Saturday morning saw Elisabeth, our Stewardship and Outreach Assistant, heading out to Wiessner Woods. Accompanying her were local dog trainers Marie Kingsbury and Maryellen Sullivan. The team of three set up camp at the trail head kiosk for a few hours to talk to dog owners and non-dog owners alike about Stowe's hiking trails.
Are there too many dogs? Not enough dogs?
How do we get everyone to pick up poop in the trail?
What about all the dog owners that are doing a great job?
What should I do with my dog if I come across someone else hiking?
This is a sample of the questions we touched on, and the start of what we are trying to address with our Tails & Trails code of conduct flyer. Stowe is a special place that allows dogs to be off leash on almost all of the trails. Locals and visitors alike take advantage of this privilege. It's our duty as community members to keep the trails clean, welcoming, and safe for others to use.