Our beautiful outdoor open spaces are precious and priceless. We all enjoy keeping these places clean, wild, and wonderful. Sadly, not everyone has the same attitude. Some folks leave trash, start fires, tear up trails, damage facilities, and simply ruin it for everyone else.
Public places need to be managed and maintained by all their users. The old rule of camping was to “leave the site better than you found it”. Every user is a Stewart of the land and waters. If you see some trash, pick it up. Put out your fire completely and maybe leave a courtesy pile for the next campers. Dispose of fish guts and big game entrails and carcasses appropriately.
We have all seen the abuses that some lazy, selfish, losers leave behind. For some it may be about education. For others it’s just stupidity. If you witness these abuses, say something. Your cell phone camera is a great enforcement tool.
Years ago, I was walking along Hunting Creek. This Catoctin Mountain trout stream, in Maryland, has been fished by Presidents and all the greatest eastern trout fishermen. I noticed the huge number of aluminum cans along the side of the road, that runs along the watershed. Drunken losers would toss away empty cans so if they got pulled over, there was no evidence of their drinking. Every time I walked along; I began filling my trout net with cans. I noticed that many of the cans were different. This began a beer can collection. For years, I added different and unique cans to my collection. When I moved to Montana, I sold the collection to a bar in Baltimore City for a couple thousand bucks! Recycling aluminum helps the environment and is a start.
It’s amazing what a few people can do to make things better. Congrats to those that embrace being stewards of the land. Thank you for teaching and showing others how to care for and maintain our beautiful places.
The other day I wandered into a pile of trash and cans left by litter lovers. A public trash can was maybe 30 feet away. In my neighborhood, there are dog waste stations, with free bags and a disposal container. 10 feet way was a pile of fresh dog poop. The vault toilet at the fishing access site is a directory of vandals names, cartoons, tags, and comments.
For those lazy losers that don’t have a clue, leave a trail of trash, graffiti public places, and disrespect our environment, Here’s Your Sign!
Be a positive example for others!
Montana Grant
