Photo Credit: American River Parkway Foundation
Being a good steward to the environment takes a little finesse, like that of the American River Parkway Foundation (ARPF), a non-profit group that helps support, preserve, and protect the American River Parkway (ARP) in Sacramento, Calif.
That’s no small task for a system that encompasses a 23-mile stretch of the Sacramento River, and receives visits from more than 5 million people each year. The parkway has 300 acres of ”urbanized” or manicured areas, and 3,000 acres of natural grasslands and woods dominated by cottonwoods. Deer, coyote and turkeys roam the parkway, along with an occasional mountain lion. Recreational opportunities include 26 miles of hiking trails, golfing, fishing, boating, rafting, picnicking and a bike trail that consistently ranks in the top 10 in the nation. It’s no wonder why the parkway is known as the “The Jewel of Sacramento.”
Poop Problems
With the parkway passing near residential neighborhoods, many people enjoy their daily walk with Fido, Spot, or Rover and, in some cases, all three. Considering an average-size dog produces about a half-pound of excrement each day, the amount of parkway land and the number of canine-toting visitors to the ARP—that’s a lot of potential poop piling up.