Pet Waste in Parks Prompts Youth Action
Water Services works with local students on 'Poo in the Park' campaign
Post Date: 5/13/2022
Pet waste left in parks and
open spaces can enter drainages during rain or runoff events, which causes public health and water quality issues due to parasites and bacteria present in the waste. Water Services and City Parks Department partnered with Marshall Elementary and Haven Montessori Schools, to lead two activities to raise awareness of this issue: a student poster contest and weekly field trips to track and pick up pet waste.
The ‘Poo in the Park’ campaign, led by Public Health Intern Meg White and Guston Smith with the Parks Department asked each school to adopt a park near their campus. Once a week for three weeks, one class visited their adopted park to search for pet waste, flag it, document their findings, then clean it up. Over the course of the campaign, Wheeler and Guadalupe Park saw reductions in the amount of pet waste left behind.
The poster contest ask
ed students to create a poster to encourage the community to pick up and dispose of their pet waste properly. The winning posters were displayed at City parks, with prizes from local pet stores distributed to the ten top submissions.
The Poo in the Park campaign demonstrated community interest in keeping Flagstaff’s public spaces clean and waste-free. Join Haven and Marshall students to help protect the environment. Pick up your pet waste!