To address the problem of abandoned dog poo, the Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) and community partners are hosting April Stools'Day events to clean up parks and trails and protect waterways. Organized clean ups will take place on Wednesday, April 22 from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM at Burlington's Oakledge Park and on Saturday, April 25 in Bristol, St. Albans and Williston. Additional "scoop the poop" events will be held in other communities in May. Gloves, bags, trowels, pails and hand sanitizers will be provided. Participants who doggedly pursue the poo will receive a package of lake note cards (while supplies last) and be entered into a drawing for cash prizes of $25, $50 and $100.
Q: What's worse than picking up dog poop?
A: Stepping in it.
Q: What's worse than stepping in dog poop?
A: Swimming or fishing in or drinking water with dog poop in it. Nearly 200,000 people rely on Lake Champlain for their drinking water.
"While many pet owners conscientiously pick up aftertheir dogs, most dog poop that's left behind makes its way into local waterways as runoff," said Lori Fisher, Lake Champlain Committee Executive Director. "Pet waste contains disease-causing bacteria, viruses and lots of excess nutrients that can close a beach to swimming, trigger weed growth and algae blooms, and foul the water."
Meet for "doo-ty" at the following locations. RSVPs appreciated.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Burlington - 9 AM - 11 AM at Oakledge Park
Meet at the park's lower parking lot at the end of Flynn Ave.Google Map
Contact LCC at 802 658 1414 or[email protected]for more information
After the clean up there will be light refreshments at the LCC office (a short stroll from the park) courtesy of Myer's Bagel Bakery.
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Bristol - 9 AM - 11 AM at The Lands of the Watershed Center
Meet at The Watershed Center, 4783 Plank Road in Bristol
Contact Matt Ham-Ellis at 802 557 1836 or i[email protected]for more information
Hosted by The Watershed Center and LCC.
St. Albans - 9 AM - 11 AM at the Hard'Ack and Aldis Hill Trails
Meet at the Hard'Ack entrance off Congress Street near the dog park
Contact Denise Smith at 802 355 0694 or[email protected]for more information
Hosted by Franklin County Stormwater and LCC.
Williston - 9 AM - 11 AM at Williston Community Park
Meet at the picnic shelter near the skate park on the east side of Williston Central School
Contact Lori Fisher at 802 658 1421 or[email protected]for more information
Hosted by Sustainable Williston, Williston Recreation & Parks, and LCC.
If you can't make a clean-up. . .
If a clean-up isn't scheduled nearby or you can't make the date you can still lend a hand. Head out to your favorite park, trail or neighborhood with gloves, plastic bags and a sturdy trowel and help scoop the poop. Wear a safety vest if working near roadways. Flush collected pet poop down the toilet (without the bag) or knot the bag and deposit it in the garbage along with any other trash you find during your outings.Email LCCphotos and details on your clean-up effort by May 4 and you'll still be entered into our drawing for cash prizes. Contact LCC at [email protected] or 802 658 1414 for details on clean-ups scheduled for May or to organize one for your community. The Scoop on Poop
Besides the foul smell and the unpleasantness of stepping in hound mounds, pet poop is bad for waterways, lawns and people. Pet waste carries nutrients that feed the growth of weeds and algae in the water. An average size dog dropping produces 3 billion fecal coliform bacteria. Pets are responsible for up to one-third of bacterial pollution in waterways near developed areas. EPA estimates that two or three days' worth of droppings from just 100 dogs contributes enough bacteria to temporarily close a waterbody to swimming and fishing. Woof-waste doesn't make good fertilizer; it burns grass and leaves unsightly discoloring. Infected pet poop can carry the eggs of roundworms and other parasites (like cryptosporidium, giardia, and salmonella) which can linger in soil for years.Anyone gardening, playing sports, walking barefoot, or digging in the infected dirt, risks coming into contact with those eggs. Children are most susceptible since they often play in the dirt and put things in their mouths.
About the Lake Champlain Committee
The Lake Champlain Committee is a bi-state environmental organization that has been working for over 50 years to protect water quality, safeguard natural habitats, and ensure recreational access. Responsible pet waste management is a component of the LCC’s Lake Protection Pledge which offers helpful tips to protect water quality. Note:LCC's April Stools' Day and Scoop the Poop clean-ups are funded by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, the Lake Champlain Basin Program, and LCC members.