Most people have noticed at least a few poop bags littering the Blue Hills’ trails.

But most people do not know that dog waste – in and out of a bag – is more than just a smelly annoyance.  Dog waste in the park is an environmental pollutant that contaminates our water supply and is hazardous to wildlife and humans.

Most people already carry out their doody duty.  (Sorry, we couldn’t resist!)

But how do we get those people that leave their poop bags to properly dispose of it?

Join the Poo-lution Solution team… to help us learn how!

If you’re interested in learning how to clean up the park… without even having to pick up trash…  you’re invited to become part of the Poo-lution Solution team!  As a volunteer, you will learn how to use a cell phone app developed by Earthwise Aware to record your observations of poop bags in the Blue Hills.  During the winter months, to participate, you will take observations by walking 1/4 mile on a trail twice a month.  The Poo-lution Solution team will collect data this winter to identify the most polluted trails in the park.

The Friends of the Blue Hills, in partnership with the Friends of the Fells and the Department of Conservation and Recreation, will rely on Poo-lution Solution volunteers to collect data that will help us evaluate what sorts of campaign messages and interventions will change people’s behavior so that they protect the forests, wildlife and waterways from dog waste.

If you’d like to learn more, fill out the form at the bottom of this page.

Here are links that will be helpful.  One note on the training video.  Our volunteers now do not pick a trail to survey.  You can collect survey data on any trail, any time you are in the park!

• Quick and dirty training video on how to use the app and start surveying! Many thanks to Elizabeth Mulvaney for making this video!
• Watch the Poo-lution Solution longer virtual training. (Note: you no longer need to sign up for a particular trail.)
• PowerPoint shown in training that includes QR Code that you’ll need once you download ArcGISSurvey123 app.
• See the map recording the data that has already been collected!
• Learn why dog waste is an environmental problem.

We are grateful to the Milton Garden Club for being a sponsor of this initiative.