Actually, I work for REI as well, and have mixed feeling about what I feel the cooperative's overall direction to be. But I must admit REI's ethic is dramatically better than any other job relating to production or sales I have ever worked (and I've worked a number of them from the supervisory and floor side). I've never known a place where part-timers are treated as well.

As for moving off-trail, LNT covers the concepts so that one can easily travel with no apparent impact. A single person moving gently, consciously avoiding fragile areas, and using a "bush-slide" versus a bushwhack mentality can safely travel with no environmental harm. Careful site selection and techniques prevent hardened, overused campsite.

Groups travelling off-trail tend to be more problematic. But we still routinely moved with groups of 5 or so on NOLS course. One technique is to spread out on a broad front rather than in a line. A single-person path of bent grass will recover in a few hours, as soon as wind or rain come into play. But a line of 5 will likely bend then break then stomp down vegetation. Dispersion of one's impact allows nature to recover itself pretty though, even off-trail.