Periwinkle
Active member
On my weekly route checking my volunteer trail maintance area, I discovered a new level of disrespect for the backcountry.
I've seen a lot in one small spot, an overcamped area beside a small pristine swimming hole. (Which is clearly marked on the main trail side with a 3x4' sign: "No Camping Within 200 Feet Either Side of This Stream". The opposite side had a 4x12" "NO CAMPING" sign. It's an FPA that ends less than FIVE mintues further up the trail.)
All summer, I spent most of my time dispersing fire rings, packing out trash, etc. The Forest Service is aware of the problem and does patrol the area. But, still, all manner of morons manage to find their way here.
Part of my efforts over the past three years have been to rehabilitate the overcamped side of the swimming hole. During this time, I have transplanted memorial trees quite some distance to the area. There were five little trees (about 3' high), surrounded by stone rings (as suggested by the Forest Service to signify the fact that the trees were transplants).
Today there were three. Two had been ripped out and callously tossed aside, the small stones used for a pathetic excuse for a fire ring. Instead of planting a sixth tree in memory of a close family friend who recently lost a twenty year battle against cancer, I cleared the fire ring and replanted the two discarded trees. I know that they willl die -- it was purely an act of stubborn determination on my part.
At least it put the shovel I was carrying to good use. Had anyone still been there, they would have been confronted by a very angry little woman brandishing a recently sharpened garden tool....
It wasn't just the trees; these bozos took the time to dig up a "deterent" rock buried a foot deep, drag large logs across the area destroying what little undergrowth there is, and kick away half of the stones surrounding the remaining trees.
The view of the surrounding area now included the litter of little white flags. At some point, someone had dug a community cat hole (oh, next to a run off stream no less), but hadn't taken the time to cover it. Or use it for most of nature's calls.
To top off their "camping" experience, they took the time to climb a tree and remove a "NO CAMPING" sign posted ten feet up a tree.
Why?
Who are these people??? What motivates them? And most of all, what would make them stop?
I've seen a lot in one small spot, an overcamped area beside a small pristine swimming hole. (Which is clearly marked on the main trail side with a 3x4' sign: "No Camping Within 200 Feet Either Side of This Stream". The opposite side had a 4x12" "NO CAMPING" sign. It's an FPA that ends less than FIVE mintues further up the trail.)
All summer, I spent most of my time dispersing fire rings, packing out trash, etc. The Forest Service is aware of the problem and does patrol the area. But, still, all manner of morons manage to find their way here.
Part of my efforts over the past three years have been to rehabilitate the overcamped side of the swimming hole. During this time, I have transplanted memorial trees quite some distance to the area. There were five little trees (about 3' high), surrounded by stone rings (as suggested by the Forest Service to signify the fact that the trees were transplants).
Today there were three. Two had been ripped out and callously tossed aside, the small stones used for a pathetic excuse for a fire ring. Instead of planting a sixth tree in memory of a close family friend who recently lost a twenty year battle against cancer, I cleared the fire ring and replanted the two discarded trees. I know that they willl die -- it was purely an act of stubborn determination on my part.
At least it put the shovel I was carrying to good use. Had anyone still been there, they would have been confronted by a very angry little woman brandishing a recently sharpened garden tool....
It wasn't just the trees; these bozos took the time to dig up a "deterent" rock buried a foot deep, drag large logs across the area destroying what little undergrowth there is, and kick away half of the stones surrounding the remaining trees.
The view of the surrounding area now included the litter of little white flags. At some point, someone had dug a community cat hole (oh, next to a run off stream no less), but hadn't taken the time to cover it. Or use it for most of nature's calls.
To top off their "camping" experience, they took the time to climb a tree and remove a "NO CAMPING" sign posted ten feet up a tree.
Why?
Who are these people??? What motivates them? And most of all, what would make them stop?
. I can't believe people would actually pull up trees. I'm not a tree hugger, but I do believe we need to preserve whatever wilderness is left. I wonder if a bunch of "torpedoes" in the soil would have a better effect than trees. Too bad because trees are much nicer. I know this was done at "Clam Rock" in the Great Gulf. Sounds like your campers were a pretty determined, and perhaps intoxicated bunch.
