thing you can do to minimize your impact on public lands .
-4- respect wildlife
Parks aren ’ t just for people . Public lands are a haven for wildlife , which is rapidly losing habitat in Maryland due to development . Black Hill Regional Park is home to red foxes , wild turkeys , bald eagles , mink , box turtles , and white-tailed deer to name a few . I live for those magical encounters with wildlife , but it is really important to understand that unthinking actions can send a wild animal fleeing into traffic or abandoning its nest . If your presence changes an animal ’ s behavior , you are already too close . Wildlife does not react the same way to a situation as your pet dog or cat would . Wildlife can be dangerous and must always be given the right of way . Keeping dogs on leash not only keeps them and other visitors safe but it also protects wildlife from being chased or injured .
-5- leave what you find
As a mother of two children , I understand that this principle may be the most challenging at times . What harm could come from picking that pretty flower or sparkly rock ? If it were just one person picking a flower , then there wouldn ’ t be much of an impact . However , the reality is we all want that pretty flower , and if we all picked one , there would be no flowers left . Additionally , that flower is much more than a pretty thing . It is actively working to reproduce so its species can continue and be a food source for myriad creatures . Another good reason to follow this principle — it is against the law to remove wildlife , plants , cultural and historical objects from parks .
Alternatives to picking and taking objects from parks might include creating a Nature journal with drawings and notes on what was discovered , taking pictures , or creating your own “ park ” at home with native plants . You will be amazed at the butterflies , birds , bees , and that will start to visit .
-6- minimize campfire impacts
We often think wildfires only happen out West , but they happen here , too . Black Hill experienced a wildfire caused by a lit cigarette butt in 2016 . Illegal campfires , fireworks , and unextinguished charcoals from barbecue grills pose the biggest risks for fire in the park . Please use only park provided grills in designated areas . Another option could be to do a campfire rental program with Black Hill Visitor Center , which provides a beautiful campfire circle in the woods and a friendly park naturalist to start and extinguish the campfire for you .
-7- be considerate of other visitors
COVID-19 has shown all of us that we need public lands . The Maryland Park Service reported a 45 percent increase in park visitation from 2019 to 2020 and many state parks were already routinely closing due to capacity issues on weekends and holidays pre-COVID .
Now more than ever , we must do our best to leave the park as we found it , or better , so that others can enjoy it as well . Be thoughtful about how your actions may impact the experience of other visitors . Is your music too loud ? Are you yielding to others on the trail ? Could you visit the park during non-peak times ? Could you carry a trash bag with you to pick up litter that you encounter on the trail ? When we show respect and courtesy , we create community with other park visitors and truly become stewards of parklands .
By following the principles of Leave No Trace , we honor the land and people who came before us and those who will follow us . Our visit leaves an impact , however slight . Inseparable from Nature , we are changed by our experience and nature has surely been changed by our activities . Adopting Leave No Trace ethics minimizes our impacts and allows us the opportunity to grow from being a mere visitor to a champion for public lands .
RESOURCES : Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics : lnt . org Homegrown National Park : homegrownnationalpark . org
Jennifer Scully is the Facility and & Program Manager of Black Hill Visitor Center and Nature Programs in Boyds , MD . Previously , she was a Park Ranger with the Maryland Parks Service . Jennifer has her undergraduate degree from Frostburg State in Biological Illustration . She lives with her family on a small farm in Frederick County , where they raise Texas Longhorns and Lionhead rabbits .
Shelley Sims is a mixed media artist , illustrator and media coach .
28 plenty I Summer growing 2021