Southampton - Though summer doesn't officially arrive until the solstice on June 21, the summer season is already gearing up here in the Hamptons. Winter's in the rearview mirror at last, and we're peering down the road ahead into summer. We're planning vacations, long weekends, picnics, hikes and long lunch hours across our beautiful East End of Long Island.

We get lots of visitors here in summer, and these long summer days ignite a wanderlust in many of us, too. The last two decades have seen plenty of developmental pressure here, but there are still plenty of places to enjoy the breathtaking natural beauty of the Hamptons. Yes, we'll have plenty of traffic. But we've got miles of unspoiled beaches, town and county parks and campgrounds and wildlife refuges with trails to hike, mountain-bike or travel on horseback. And we've got coastal and inland waterways to explore by canoe or kayak or rowboat.

Getting close to nature is one of the best ways I know to feed the soul and reconnect with the things that really matter in life. Whether you live here all year or visit occasionally, taking some time to get back to nature can be a healing, rejuvenating experience.

Tread Lightly, Go Greener
If we're going to keep on loving the East End for its natural beauty, we should all do our part to keep our natural places unspoiled. Maybe you're not ready to become a complete eco-freak, but a little mindfulness in the outdoors is easy for anybody to achieve and can help keep our beaches, parks, woodlands and waterways beautiful for our kids and their kids.

Here's a checklist of some simple things to keep in mind when you're enjoying the great outdoors.

1. Stay On The Trail: There are miles and miles of hiking and biking trails on the East End, so use them. And stick to them. It may be tempting to play explorer and go tramping off in the brush. But aside from the probability (especially after the wet winter we had) of coming out the other end covered in ticks, going off the path can damage the ecosystem. You could inadvertently trample sensitive or even endangered native plants, or even alter the way water flows through the landscape, which in turn affects the plants and wildlife in the area. You wouldn't think it, would you? But people do affect the landscape, even when we don't know we're doing it.

2. Don't Take Anything But Pictures: Yes, the wildflowers are pretty, and you're only going to take one, but if everybody took one they'd soon be gone, and the plant would have no seeds to use to reproduce itself. If you want to start a wildflower garden at home, get plants from a local nursery, like Fort Pond Native Plants in Montauk (www.nativeplants.net), which propagates and sells native plants.

3. Instead of a Disposable Plastic Water Bottle, carry water in a reusable Water Bottle of Metal or BPA-free Plastic. If you're camping, bring your own supply of clean water.

4. Many of us automatically pack paper plates and cups for a picnic or camping trip. But if you want to go green, bring reusable dishes and cutlery. If you're going to wash them at the site, bring along dish towels to dry them instead of using paper towels. And use biodegradable soap, not a harsh detergent, to do the washing.

5. If you're trying out camping for the first time, before you invest in a bunch of expensive camping gear, look into whether you can borrow equipment from a friend, or buy some used gear at a yard sale or swap meet.

6. Be Responsible About Disposing Of Trash: Obvious, right? But this one's important. Most of our public places - beaches, parks, the parking lots at other places - have visible, accessible trash cans. County parks have separate containers for recyclables. So use them.

7. Bring along some empty bags in case the trash cans provided at the campground are full. That way you'll have a place to stash your trash without overflowing the can or bin.

8. Be Extra-Super Careful About Fire: If you have a campfire, even in a barrel, follow any rules or restrictions of the campground. When the fire's over, be sure you don't leave any coals that are still smoldering and could possibly reignite. Spread them out and drench them in water. If you can't hold the pieces in your hand, they're hot enough to cause trouble.

If you smoke, please don't toss any butts along the trail. For one thing, it takes a bazillion years for a cigarette filter to degrade. For another, in a dry year a tossed butt can cause a fire that could consume acres upon acres of forest. The big wildfires we saw in the western Hamptons 16 years ago may well have started with a tossed cigarette.

9. To light your way at night, update your trusty old battery-powered flashlight with an LED, windup, or shake-it model - they use a lot less power.

None of the steps I'm suggesting here are difficult. They're really simple common sense. And when you take a little care for the natural places you visit, you help to keep them pristine and flourishing for others to enjoy as much as you do.