Ben Lawhon is a seasoned conservation professional with deep commitment to environmental protection through research, education, and public/private collaboration. He is the Founder and Principal of Recreation Solutions Group where he works with parks and protected areas to assess, understand, and solve visitor use issues and impacts. Ben previously worked for Leave No Trace for over 20 years, serving as the Senior Director of Research and Consulting. Prior to Leave No Trace, he worked for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy as an Associate Regional Representative for the AT in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Ben has served on numerous national and regional non-profit boards, and is currently serving on the Recreate Responsibly National Steering Committee. He has a B.S. in Natural Resources Management from the University of Tennessee and an M.S. in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources from Colorado State University.
"One of the primary strengths of the Leave No Trace movement is its scientific underpinning. In many ways, this scientific foundation is why Leave No Trace has been so effective. Being part of this research journey over the past 15 years has been incredible given just how much Leave No Trace-focused research has benefited both people and the land."
Rice, W. L., Taff, B. D., Lawhon, B., & Newman, P. (2024). Anticipated post-pandemic substitution behavior among new outdoor recreationists in the US: Analysis across involvement and activity clusters. Managing Sport and Leisure, 29(5), 751-770.
Taff, B. D., Lawhon, B., Freeman, S., Pitas, N., & Newman, P. (2024, January). US National Park Service and concession staff perceptions regarding waste management in Yosemite, Grand Teton, and Denali National Parks. In Parks Stewardship Forum (Vol. 40, No. 2, pp. 459-481). George Wright Society.
Freeman, S., Taff, B. D., Lawhon, B., Benfield, J. A., Kreye, M., Newton, J., … & Newman, P. (2023). The impact of message framing on wildlife approach during ungulate viewing experiences in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Journal of Interpretation Research, 28(1), 7-24.
Schafer, D., Bobilya, A. J., Lawhon, B., Faircloth, W. B., & Schultz, J. (2022). Understanding Hikers’ Behavioral Intent Towards Leave No Trace in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership, 14(4).
Taff, B. D., Miller, Z., Lawhon, B., Freeman, S., & Newman, P. (2022). Effective Communication and Campground Recycling: Lessons Learned from Yosemite, Grand Teton, and Denali National Parks. Land, 11(10), 1872.
Lawhon, B., Taff, B. D., Newman, P., Vagias, W. M., & Newton, J. (2017). Understanding and influencing state park visitors’ Leave No Trace behavioral intent. Journal of Interpretation Research, 22(1), 53-71.
Lawhon, B., Newman, P., Taff, D., Vaske, J., Vagias, W., Lawson, S., & Monz, C. (2013). Factors influencing behavioral intentions for Leave No Trace behavior in national parks. Journal of Interpretation Research, 18(1), 23-38.
