This newsletter is dedicated to offering a reminder of the rules for all visitors that come to the Preserve. To that end, we want to make sure everyone also understands the “why” behind the rules. Here are some questions and answers to help everyone understand how we can enjoy the Preserve while protecting it along the way.
Q: I love hiking with my dog. Why can’t I bring them to the Preserve?
A: We understand, we love going places with our dogs as well. The reality though is that wild creatures make no distinction between a barely behaved pup and a highly trained Service Dog. To the wild creatures, all dogs are simply terrifying predators. The presence of even one dog can disturb wildlife to the point where it will be 24 hours before these forest residents will cross a trail where a dog has walked. This means a wild animal may be stranded away from their safe burrow, making them more stressed and in greater danger of becoming dinner for predators. Repeated exposure to this sort of stress over time will negatively impact the animal’s immune system making them more susceptible to illness and reduce the chances of successful reproduction. There is also the problem of poorly behaved owners who don’t clean up after their dogs. This causes damage to the environment since dog waste can add excess nutrients to the soil which alters plant growth and impacts water quality. As host to the largest run of chum salmon in Kitsap County, the Foundation is particularly sensitive to issues of water quality. In addition, while your dog is vaccinated against a host of diseases, your pet can still shed pathogens which can infect wildlife. So rather than negatively impacting the Preserve ecosystem with your canine pal, we encourage you to take your dog on the excellent urban trails to be found throughout Kitsap County.
Q: Switchbacks, when a trail zig zags across a slope, add distance to a hike. Why can’t I just go off-trail straight up and down the hill?
A: Switchbacks serve a couple of purposes. First, they make navigating steep slopes easier as the steepness of the ascent or descent is more gradual on switchbacks. This reduces the strain on hikers and reduces the risk of falls. More importantly, though, switchbacks prevent erosion of the trail and of the slope. If hikers were to simply go straight up and down a slope, it would wear a path for water to run down, washing away more and more of the slope due to erosion. By using switchbacks, hikers preserve and support the stability of the slope, making it safer for all. Because the slope leading down into the valley would erode directly into Wildcat Creek, it is much better for the environment to stick to the switchbacks and not cut them. Eroding the slope into the creek would have a negative effect on salmon and the habitat we’ve worked so hard to protect and improve over the years.
Q: My kids love throwing rocks into the water and watching the splash. There are lots of rocks in the creeks already. How can the act of throwing rocks in the creek hurt anything?
A: The principles of Leave No Trace should guide you any time you are visiting the forest. Leave No Trace means you should leave everything as you find it, and if you find trash left by others, pick it up and remove it. When you remove rocks from the trail, you are setting the stage for trail erosion. Those rocks help keep the trail stable. When you throw rocks in the creek, you are damaging critical salmon habitat. You are disturbing the streambed structure, interfering with fish migration routes, and harming aquatic life and plants. Adding rocks to a creek will change the composition of the stream bed. Salmon eggs, alevin, parr, and smolt rely on healthy streambed habitat to survive and thrive. Because salmon need insects that hide in the rocks for food, throwing rocks into the water negatively impacts the food supply for salmon too.
Q: Water is so inviting, especially when it is hot out. Why can’t I wade and splash in the creeks?
A: Scientists that study the health of creeks where salmon spawn and nest follow a specific decontamination protocol before entering creeks to avoid adding any contaminants and invasive species to the creeks. They understand how sensitive creeks are and do everything in their power to keep them healthy. Your soap, lotion, detergent, and the other chemical contaminants, not to mention any foreign seeds or critters that may have hitched a ride on your clothing and shoes, all damage the creek. This is in addition to the damage that happens simply by walking on the stream bed cobble.
Q: You see all the beautiful rock stacks on social media. They look so cool. I’d like to try making some and there are so many great rocks in the creeks. What’s wrong with stacking rocks?
A: Rocks are an integral piece of stream ecology and are essential to the health and safety of many organisms, especially salmon eggs and fry. Salmon use the rocks to hide from predators. Rocks are also home to the insects that salmon feed on. Stacking rocks damages the structure of the stream bed, removes hiding places for salmon, and disrupts stream flow. Those stacked cairns of rocks may look cool, but they are actually harming the environment.
Q: There are so many interesting things to see on the Preserve and I want to examine them up close. What harm does it do if I step off the trail or explore untracked areas?
A: Trails are there to protect the surrounding nature. They concentrate human disturbance into a narrow area. When you go off trail, you damage fragile plants and leave marks that others are tempted to follow. If enough people follow, it can create massive erosion problems and leave scars on the environment that take nature time to erase. While nature will eventually prevail, the damage changes the environment. You are also putting yourself at additional risk when you go off trail. Terrain that may look stable and solid may not be as there can be hazards lurking under the ground cover or branches. Staying on trail minimizes erosion, preserves wildlife habitat, and keeps you safer. There are several studies that show that managing the manner in which people visit natural ecosystems through trail infrastructure, rules, and education is the most effective way to protect natural lands. Thank you for doing your part to protect and preserve our beautiful Rhododendron Preserve by staying on the trail.
Q: There are so many non-native flowers growing in Hidden Valley. Wouldn’t it be helping if I picked them?
A: Hidden Valley was an early homestead in Kitsap County, and it was occupied as a private home until 2001. All of the plantings made by the homesteaders and residents of the valley have naturalized. This means they have become part of the ecosystem. Pollinators rely on the flowers for food and other animals have grown accustomed to eating the fruit from the trees as part of their diet. Picking the flowers or fruit is taking away a food source for the creatures that call the Preserve home.
Q: Why isn’t there a place to throw out trash on the Preserve?
A: We are a small organization without the staff to tend to a garbage can. A garbage can that isn’t emptied regularly is enticing for wildlife, including the bears that make the Preserve their home. We operate like many other wild spaces – pack out what you have packed in. If you bring anything onto the Preserve, we expect you to take it out with you. We encourage you to leave the place better than you found it. Watch for wrappers, bottle tops, etc., that others may have left behind and pick them up. You can participate in the Bring-a-Bag movement and pick up any trash you may see.
We hope this helps you understand that while following rules can be hard, our rules are meant to ensure everyone can enjoy the Preserve, while our wildlife and fish remain healthy and abundant for many years to come.
– Katha Miller-Winder, President