the library. Some sporting shops can also be helpful with information on camping and the needs of a safe trip. Yes, there are lots of things to consider when you go camping, especially if it's in unchartered territory or in areas known to have vicious wild animals, poisonous animals, or poisonous plants. Just think how you would deal with sleeping in a nice big tent if there's a big black bear lurking nearby, or perhaps a mountain loin, or an alligator on the prowl. But these large threats are not your only concerns. Smaller but deadly other animals are equally to be respected. A poisonous snake crawling into your sleeping bag, or a poisonous spider bit, a scorpion crawling across your face, a leech sucking a share of your blood are all problems that you might face in certain environments. Certain plants (poison ivy, poison oak, and sumac) also pose hazards. Therefore, one must be very careful to pick the right location for his camping ground. In addition to dangers that can be caused by animals and plants, there are other considerations that one must bear in mind. Here I include terrain and weather. It?s difficult to drive spikes into a clay soil or rocky terrain. Likewise, a sandy beach provides little support for spikes in the ground. Areas with rain every day pose the challenge of staying dry. In the dessert, you have the opposite problem, that is, of making sure there is sufficient water to survive your stay. Prescription for a Camping Sojourn If your camping involves more than a day?s trip, you will need to consider in your plan such things as: ? Camping gear including tent(s), sleeping bag(s), backpack(s) if hiking, stove or lantern with cooking utensils, compass, map, flashlight, hunting knife, toiletry items, sanitary supplies, food and water. ? First aid kit including first aid cream, bandages, dressing pads, aspirin or equivalent for pain or fever, insect repellant, sunscreen, soap, and thermometer. ? Other items such as cell phone(s), small shovel, axe, sunglasses, whistle, appropriate clothing including a hat, ID cards, and cash. Camping can be extremely dangerous. The degree of danger depends on where the camping takes place. Will it take place in a well kept park, a monitored road stop, an area designated for camping known to be safe, or somewhere in the wilderness? All of these have varying degrees of risk and require appropriate health and safety precautions. Camping necessities mentioned above should represent minimum items that the camper carries with him. These should be modified depending on the environment the camper expects to encounter. In the dessert, emphasis should be placed on adequate water supplies, increased protection from known poisonous animals and plants, and the weather (sand storms, excessive sun rays, etc.). On the beach, beach chairs, towels, umbrellas and sun block are appropriate. Also, increased attention must be given to aquatic animals such as jellyfish, sharks, alligators and similar creatures. The Campsite While much goes into the planning of a good camping trip, the implementation aspects of the trip is equally as challenging. Now that you have that well developed list of camping items, just what do you do with them once you arrive at the campsite? What are the limits of the campground? Will you pitch tents or sleep under the moonlight? Will the camp be pitched on the slope of a hill or in the valley? How thick is the brush that you picked for your campground? All of these are questions that must be quickly addressed. Erecting a tent gives you some protection from a potential rain storm as well as any local wild inhabitants of the area. Pitching it on the slope or top of the hill provides protection from a sudden downpour of rain that could flood the valley. Avoiding too much brush minimizes the danger from wild animals using the brush as cover. Also, a tent provides some protection from insects such as mosquitoes. Wearing long pants and sleeves together with insect repellant provides additional protection from insects. Wild animals can smell food being cooked from afar. Your campsite should be designed so that the cooking area is not near the sleeping area. When cooking and eating is complete, make sure that the cooking area is cleansed and any smell is eliminated. Food should be put away in sealed containers so that there is no smell of it. Do not feed the animals. Remember, they are wild. Waste should be sealed in containers and, if there is no regulated disposal at the site, take the sealed waste with you and dispose of it at an appropriate disposal site. Camp fires can be dangerous. Many areas do not allow camp fires. Those that do have strict rules. Abide by the rules. Once its determined fires are acceptable, carefully consider where the fire will burn. Ten feet away from your tent is a good rule of thumb. When finished, be sure to extinguish the fire by dashing it with water. Campground Activities There is so much that one can do during a camping trip. You can go hiking. Of course, you?ll need a backpack and hiking boots. You can fish, either from the banks or in a canoe or kayak. You can go swimming. You can also play volley ball or other sports game. Then, there is the option that you can just sit around cooking and eating marshmallows all day long. Another delight of camping is watching the sunset, watching the stars at night, or glazing over water fronts, especially if you?re lucky to have the moon?s reflection over the water. Now, let?s say you plan to take a hiking trip. You?ll need backpacks, hiking boots, a compass, maybe a map and some other items to take with you. Backpacks are made for many different outdoor activities. They can be specifically designed for short day trips, long camping trips, skiing, cycling, or mountain climbing. Backpacks and hiking boots are the most important items of your hiking gear. With hiking boots, the right footwear will carry you farther, faster and safer than any cheap pair of casual shoes will. Plus, your feet and legs will feel a lot better at the end of the day. In addition to backpacks and hiking boots (hiking gear), clothing and outerwear are important considerations. With the right clothing, you?ll be warmer, cooler, drier, and more comfortable while you?re hiking, backpacking, trail running, climbing or camping. For the water sports enthusiasts, the camping trip offers fishing, sailing or just boat riding. If fishing, the catch can be cooked on the camp fire. For sailing or fun riding, there are small boats, canoes and kayaks. Many of these are inflatable, making them easy to carry when not being used. The Essence of Camping The Happy Hiker Chasing After Water Sports Equipment ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRIBUTIONS This Chapter is here, first, because the author (William C. Harrison) is a life long environmentalist with an M.S. in the field and the founder of an environmental consulting business that completed more than 100 significant environmental projects mostly for Federal and State agencies. Secondly, the environment plays a major role in the camping industry. Two things come to mind. A camper should always seek to leave the camp site void of waste items. In other word, don?t pollute. Use environmentally friendly materials and take your waste with you. The other thing is to avoid camping in an environmentally harmful or contaminated area such as harmful animals and plants, at a dump site/landfill, in an area contaminated with petroleum products, at a waste treatment plant, near hazardous chemical products, at a medical waste site, or close to radioactive waste. These are further discussed below. Synopsis of Some of the Author?s Previous Environmental Work Mr. Harrison?s professional experience consisted of executive management of engineering and environmental projects involving various types of planning, engineering, environmental impact studies, and hazardous materials' investigations. The origin of projects came from for such agencies as the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, the US Army, US Air Force, US Navy, US DOE, US DOT, US EPA, US FDIC, US Postal Service, US Corps of Engineers, MWRA, BRA, BW&SC, States, Cities, Authorities, and Commissions. Some of the projects included: ? Project Manager on an environmental consulting services project for the US Army Corps of Engineers, New York District. This $2,000,000 project required conducting a wide range of studies, consisting of such things as environmental assessments, wetlands' assessments, water quality analyses, hazardous materials surveying, sample collection/testing/analyses, mitigation studies, erosion control studies, ecological studies, wildlife studies, and historic preservation and architectural investigations. ? Project Director on a Boston Geotechnical Site Analysis project for the City of Boston Buildable Lots Program. This project required site investigations at 73 potentially contaminated sites with as many as 10 to 12 being conducted simultaneously. ? Project Manager on two major Environmental Impact Studies for downtown Boston developments. Major issues included urban qualities, traffic, hazardous waste, socioeconomic factors, and public/community relations. ? Director on a Braintree/Weymouth Pump Station & Interceptor System environmental impact study. The study consisted of evaluating a proposed interceptor and pump station upgrade. Major issues included aquatic biology, drainage, tidal flows, traffic, permitting, and public/community relations. ? Site Development Work for a Polymer Laboratory. This project consisted of a study for the development of a Polymer Research Center at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, MA. The work involved studying existing conditions including topography, surface/subsurface conditions, roadway patterns and site utility infrastructure, and evaluating the feasibility of the proposed development including environmental concerns and regulatory requirements ? Project Manager on a Residuals Management Environmental Impact Study dealing with disposal of liquid sludge to the Boston Harbor. My work consisted of reviewing and assessing the validity of the potential impacts of barging or piping of residuals program materials from an island location to a coastal location. ? Participated on an industrial waste survey project for the U.S. Army at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ. Major concerns included Picatinny's NPDES permit with the state of New Jersey (suspended for discharging excessive quantities of VOCs & heavy metals into the NJ waterways), and establishing correct disposal procedures for removal of waste from its printed circuit production facility. ? Director on a PRP Project dealing with agency checks, site investigations and data compilation to investigating responsible parties? financial & background status, establishing databases for sites with large numbers of PRPs, title searches, enforcement tracking, and support of legal proceedings. These services were performed on various clients in many states (MA, CT, NH, NY, RI, VT, etc.). Environmental Planning Environmental planning encompasses a wide range of activities derived from the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). It covers such things as environmental auditing, air/water sampling and analysis, flood/erosion control, solid waste, wastewater treatment, urban planning, environmental assessments and impact studies, natural resources, endangered species, land use, water resources, cultural resources, socioeconomic resources and federal/state/local zoning and permit requirements. You can see by this list of subjects that environmental planning covers many disciplines. While any undertaking requires a consideration of the impact of such undertaking on the environment, major operations such as a housing subdivision development, a roadway thruway, the construction of a high rise building, etc. require a formal environmental impact analysis. Environmental planning for smaller efforts such as for a camping trip or refurbishing an existing plaza may or may not be mandated by NEPA. In the case of the camping trip, there is no such mandate although there may be local ordinances that address camping site activities regarding the handling of waste by campers. In the case of a plaza do-over, there is a NEPA derivative requirement to perform an environmental assessment to ascertain if a more formal impact analysis is required. Environmental planning is not something to be fearful of. It is something that should become a part of your standard practice when planning a trip, an operation or undertaking. While you need not be fearful, one should respect his environment and prepare for any eventuality. That includes, in the case of camping, the terrain (is it flat or mountainous?), the weather (is it cold or hot, is it wet or dry?), the plants and wildlife of the area (are there poisonous plants and animals in the area, are there vicious wild animals-tigers, lions, bears, alligators in or near the site?), the fire hazard potential of the area (is there a potential for forest fire?), a contaminated area (is the area a former landfill, a former gasoline, oil or fuel site, a former chemical waste area, or a formal radioactively contaminated site?), a mosquito infested area, or an area notorious for attacks by gangs. One should consider these on a routine basis and incorporate them into his/her plans including how to remedy any dangers that might be encountered. Environmental planning for major operations is addressed more formally by EPA and state and local government agencies under the NEPA. The Act covers the formal investigation process, the analysis, the potential impacts, and the remedies proposed for adverse impacts. The author was a consultant for many years assisting agencies and organizations with the preparation of impact studies, presenting his findings and recommendations to his client as well as the public. PREVIOUS PUBLICATIONS The publications listed in this chapter cover a range of articles published in journals, blogs, RSS Feeds, and elsewhere. Archives A few articles were written by the Arthur a some years ago and are of no consequence here. They are mentioned here in summary form only: ? Influence of Soil Types on the Response of Ponderosa Pine to Atmospheric Fluorides. Phytopath. 48:393 ? Influence of Soil Moisture on the Response of Ponderosa Pine to Atmospheric Fluorides. Proceedings of the American Chemical Society. 1967 ? A Check List of Plant Diseases Reported on Opium Poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) Misc Publication 27, Fort Detrick, MD. ? Strategy for a Successful Investment Program. Bus. Enterprise. Univ. of Maryland ? A Report on the Variance in the Medical Facilities between the Intercity, Suburban and Rural Areas of Metropolitan Boston (with regard to practice of medicine, economy of process and security of resources). SOME RECENT PUBLICATIONS CONCLUSION