Hi Folks,

NPS Mission Statement from the NPS website:

 “is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”

In response to Dan's post of the off leash dogs at Greenbury Point, I too am frustrated by the lack of respect by dog owners towards the posted regulations (there are signs at both entrances).  I realize that Greenbury point is not part of the NPS but this relates to all parks that have dog policies. The signs at Greenbury explicitly list concerns about breeding birds (Northern Bobwhite comes to mind) and damage to native vegetation as the reason for the implemented rules.  Biologists, ecologists, politicians and the public have worked hard to have these policies implemented to protect the parks and the wildlife that makes them special.  Not to mention, I don't like stepping in dog crap while birding or even worse finding a plastic bag of dog crap that the owner was careful enough to bag but to lazy to pack it out.  So I say shame on park staff who do not enforce these rules, they relate directly to the mission statement of the NPS, and shame on the owners who ignore the rules by choosing to degrade these habitats leaving the areas impaired for future generations.  AA county has 5 public dog parks that allow dogs off leashes that I could locate, Quiet Waters as an example.  These are more appropriate places for unleashed dogs than National Park property.

Good Birding,
Chris Murray
Annapolis MD