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I am usually rewarded when “looking down” during walks in the woods. I often spy a tiny flower or encrusted leaves or moss or even random fungi on a log. Followed by inspiration to crouch down and capture my discovery on camera.
These small treasures belong in the woods I love so much. The place where I – a mere visitor – go to clear my head (despite the roaring of cars and trucks from the nearby highway) and enjoy total solitude surrounded by nature at its finest…whatever stage it’s in.
I follow a path cut through the woods for the utility company to access. It is also used by ATV riders in the warm months and snowmobile riders in the winter. As well as dog walkers and walkers like me with camera in hand.
The path eventually leads out of the woods to parking lots of two local businesses.
During a walk last month I recently looked down and was horrified to see evidence of bulldozed trash. A whole growing mountain of trash. It wasn’t just a few dropped beer bottles leftover from a party in the woods (which is bad enough), but piles of household trash, construction debris and rusted metal pushed back into a huge mound.
I have no idea who owns this land or if this is technically illegal.
I do know it is just plain wrong.
one letter UP ~ diary 2.0 
When I lived at my farmhouse in Virginia adjacent to the Potomac River, I would regularly dig up old household trash as I gardened. My property used to be campsites before the house was built in the early twentieth century. I found the weirdest things! But the best was the bottle collection I acquired. After living there for over twenty-five years I had pretty much cleared it, but every spring after the thaw some few items would — literally — turn up!
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Wow, you must have quite the collection of historical artifacts with those bottles!
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That is terribly wrong indeed! Some folk are just plain dumb as a box of rocks. 😱
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Unfortunately they are – or just don’t want to make the effort to dispose of things properly.
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It is always sad to see this lack of respect for the land.
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Yes it is. It definitely made me sad.
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That’s awful and so disappointing.
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Yes it was. I hope it isn’t worse when I go back there.
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Grrrrrrrr.
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I totally agree!
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Disturbing on multiple levels…I have no words, just heavy sighing.
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It was very disturbing and disappointing and head shaking.
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Yep, head-shaking for sure!
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Yes, very wrong! I’ve even seen abandoned car tires next to a generally pristine trail in the bush. Maybe you might notify the local authorities of this eye-sore in your community. One voice can change the world. 🙂
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Thanks. Yes, I’ve thought about what I could do, but since it is (most likely) private land that limits imposing restrictions. Around here your land can also be your dump – especially if it’s hidden.
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Wow! Didn’t know that.
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It would make it really difficult to do anything about it. 😕
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