Pledge to Use Boot Brushes in the Gorge!

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Pledge to use a boot brush each and every time you enter and exit a Gorge trailhead

When you head out for a hike in the Columbia Gorge, take note of a simple act of conservation: trailhead boot brushes. Trailhead boot brushes do more than just clean your boots before you get back in your vehicle. They minimize the spread of noxious weeds, which could increase as hike traffic grows.

Weed seeds hitch rides on tires, animal fur, gear, and boots. Boot brushes reduce the spread of invasive weeds when hikers brush off their footwear before and after hiking. Many weeds travel with hikers from urban areas, so cleaning boots before you hike keeps unnoticed hitchhikers from escaping into the wild. Then clean your boots after a hike to prevent spreading weeds to other trails or your own backyard.

Friends, the Columbia Gorge Cooperative Weed Management Area, and other organizations and agencies have partnered to give weeds the boot by educating the public about the importance of boot brushes at Gorge trailheads.

Pledge to Use a Gorge Boot Brush

Add your name to the growing list of individuals that are concerned about the rapidly increasing spread of invasive weeds in the Columbia Gorge. Commit to using a trailhead boot brush every time you are on a Gorge trail - before and after you hike!