To not pick up dog poo...

[Moonfishstar]

... when in a quiet forest, but to flick it with a stick into dense undergrowth instead?

I don't see any issue with this, but I've got a feeling lots will disagree with me, so I wanted to get some other opinions.

Mine only shit in dog owners' gardens 😁.

Hopefully a (the?) Brexit bonus will be the banning of live animal exports for slaughter.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-legislation-set-to-ban-live-animal-exports#:~:text=After%20fifty%20years%20of%20campaigning,animals%20on%20these%20unnecessary%20journeys.

Exactly!@SabrinaThwaite
Its also worth mentioning that many footpaths run through farmland.
The farmer can’t run his combine harvester up and down a field that is fenced off.
Nor can food grow when it’s constantly trampled on
They rely on the common sense of walkers to stay on the path

And mine, for my toddler to get all over himself.

Nice?

@paintingvenice

https://www.gov.uk/right-of-way-open-access-land/use-your-right-to-roam#:~:text=Access%20land%20includes%20mountains%2C%20moors,or%20'freedom%20to%20roam'.

She’s flicking it into the undergrowth.
This is a quiet wood, so I’m thinking it’s not a playground council owned wood with swings and balancing beams and paid for car parks.
Its a quiet wood, adults and children need to stick to the paths to protect nature.
A previous MN posted an article on the harm this adhoc roaming does

Not if the right to roam applies, as it frequently does.

The right to roam doesn’t mean the right to destroy.
Its all about common sense.

You got there before me!
Thanks

Depends what you mean by frequent? It only applies to about 8% of land in England and Wales.

Badgers dig latrines, in fact.

Foxes and badgers use scat to mark territory.

https://www.forestryengland.uk/dog-code
It's short and clear

In circumstances OP described its fine and I do the same.
Walked through woods yesterday and saw full poo bags abandoned- that's much worse imo

Just pick it up unless you’re a lazy minger. I live in the middle of nowhere and would never not pick up my dog’s dumps.

Walking doesn’t destroy the environment ffs. People have been walking around the country forever.

You can buy up swathes of land and put signs up saying mine!mine!mine!, I’m alright Jack, look at the lovely big wood that’s all mine I can walk in!!! . That has been done since time immemorial, and is actually why the right to roam is enshrined in law.

The problem is over population, including over population of domestic animals- the production of their food is terrible for the environment for a start.

Presumably you have chosen to remain childless to reduce this damage? And never kept cats, dogs, horses etc?

The responsible enjoyment of public land is vital if you actually want people to give a shit about preservation. It needs to be “help us protect this lovely place we all enjoy and care about”, not “I have this thing over here that you don’t know anything about and haven’t really experienced, but it’s important so do something to protect it!”.

Look at the models for the most effective community spaces restorations- what gets people out and taking action? Feeling like a stakeholder, not an interloper.

You have missed the point.
Walking into undergrowth, over roots, plants, ground nests etc causes damage.
Stick to the paths.
Respect nature that surrounds us.

I agree with your overpopulation comment. We all need to respect the problem it creates. Eat organic, cut down on meat and animal produce, walk as much as you can don’t drive, turn down the heating, plant hedges tress and pollinating plants in pots or gardens if we have them, make do and mend. Etc etc etc etc. We can all contribute.

We can all also appreciate our countryside and woodlands by respecting the nature it nurtures.

Isn't that why they say to flick it into the undergrowth? Because of the amount of people that bag it then leave the bag behind - often hanging from a tree or fence.

The advice is not to flick as MANY people have said.

People are actually getting out and walking far far less than at any point in history. There are many rights of way and footpaths here for example that are all but forgotten, that when I walk now I don’t see anyone- where as when I was a child ‘going for a walk’ was what you did (and I’m not yet 40)- when I was young there were people roaming all over the shop.

So, areas of high tourism (like snowdon or the popular points in the lakes) aside, there is much less foot fall, and therefore less (possible) damage than in the past.

BUT, what that means is that communities are not using and valuing wild green spaces. Not going to fly kites and have picnics etc, so when someone wants to build 200 Barrat boxes on them, or sink a quarry, or start fracking, no one cares.

Clearly some people will be twats and chase birds and drop litter- they should be fined (or knee capped if you like), but overall greater engagement and use of these spaces will mean that they are considered worthy of preservation.

There's an argument that going on about 'nature' as if we're apart from it exacerbates the problem.

I absolutely agree.
There are definitely less walkers out and about but maybe this is a case of internet usage and copious tv. When I was younger we only had a few channels and I’m thinking we may be of a similar age.

People do appreciate nature far less and yes support when fighting against crappy Barrett, Persimmon or Poundland detached so called housing estates and revolting gated communities takes no care for the environment.

So, yes, greater engagement is important. But as you say it must be responsible. Unfortunately there aren’t the resources to have security guards posted throughout the countryside to police this. So we have to rely on the care and common sense of others.

Unfortunately, during lockdown, there was little care or common sense and some previous areas that had opened their gates to walkers, ie those not designated as public footways, have now closed up shop.

Lack of respect led to loss of privilege. That’s a great shame.

One ingenious idea that we should look into more is putting the waste to use, rather than incinerating/landfilling it:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-42565633

One of mine has taken to going 100 yards out in a field to poo, whilst another likes to do it amongst the reeds in the watery muddy bit at the side of the riverbank. I don't know what I'm supposed to do with either of those…

When I was living on a protest site in a wood, we buried all the poo, human and dog.