Wipe your feet.

[GWashington1732]

We all love the outdoors here. What's not to love about wilderness and places that people, and concrete, and traffic and Walmarts aren't. But we should be aware of transporting seed to new places it doesn't belong. Where it could potentially damage those places.

Not all plants are created equal, there are non native plants in every wilderness in every part of the world. Their impact on ecosystems can range from not much, to ecosystem obliterating invasives like kudzu and phragmites. Severe infestations of nonnatives displace native plants make areas unsuitable for wildlife, and can go as far as changing hydrology and landscape. Most successful invasives produce thousands upon thousands of tiny seeds that get everywhere a seed could possibly get and eradicating them once they establish is extremely hard, expensive work that may not happen and that nice forest you were enjoying today could become a kudzu jungle. That meadow full of wildflowers becomes a thistle hell hole. And you favorite hunting spot gets overrun with things with big nasty thorns leaving very little high quality food for deer. Happily prevention is easy, before you go in and after you come out wipe your boots off with a brush, and if you go off road spray off the vehicle you used before you take it somewhere else.

 

[bore]

God advice. Will I do it.. No

 

[BitingSarcasm]

One of my favorite hikes is the Icehouse Trail at the base of Mt. Baldy, and there is a PSA there about these damn little snails. Their polyps can are too small to see and can travel on the mud from your boots and infect new waterways, spreading to the fish populations. Wiping your feet isn't enough with these guys, you have to freeze your boots if you are going to use them again in a day or two. It's a small investment in time that could have tremendous consequences if skipped. And then there are the guys at the gym who use the toilet and head out on the floor without washing hands..... What is it about humans that some of them don't give a crap about anything but their own convenience.

 

[Yo Mama]

Alot of caves make you spray your shoes before entering if you had visited other caves. It was to prevent fungus from spreading. Blew me away, we had no idea.

 

[GWashington1732]

One of my favorite hikes is the Icehouse Trail at the base of Mt. Baldy, and there is a PSA there about these damn little snails. Their polyps can are too small to see and can travel on the mud from your boots and infect new waterways, spreading to the fish populations. Wiping your feet isn't enough with these guys, you have to freeze your boots if you are going to use them again in a day or two. It's a small investment in time that could have tremendous consequences if skipped. And then there are the guys at the gym who use the toilet and head out on the floor without washing hands..... What is it about humans that some of them don't give a crap about anything but their own convenience.

Bleaching the soles works, you can bleach dunk the whole thing if they're muck boots or waders, kills fungus too.

God advice. Will I do it.. No

Exactly the type of response I'd expect from someone too lazy to proofread 7 words.

 

[Mikel_24]

Great advice. IF you don't want to focus on the prevention of non-native species, at least think about not soiling the inside of your vehicle with so much crap! That sould help convincing a few stubborns.

We do clean the footwear, however most of my hiking is done in winter, on the ice and snow, so no need to worry much about seeds.

Mikel

 

[GWashington1732]

Great advice. IF you don't want to focus on the prevention of non-native species, at least think about not soiling the inside of your vehicle with so much crap! That sould help convincing a few stubborns.

We do clean the footwear, however most of my hiking is done in winter, on the ice and snow, so no need to worry much about seeds.

Mikel

Cleaning will also extend the life of your boots. Mud is your boots' worst enemy.

 

[BitingSarcasm]

Mud is your boots' worst enemy.

Nope, I am my boots' worst enemy. I managed to misplace a a 1 3/4" screw on my driveway at some point, then put that screw through my sole. Those boots were perfectly broken in, plenty of life in the tread, and the hole is so jagged and irregular it won't patch right and leaks. On the bright side, I found a pair of Keens that really make me happy.

 

[GWashington1732]

Nope, I am my boots' worst enemy. I managed to misplace a a 1 3/4" screw on my driveway at some point, then put that screw through my sole. Those boots were perfectly broken in, plenty of life in the tread, and the hole is so jagged and irregular it won't patch right and leaks. On the bright side, I found a pair of Keens that really make me happy.

Flex seal.

 

[kvaughn]

Nope, I am my boots' worst enemy. I managed to misplace a a 1 3/4" screw on my driveway at some point, then put that screw through my sole. Those boots were perfectly broken in, plenty of life in the tread, and the hole is so jagged and irregular it won't patch right and leaks. On the bright side, I found a pair of Keens that really make me happy.

Keens!! All the Merrel's and Vasque's went to Goodwill after my 1st pair of Keens. I think I have 6-8 pair now. Get a new pair every year with my work clothing allowance.--KV

 

[Mikel_24]

Cleaning will also extend the life of your boots. Mud is your boots' worst enemy.

For the uppers (leather or textile), I concur. For the soles themselves (just rubber), I don't think it will harm them in any way.

Anyhow, I like my stuff clean.

 

[22-rimfire]

We all love the outdoors here. What's not to love about wilderness and places that people, and concrete, and traffic and Walmarts aren't. But we should be aware of transporting seed to new places it doesn't belong. Where it could potentially damage those places.

Not all plants are created equal, there are non native plants in every wilderness in every part of the world. Their impact on ecosystems can range from not much, to ecosystem obliterating invasives like kudzu and phragmites. Severe infestations of nonnatives displace native plants make areas unsuitable for wildlife, and can go as far as changing hydrology and landscape. Most successful invasives produce thousands upon thousands of tiny seeds that get everywhere a seed could possibly get and eradicating them once they establish is extremely hard, expensive work that may not happen and that nice forest you were enjoying today could become a kudzu jungle. That meadow full of wildflowers becomes a thistle hell hole. And you favorite hunting spot gets overrun with things with big nasty thorns leaving very little high quality food for deer. Happily prevention is easy, before you go in and after you come out wipe your boots off with a brush, and if you go off road spray off the vehicle you used before you take it somewhere else.

I certainly pay attention. I was wondering how you "spray off your vehicle" before taking it away from the area you are exploring? Boats, in particular kayaks and canoes should be cleaned before taking to a different watershed. The invasive species thing has caused parks to not allow private canoes or kayaks to be used. I suspect that is a rather difficult thing to enforce.

 

[GWashington1732]

I certainly pay attention. I was wondering how you "spray off your vehicle" before taking it away from the area you are exploring? Boats, in particular kayaks and canoes should be cleaned before taking to a different watershed. The invasive species thing has caused parks to not allow private canoes or kayaks to be used. I suspect that is a rather difficult thing to enforce.

You want to spray it before you go to a new area, a car wash or in the driveway works. Really only necessary if you been off road or plan to go off road. Boats are easy to clean bleach works.