Does rafting have any impact on the environment?

Question

Does rafting have any impact on the environment?

Answer 1

Yes.  Rafting has an impact on the environment.  Rafts are made from petroleum products, people drive to rafting outposts in giant SUV's, old rafting buses certainly have a carbon output.....etc.  On the river, rafts can stress sensitive wildlife.

The positive part of rafting is that every year hundreds of thousands of people enjoy the wilderness in a relatively low-impact way.  Many of them will learn an appreciation of rivers and may be more likely to have a better awareness of river environmental issues.

I am sure that rafting has a much lower impact per participant than PWCs, fishing, hunting, mountain biking, atv riding, paper milling, dog parking, and even kayaking.  I love to kayak, but I usually drive to the river without carpooling.

Answer 2

Mostrafting groups are very environmenally aware ad very careful of the surroundings. They are observers.