Six Leave No Trace Principles

Protecting and preserving Open Space and Mountain Parks is the responsibility of all those who visit it, love it, and help pay for it through their taxes. While visiting OSMP, please observe these six Leave No Trace principles, which will lighten your impact on the land and help keep it in pristine shape for your grand children.

» 1. Manage Your Dog

» 2. Pick Up Poop

» 3. Trash Your Trash

» 4. Leave It As You Find It

» 5. Stick To Trails

» 6. Share Our Trails

Want to help protect the land you own? Become an OSMP Education Volunteer and help spread the Leave No Trace message to others!

Manage Your Dog

Keeping your dog in control keeps people, dogs, livestock and wildlife safe. Others may not appreciate your dog's company; if you are not sure, ask before allowing your dog to approach them. Keep your dog nearby and under control. Carry and use a leash as required.A pet under control lessens the chance for harm to your dog from other dogs or wildlife, such as porcupines or coyotes. Dogs can carry plague-infected fleas from prairie dogs into your home. Please do not let your dog approach or chase wildlife. When wildlife are chased or harassed, they change eating patterns and exert more energy that can result in poor health or death.Check signs and follow area dog regulations. Voice and sight control includes coming on first command. Please do not let your dog approach others unless invited. If you are not sure your dog can comply with voice and sight control, please leash it, for the sake of your dog and others. For more information, please visit our special page for dog owners.

 

Pick Up Poop

Phew!  Dog poop stinks, is not natural to OSMP and others can step in it.  Pack a pick-up bag and always pick up your dog's poop -- wherever it's left.Dog poop is a health hazard. It also increases the nitrogen in the soil around the trail, giving the advantage to weeds over the native plants that evolved in nitrogen-poor soils. Thanks for bagging your dog's poop, but the job isn't done until you drop it in the trash can. For more information, please visit our special page for dog owners.

 

Trash Your Trash

Please take out all trash -- yours and others'.  Your trash can kill wildlife: they may eat it and die as it clogs their digestive systems, or they may become entangled in litter and drown or smother.Even biodegradable materials, such as orange peels, apple cores and food scraps, may take years to break down and attract scavengers that harm other wildlife.Trash is unsightly and ruins everyone's outdoor experience. Studies have shown that we attract scavenging birds and mammals that drive away or kill native birds. Let's all enrich everyone's outdoor experience and take out our trash.

 

Leave It as You Find It

Picking flowers, collecting rocks, picking berries may not seem to be a big deal, but it means others won't have a chance to enjoy them.  With millions of people visiting OSMP, the less impact we each make, the longer we will enjoy what we have.Taking one or two flowers and plants, even if they seem to be plentiful, is not OK. We all enjoy flowers or fruit, but picking them reduces seeds, which means fewer plants next year. Wildlife depend on these plants for food. Remember, there are a lot of us enjoying these natural lands, so we need to be extra careful -- leave it as you find it.

 

Stick To the Trail

Traveling on trail leaves room for wildlife and their homes.  Short-cutting trails causes erosion.  Be ready to get muddy and step right through puddles.  Boots dry overnight; trampled wildflowers take years to recover.Studies show several advantages to staying on the trail. Colorado State University researchers found on open space grasslands that fewer birds nest near trails and survival of young birds is less near a trail. Some birds can only be found several hundred yards from the trail.

To protect nesting birds of prey and some species of breeding bats, parts of OSMP are seasonally closed to all users. Violators may be ticketed. Follow this link to learn which areas are currently closed. Many wild animals do get used to trail activity, but when we go off trail we present a greater threat to them. Rare species we may affect include the Preble's meadow jumping mouse (one initial estimate has about 1,000 to 2,000 existing in the world), the hops blue butterfly and the Ute ladies' tresses orchid. Studies also show that when we trample vegetation on the side of the trail, there is a greater chance weeds will replace the native plants. While stepping through mud is a good option, if you don't want to be concerned about slipping, trampling vegetation or getting muddy, choose a different dry trail or hard surface - just until the trail dries. Please hike and ride on designated trails. Avoid areas that are unmarked, closed for revegetation or signed as sensitive. We can all have fun on OSMP and share the area with wildlife if we just stick to the trail.

 

Share Our Trails

 

We all enjoy OSMP in different ways. Pay attention, expect to encounter others and be courteous. Yield to all.We all know how great our outdoor experiences can be. One discourteous person can ruin an outing. Be courteous -- we will all have a better time. Expect and respect others. Make room for others. Control your speed when biking or running. Pass with care and let others know you are passing.

 

Last Updated on Monday, 24 August 2009 11:36