BYOB for some OH state parks

[NLOVNIT]

Got your attention, didn't I? In this case it means Bring Your Own Bag... for trash.

On today's evening news, I heard the Ohio DNR is eliminating trash cans at some 30 state parks in an effort to cut spending. This means any trash we generate, we'll have to take out of the park ourselves. I guess they're grabbing at anything they can, with budget cuts, to cut costs. But all I can see is that this is gonna make the state parks a mess. People have no consideration for others these days. Visitors leave trash around even though the parks HAD trash containers to put stuff in. By taking away the trash bins, there will just be trash laying around all over the place.

Lori-

[Lorna]

Is this trash cans or dumpsters? They would just about have to have a dumpster or two at the entrance to the park. for guests. If it's trash cans, then I see no problem. All the public parks that we have stayed in had dumpsters that we simply tossed our bags of trash in.

[Dmiles]

We spent the week after Labor Day weekend at Winton Woods, first time we've ever been there. They have a new addition to the campground, brand new, just opened Labor Day this year. We were the second RV at our site in the new addition, very well done, even though there were some kinks still left to iron out.

We did hear of budget cutbacks, but there was a dumpster for us to throw our trash into. Just no trash cans throughout the park. It wasn't a big deal for us, we like to walk through the park anyway. I did notice what seemed to be a lot of wasted money. It seemed there were almost as many park employees as campers, many driving state owned, marked cars, most doing what I would call "busy work" and moving so slow...let's just say they had all day and leave it at that.

Nice park though, I'm sure we'll be back.

[Frank P. Martin]

I can just visualize what will happen. Folks will start burning their trash in the fire rings. Anything deemed as non-burnable will get tossed in the woods behind their site, just far enough so that no one can "see it".

The next camper will most likely have to clean out the fire ring of any unburned materials (and then figure out where to to dispose of them... more stuff to hide in the woods ) before a fire can be made.

I have a hard time thinking they can get away with this simply on the sanitation issue.

Who knows. Maybe this trend will catch on and you'll start carting your trash home from restaurants, sports events and any another place you can think of where trash is generated.

[mfire1339]

Do we use paper or plastic?

[woodburner]

I saw the same report and they said dumpsters. Supposed to save $5000.00 a year where they're not used.
This is not good!
It's a shame they're grasping at straws at the last minute to bring the budget inline....they had plenty of time to create solutions prior to this and now they're desperate!
Hopefully the majority of folks will remember to leave it better then you found it!

[campnham]

The local news here said the trash cans, and went on to blame fishermen who clean fish then dump remains in said trash cans... At least keep the dumpsters, I need the exersize!!!!!!!!!

[NLOVNIT]

I keep checking the ODNR website for a news release. Since some TV stations report dumpsters while others report trash cans as being what's eliminated, I'm hoping something will show up on the website for confirmation. So far, nothing yet, but I'll keep tabs & post a link when it appears.

Lori-

[Lynnvt]

We have been to many campgrounds where you need to dump your trash in the dumpster with no trash cans in the park itself. Hopefully people will be considerate. I think the fire ring thing is inevitable but hopefully it won't be worse.

[majfrizz]

I heard that you have to take your trash home with you. i can just see people leaving it at the site. so it will cost them more to have someone pickup the trash. The Winton Woods campground is a county park and is not effected.

[NLOVNIT]

The Carry In/Carry Out topic is on the ODNR website detailing the program. It looks like it's been in effect in several of the state parks for a year now. Dumpsters are still there for overnight areas (like the campgrounds). I guess it took the news media a while to report on it.

Please excuse my posting what I heard on the news without thoroughly researching the facts.

Lori-

[Superslif]

Yes, while at Burr Oak & Hocking Hills state parks June 12 -21 the campgrounds still had dumpsters, but the picnic areas, beaches, boat launch areas did not. Before we arrived at Hocking Hills State Park for our 7 night stay we stopped at the Hocking Hills area Visitor Center center in Logan to load up on a fresh map of the area. The ladies behind the desk mentioned not to forget we would have to take our trash back to Cleveland with us. I knew they didn't know what they were talking about. I said I was staying at the SP campground. I mentioned I did hear that the trash cans would be taken away from areas other than the overnight campground. She said NOPE everything was gone. So I said if I was going to stay 2 weeks I would have to hold onto my trash in the heat and either put it in my trailer or tow vehicle to go back to Cleveland. She still stood by her statement.....I knew she was wrong. Even the showerhouses and pool area had trash cans.

Hocking Hills does have a lot of other areas besides the campground. Now those area didn't have any trash cans or dumpsters. I really didn't notice any trash on the ground.....I think people were taking it in stride.

[Superslif]

If I get time over the weekend I'll have a report on the following Ohio State Parks in that area that I visited during my stay at Hocking Hills: Burr Oak, Lake Hope, Tar Hollow, Scioto, Pike Lake.........Right off the bat, Lake Hope is NOT built for large RV's. The camp host had a 40' pusher which the only way he could have gotten it up the hill was by helicopter.

[George Miklas]

Maybe they want you to burn your paper, dig holes to bury your food garbage, and recycle your plastic and metal. If thats the case, I can see a lot of people burning plastic at the campfire.

Wait....aren't these also the same state parks that don't allow you to harvest fallen wood on the forest floor for your campfires?