The National Park Service’s arrowhead emblem inspired the shape of my I Leave No Trace patch, which features Delicate Arch. I like how the letters got a little lost in the design. They are not leaving much of a trace. . . What tips do you have for leaving no trace? I look forward to reading your comments below! Image credit: Merit Badge: I Leave No Trace, 2020 | Embroidery floss on fabric #fiberart #embroidery #patch #meritbadge #fortcollins #coloradoartist #contemporaryart #

The warmer weather has me longing for spring and thinking of wildflowers! Image credit: Merit Badge:: I Do Not Pick Wildflowers, 2020 | Embroidery floss on fabric #contemporaryart #fortcollins #coloradoartist #embroidery #meritbadge #patch #fiberart #recreation #stewardship #recreateresponsibly #leavenotrace

The merit badge I Do Not Feed Wildlife was inspired by a chipmunk we came across while hiking in Yosemite. The chipmunks had been fed so much that they were not afraid of people at all. In fact, they were aggressive. They would run up to your pack in search of food the second you set it down. Image credit: Merit Badge: I Do Not Feed Wildlife, 2020 | Embroidery floss on fabric #artandecology #recreation #stewardship #meritbadge #embroidery #fiberart #patch #contemporaryart #fo

In today’s world of video games, SMART phones, television, computers, and social media, it is easy to lose touch with nature (Anderson and Guyas, 2012). As a result, many people do not realize how their lives, actions and choices are impacting the environment. Or if they do know, they do not seem to care, at least not enough to make changes in their lifestyles to reduce their carbon footprints. Fortunately, though, this is not true for everyone. Artists, scientists, educators

My final Demerit Badge is Tree Carving. After coming across several vandalized trees in Rocky National Park, it seemed fitting to make a patch of a tree split down the middle by a broken heart. The P stands for people and the E earth to show how people have broken their relationship with the earth. This photo was taken in Rocky Mountain National Park on a hike to Gem Lake. Image credit: Demerit Badge: Off Trail, 2019 | Embroidery floss on fabric | Approximate 3x3 inches #arta

This bright yellow diamond patch resembles a road sign with an infographic of a hiker. Considering the loss of silence and how we cannot escape the sounds of civilization even in the wilderness, I created a hiker stressed out by sound pollution. Image Credit: Demerit Badge: Noise pollution | 2019 | Embroidery floss on fabric #demeritbadge #fortcollins #coloradoartist #contemporaryart #fiberart #embroidery #recreateresponsibly #recreation #stewardship #soundpollution

My demerit badge Traffic Jam features a scene of bumper to bumper traffic in Yosemite Valley. While living in California, we would visit Yosemite National Park, my favorite national park. Going in the valley would feel like we were going to an amusement park. What is your favorite national park? Image Credit: Demerit Badge: Traffic Jam, 2019 | Embroidery floss on fabric #artandecology #fortcollins #coloradoartist #contemporaryart #nationalpark #yosemitenationalpark #embroider

“Industrial Tourism is a threat to national parks.” [1] The first patch I made was Off Trail. The Demerit Badge captures a hiking boot in mid-air about to crush a precious flower. On my hikes, I have noticed many cutoffs where people have clearly left the trail and scarred the land. This damages ecosystems and sometimes destroys rare plants and flowers. Patches are a great influence on my art. My husband and I collect patches on our visits to state and national parks. This is

As part of my current series Paradise Lost, I create merit and demerit badges that reframe and modernize the traditional "Leave No Trace" ideals. Seeing a smoke-filled sky today made me think of my meticulously hand-embroidered patch I Do Not Cause Wildfires. Please visit https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/minimize-campfire-impacts/ to learn how and when you can safely enjoy a campfire. What other socially responsible actions do you take to avoid accidentally starting a wildfir