Plants will be left to grow. In delicate habitats, vegetation destruction and rock slides can easily be caused by the trampling of too many people. Mosses, lichens, and certain wildflowers and grasses, may take as much as 100 years or more to regenerate, and must not be walked upon. No responsible tour operator or naturalist should allow the removal or picking of plant specimens or other ground cover. Introduction of exotic plant species must be avoided.
Coral reefs take anywhere from several years to several decades to regenerate.
Therefore, the National Audubon Society insists that all of its tour operators provide the broadest protection possible for this underwater life form. Destruction of any part of any coral reef calls for the greatest censure. Animal behavior will not be inhibited. Because many of the most well-subscribed tours are operated during various animals' breeding seasons, tour operators and leaders should establish and always maintain at least minimum distances from these animals. Scientific studies predict that a specific animal behavioral function, such as courtship, nesting, or feeding young, demands a specific amount of energy on the part of the breeding animal.