Shoes (hikers) help spread seeds

[Tom Rankin]

Not really surprising, but here is a little science to go with it:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/14/science/14obshoe.html?partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss

 

[TomD]

When I went to NZ in the 80's, customs was very scrupulous about looking over your gear before allowing it in the country. You are warned that if your gear is dirty, it won't get in, especially boots, because of concern about bringing in some biological contamination, be it seeds or something less obvious.

 

[cbcbd]

That explains the giant Oak tree growing in my living room.

 

[ColdRiverRun]

That explains the giant Oak tree growing in my living room.

And the corn behind my couch.

 

[griffin]

When I went to NZ in the 80's, customs was very scrupulous about looking over your gear before allowing it in the country. You are warned that if your gear is dirty, it won't get in, especially boots, because of concern about bringing in some biological contamination, be it seeds or something less obvious.

They'll let it in now, so long as they can give it a bath first (my partner's hiking shoes got dunked in some kind of antiseptic wash). I think they're worried about diseases that might affect livestock more than seeds.

Boaters are being encouraged to rinse off their boats after taking them out of the water to stop the spread of things like rock snot. Maybe hikers should get in the habit of cleaning off their soles?

 

[DougPaul]

Maybe hikers should get in the habit of cleaning off their soles?

One should perhaps also include the rest of the shoe, socks, clothing, outside of the body, intestines, etc. All places where a human can carry assorted organisms from one place to another.


Other means of carrying organisms beyond their normal travel limits include: pets, boats, boat ballast (water), cars, planes, cargo, firewood, etc...

Doug

 

[griffin]

One should perhaps also include the rest of the shoe, socks, clothing, outside of the body, intestines, etc. All places where a human can carry assorted organisms from one place to another.

True, but as I'm already in the habit of washing my clothing and showering, and my digestive tract comes equipped with acids and digestive enzymes...

I'm not suggesting sterilizing your boots, but scaping out your treads before flying out, flying home or traveling between regions might not be a bad idea (and judging by the boots I've seen come out of people's trunks, a lot of us don't)

 

[DougPaul]

my digestive tract comes equipped with acids and digestive enzymes...

However, intestinal parasites still survive and can be spread via one's feces.

I'm not suggesting sterilizing your boots, but scaping out your treads before flying out, flying home or traveling between regions might not be a bad idea

When we came back from hiking in Switzerland, the customs inspector gave my boots a very through cleaning. I don't know what he used, but it might have included some sort of disinfectant--I believe he was protecting against hoof-and-mouth disease. (We had walked through some cow pastures on the way to and from trails.)

Doug