Campaign reminds public to be respectful
Do you hog the path when hiking in the woods, let your dog run unleashed or leave a trail of litter in your wake?
While officials say most of the people who enjoy the county’s natural areas treat nature and fellow humans with respect, the number of complaints about rude or dangerous behavior has been growing.
This week the district is launching “a big, bold multimedia campaign designed to get people to behave in the preserves and treat nature and other preserve visitors with respect,” said Laura Kiran, the Forest Preserve’s director of marketing and communications.
The multimedia effort consists of signage, social media reminders and the newly launched “Don’t Be a Jerk” video campaign.
“We receive comments from the public fairly regularly that they really enjoy spending time in our preserves, but are upset at some of the behaviors that they see,” Kiran said.
“Some of the top comments have to do with littering, dogs off-leash, owners not picking up after their dogs, and trail users not being mindful of others on the paths,” Kiran said. “While our rules are posted in the preserves, and we write articles for our website as well as posts on social media as friendly reminders, we thought it might be time for a bolder approach.”
The first video introduces the public to “
While the forest preserves ordinance prohibits that kind of behavior, as well as littering and improper disposal of fishing line and hooks, it doesn’t seem to be enough to discourage that kind of behavior, said Ralph Schultz, the Forest Preserve’s chief operating officer.
So the new marketing strategy is a fresh approach to curbing bad etiquette and reminding the public that improper usage of the preserves can be dangerous and can lead to
In addition to the videos, signs along the trail will remind visitors to dispose of cigarette butts in proper receptacles and walk/run/bike on the right and pass on the left. And, because it’s happened, officials also are discouraging visitors from unsafe photo poses, such as that struck by a family of four who laid across a trail around a blind curve to get a creative shot.
Kiran said the effects of rude behavior are not just boorish, they can be dangerous.
“Litter, for example, degrades the overall habitat,” she said. “Cigarette butts are not biodegradable, leach toxic chemicals and carcinogens that pollute soil and water, and can be harmful to wildlife.”
Improperly discarded fishing line, she said, can cause wildlife to become entangled, even leading to an animal’s death.
“The trail etiquette portion of the campaign is particularly geared toward visitor safety,” she said. “Trail users need to be respectful of others who are on the paths, and aware that there are multiple recreational activities occurring on the trails, many times simultaneously — hiking, biking, rollerblading and even horseback riding in some cases.”
The campaign also includes tips for using the
Kiran said she believes a bad experience can have a negative psychological impact on visitors.
“People visit the preserves to recreate, to enjoy beautiful views and to experience nature. Unpleasant behavior ruins that experience, and if everyone decided not to follow the rules, our preserves would quickly become places that no one would want to visit,” she said.
“We really do believe that most people are making a concerted effort to follow the rules and behave as they should,” she said.
As much as the new campaign is a “bold reminder” for visitors to mind the rules, Kiran said, for those who already do, it “serves as a pat on the back.”
This year, on the preserves’ Facebook and Twitter accounts, she said, “we’re sharing weekly tips throughout June on
PREVIOUS ARTICLE
