NO DUMPING... do we need the sign?

FORCE: Friends of Rock Creek's Environment has a page with contact information where people can report issues in the park or the creek
www.friendsofrockcreek.org


in my day to day adventures I see that there are some serious trouble spots where people are dumping a large volume of waste on a regular basis
-at the base of The Klingle Valley just before the underpass that ducks under Porter Street is a spot where people frequently dump a high volume of stuff
my guess... it is the same contractor or the same set of contractors
BUST EM! Our tax dollars are paying Park Service Employees to haul this stuff away when these Park Service Employees could be working to build sustainable trails rather than cleaning up someone's crap

-then also... there is a small swath of park land that borders 36th Street headed towards Connecticut Avenue near Nebraska
this stretch of land is a wasteland that people are constantly dumping construction waste


these are just two spots off the top of my head
these are spots that get what appears to be contractor waste
the rest of the park is always getting Christmas Trees and Christmas Wreaths... the Starbucks coffee cup out the driver's window... the Popeye's Chicken wrapper... and then of course
then are the beer can's of the post work happy hour in the woods

NO DUMPING.
it is that simple... NO DUMPING. DO NOT POLLUTE.
it is illegal to dump your shit in the woods of Rock Creek Park

sign or no sign... everyone knows that it is illegal to dump their shit in Rock Creek Park
yet... there are a multitude of locations where people feel it is easier to dump their shit than to take their shit to the dump
and I am talking more than the single soda can and candy wrapper... but that action needs to stop as well

I AM TIRED OF THIS SHIT!
(excuse my language... I am a little worked up)

this winter and its SNOWPOCALYPSE was tough on the trees
the hardwoods managed pretty well
while the evergreens and other similiar trees with year round green coverage suffered some serious damage
magnolias, holley bushes, cedar trees, and all sorts of conifers were uprooted or lost major limbs
it was a little more than spring cleaning
in some areas it was death and destruction


it is understandable... a limb falls off a tree in a house that borders or nearly borders the woods of Rock Creek
it is completely understandable that a person would feel justified in dragging that limb into the woods
for that one person to drag that one limb would really not make much of a difference

but sadly... it is not just that one person... it is lots of people
which means lots of limbs and lots of yard clippings

so then...
after that one person and their one tree limb comes a person and their masses of bushes
then another person dumps their clippings and their yard refuse

before you know it
there are stacks and stacks of non-indigenous plants all over the park
plants piled on a small patch of land that can no longer breath

not only is it unattractive but it is also unhealthy
leaves do not fall in a big pile in the same way that people dump them
actually compost piles only work if people rotate and mix up the compost
then worst of all

when one person dumps... then another person dumps... things become less attractive
next thing you know... there is a washer... a dryer... and an engine block
all along side of the countless christmas trees... some of which still have lights strung on them

What is the answer?
TICKET THE F_CKERS?

well... there are some contractors that dump their stuff in various sections of the park
a hidden camera would be a sound investment and a logical effort
one of those hidden cameras that is motion detected like photographers use to photo animals in the wild
the contractor that is dumping major SHIT should be prosecuted
but the resolve for the person with the yard clippings
well... their actions may be a combination of laziness and ignorance
to resolve this situation we should beautify our park
an education may aid in stopping this behavior

if the woods of Rock Creek Park were more attractive than people would be less likely to dump their yard waste in the woods

certain sections of Rock Creek Park are neglected
heavily eroded sections of earth
lifeless land
it is so unattractive that I guess that people do not see the harm

okay... they know it is wrong
when do they dump? in the dark of night?
how do they behave when they dump their stuff? are they looking over their shoulder? do they look suspicious?
yes... they know it is wrong... they know if they get caught they will get in trouble


Rock Creek Park is an amazing natural resource... something to be embraced and cherished... a resource to be maintained and respected

personally I believe that if we worked to rebuild Rock Creek Park the positive ripple effects would be substantial!

GREEN SPACE SHOULD BE GREEN!

so much of the land that borders the roads that weave through Rock Creek Park is lifeless earth
this land should be brought back to life
if there is a high volume of foot traffic beating down this earth and preventing it from staying green
embrace that concept
put a foot path in a logical route and flank that foot path with fertile soil with some sort of clover or other ground cover
I have seen some asphalt paths put in place... personally I am not a big fan of paving... but in some cases this is better than the lifeless earth that flanks the roads in the park

FREE THE ROCKS!
Rock Creek Park has some glorious rock faces... many of which are over grown
CLEAN UP THESE ROCK FACES! Make the rocks visible... play Tiger Lillies or Daffodils at the base of these Rock Faces so that they are given greater attention... my bet... it is is a prettier facade people will respect it more

REBUILD THE TRAILHEADS!
the TRAIHEADS could also use a bit of a face lift... the tiger lily and daffodil idea could be expanded her
so many of our trailheads are heavily eroded
build IRRIGATION GARDENS to slow the errosion

and of course...
REBUILD THE TRAILS!

it the trails were respected more... then the users of these trails may respect them more

enough on this
on with my day