This fall37 new dog waste bins funded by the Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy and the National Park Service were installed throughout the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, according to a press release.
The new dog waste bins replaced 20 previous bins and added an additional 17 to encourage visitors to “Bag and Bin It.” Bins can now be found in all 15 CRNRA park units, with additional bins in high-use areas. The volume and distribution of dog waste and bags left on the ground has increased as more people seek to spend time outdoors in the CRNRA during the COVID pandemic. The new dog waste bins include free waste bags and disposal bins to encourage visitors to properly dispose of their dog’s waste at the park.
Three million people visit the CRNRA every year, and many of them are dog-walkers. Although dog waste bins were already located in multiple park units, many visitors do not use them. Some owners either leave their dog’s waste behind on the trails or in other public areas, or they pick up after their pets and then leave the bags along the trails, in bushes, and next to trees rather than disposing of them in the designated waste bins.
This waste represents a public health threat on land and in the water and degrades natural and cultural resources, in addition to being unsightly. Dog waste contains deadly bacteria that enters the ecosystem and the water supply. The U.S. Geological Survey, NPS and the U.S. EPA conducted a multi-year study to investigate patterns in microbial source tracking marker concentrations of possible sources within the national park, finding that dogs are a primary contributor of fecal contamination in the Chattahoochee River within the national park. In addition to the Chattahoochee River providing 70% of the drinking water for metro Atlanta, high bacteria levels in the river can result in advisories for human contact recreation such as kayaking, fishing, and swimming.
In 2017, CNPC and NPS recognized the increasing need to address the ongoing issue of dog waste in the CRNRA. Looking for a fresh perspective, CNPC reached out to Atlanta’s Miami Ad School about a potential campaign. The school’s Strategic Planning Bootcamp class was tasked to raise awareness of the importance of proper disposal of dog waste and to motivate dog owners to pick up after their pets. Student creative teams surveyed park visitors and created campaigns to address the issue. Survey results indicated that more bins were needed but, more importantly, the majority of dog owners were not aware that dog waste could be harmful to the park, the watershed, and the river. Many believed that it was good for the environment to leave the waste in a “natural area” as fertilizer, not realizing that the fecal material damages plants and contaminates the watershed.
NPS identified optimal locations at trailheads and along high-use trails throughout the CRNRA to locate dog waste bins. 37 sites were selected, and new waste bins were funded by CNPC and NPS. CNPC used the “Lead the Pack - Bag and Bin It” campaign to produce colorful metal signage for the top of the new dog waste bins, now installed in all 15 park units. QR codes on the signs link to an informational page on the CRNRA’s website.
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park and the Friends of Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park are joining these efforts with new dog waste bins, public education initiatives, and incentives for dog owners to pick up after their pets.
Information: chatthoocheeparks.org or info@chattahoocheeparks.org.
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