Are you an advocate for both off-leash recreation and habitat restoration in San Francisco and beyond? Green DogWalks (GDW), a public outreach project in San Francisco, is facilitating a meeting of the minds between these two traditionally adversarial camps.
Beginning with a 2006 baseline study of off-leash dog walking trends at Bernal Heights Park, GDW set measurable goals, such as reducing the instances of dogs digging, for the outreach phase of the project. Guidelines were developed for sustainable dog walking, including ways for park users to identify and protect more sensitive areas. These public education tips were made available in a brochure and a poster series installed in the park, and at www.greendogwalks.org.
Funded by the Natural Areas Program of the San Francisco’s Recreation and Parks Dept, GDW exists to foster positive communication between the dog-walking community and habitat protectors outside of often embittered public meetings. The effort is founded on the notion that both off-leash recreation and habitat restoration are valid and important activities in the park system
In June, GDW held a community report-back at the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center to share the results of the most recent park use study. Neighbors, professional dog walkers, individual dog owners, and representatives from the SPCA and the Natural Areas Program all had a chance to speak their concerns and ideas about how conservation and canine recreation can co-exist.
Would you like to be involved in Green DogWalks? Rachel Kesel, project coordinator, recently moved out of the area and has not yet been replaced. For more information, email greendogwalks@gmail.com. For GDW’s dog-walking tips and more, visit www. greendogwalks.org.
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