I want to talk about public lands, the recreational use of that land by people in the time of #COVID19, and the reaction people have had to the actions taken by public land stewards because of misuse.

So buckle up for this rant.

It’s #thread time.

In the time of COVID-19, people in states with stay-at-home orders (like Ohio, where I’m at) are biting at the bit to get out of their houses. This is a totally reasonable desire to have. I have it, and you probably have it too.

Luckily, Ohioans and many others are allowed to go outside and recreate, given we take into account certain safeguards put in place to make recreation safe and responsible.

But sadly, many people are recreating in ways that are dangerous to not only themselves, but also others.

What does safe and responsible recreation look like? There’s several points to consider, but here’s a few of the big ones:

1. Stay close to home. This lessens the need for interactions at gas stops, bathroom breaks, etc.

2. Don’t go to heavily-trafficked public lands and don’t use packed trails. Disperse yourselves!

3. Don’t hike in groups, and keep safely apart from other people using the area or trail.

4. Don’t partake in high-risk recreational activities (e.g., off-highway vehicle riding, mountain biking, backpacking DEEP in the backcountry, etc.). If you get lost or injured, you’ll unnecessarily stress the already-stressed emergency resources.

Frustratingly, guidelines like these are being disregarded by masses of people.

As a result, public land stewards (such as State and Federal officials, and non-profits) have had to take actions to decrease the threats from unsafe recreation in this time of a global pandemic.

For example, @ohiodnr closed the popular Hocking Hills State Park:  http://parks.ohiodnr.gov/hockinghills 

Why? The greater Hocking Hills Region draws 4-5 MILLION visitors a year, and people were flocking en masse to the state park (the focal point of the region) during the stay-at-home order.

Visitors were traveling long distances, disregarding safety guidelines, and putting unnecessary stress on local resources that didn’t need or want that stress.

So @ohiodnr put a stop to it, and kudos to them for taking that action.

Another example: the @forestservice indefinitely closed developed campgrounds & delayed opening trails in the Wayne National Forest to off-highway vehicles, mountain bikes, & horseback riding (they were slated to open April 15). Hiking & dispersed recreation is still allowed.

And, wow, many of those and other similar actions have been swiftly met with negative reactions.

Many of the negative reactions, however, fail to completely take into account the full picture or the extent of people at risk.

Many people seem to think that when they go recreating on public land, it’s only an interaction between them and the land. They fail to see the others who go recreating as well, who may touch the same hand rail or sit on the same trailhead bench.

They fail to see the local community members they interact with when they get gas or food. They fail to see the public land stewards who put the time and energy into keeping recreational areas and trails safe & clean despite exposure risks.

They also fail to take into account the emergency services that would have to rescue them if they got lost while recreating, or who would have to help them if they got injured, which would require the use of PPE (in short supply).

And finally, they fail to take into account all the family members of those other recreators, community members, stewards, or emergency service members who may also get exposed if those people were exposed.

So it’s not just about YOU and YOUR recreation opportunities. There’s a much larger web of people at risk, and so safe and responsible recreation might look like closures or limitations in some circumstances.

“But you can’t just close the outdoors!” people have said.

They’re not closing ALL the outdoors. They’re closing highly-trafficked areas that disproportionately put people (visitors, staff, local residents) at risk. There are other places to visit!

“But we can practice safe distancing while recreating!”

Yes, you CAN, but many people aren’t. And some areas you physically cannot do that (such as Angels Landing in Zion National Park, where the trail in some places is only 1.5 feet wide with cliffs on either side).

“But why is hiking allowed when riding ATVs/mountain bikes/horses often isn’t?”

Mainly because those are high-risk activities, which in this time means adding undue stress on emergency resources. Hikers aren’t immune to injuries, but they don’t get injured as often or severely.

“I’ll just go despite the closures! They’re public land; no one can stop me!”

First off, they CAN stop you. Some public lands staff (like law enforcement) are still working in the field. Second, how selfish can you be? These limitations are not just about you.

So in the end, if you want to go recreating, great! Go ahead! I’ve been hiking locally a lot, myself.

BUT DO IT RESPONSIBLY. DO IT SAFELY.

Don’t only take into account YOUR wants. It’s not just about you. Your actions impact others, and we’re all in this together.

/End #Thread