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North Carolina Nonprofit Introduces Campaign to Address Trail Etiquette and Overuse

Friends of Dupont Forest, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of North Carolina’s DuPont State Recreational Forest, recently announced a new education-focused campaign, Share the Trails. The goal is to provide guidelines to visitors on implementing the best practices for sharing and conserving the forest’s 80-plus miles of trails in the forest. 

The campaign was inspired by the record-breaking visitor numbers in 2020, where the 12,489-acre Dupont State Recreational Forest saw around 1.1million visitors despite a two month long closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, the forest has a multi-use, multi-directional trail system that welcomes hikers, mountain bikers, anglers, and equestrians.

Unfortunately, the influx of visitors also came with an increase in vandalism, trash, overuse, and user conflict in the area. Efforts put towards addressing these issues are included in the Share the Trails Campaign. 

“There appears to be a lot of confusion over trail etiquette in the outdoor community,” Sara Landry, Executive Director of Friends of DuPont Forest, stated in a press release. “Our hope with the Share the Trails campaign is that all trail users will educate themselves so that everyone can enjoy themselves and treat each other and the Forest with respect and kindness.”

The Share the Trails campaign outlines who has the right-of-way on trails and basic trail etiquette tips for each type of user. 

Along with proper trail etiquette, Friends of Dupont Forest also are emphasizing the importance of the following outdoor principles when visiting the forest: 

  1. Pack it in/Pack it out, don’t leave your trash on our trails. These are public lands – help us protect our wildlife and our waterways from trash by coming prepared to take all of your trash home with you. 
  2. Dogs must be kept on a leash, no matter how obedient your dog may be. Tickets are routinely given to dog owners who ignore this rule.  
  3. Stay off the waterfalls! Our waterfalls are awe-inspiring, but they are also dangerous – so look but don’t touch. 
  4. Roadside parking is prohibited. Parking is first-come, first-serve, and the lots are usually packed. Come early morning or late afternoon to avoid the crowds. Roadside parking is prohibited, as it leads to erosion and is dangerous to others using the road. 

“An important rule to remember when visiting DuPont State Recreational Forest is to not disrupt the experience of other users,” Jason Guidry, The DuPont State Recreational State Forest Supervisor, stated in a press release. “Being courteous to others during your visit can go a long way toward sustainable sharing of this heavily used public land and its recreational infrastructure.” 

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