Special Interest

Conjecture: End the Spread

Mica Bendezu

30 Sep 2025 — 2 min read

Sketch of the End the Spread cleaning station at the entrance to a trail.

This conjecture is inspired by the York County Conservation District's guide to 'leave no trace' practices. A phone-booth style station would provide a spot to inspect your clothes and gear for any hitchhiking bugs, seeds, or plant parts. Three mirrors in the booth would allow for easier checking from all angles. Brushes would be provided for getting 'hitchhikers' off of clothing/gear and pets. A shoe scrubber with a handrail allow you to clean off your shoes. Signage would educate visitors on why it's important to clean clothes and gear and stop the spread of invasive species, show visuals of where to check for 'hitchhikers', and images of the types of 'hitchhikers' you should check for. A small box would be provided to place any plants/seeds/insects that you find on your person. On the outside of the booth, simple and eye-catching signs would illustrate where invasive 'hitchhikers' can hide, and warn you to "beware" of them.

One sign appeals to a sense of pride in and connection to the park and the state, in addition to emphasizing the economic damage that invasive species can cause.

Feedback

To emphasize the importance of cleaning clothes, gear, and pets, before entering and leaving the park, it would be more effective to have two stations: one facing arriving visitors, labeled "before you enter" or something similar, and one facing departing visitors, also labeled ("before you go" for example).

A kind of swing-open entrance that indicates visitors should use the booths and covers the width of the trail might encourage station use even more.

Having such a large and eye-catching station communicates the importance of cleaning off your gear to visitors.

It's good that there's an explanation as to why visitors should clean/inspect their gear.

Resources.

York County Conservation District. (2021). Low impact recreation: protecting our forests. York County Conservation District. https://www.yorkccd.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Low-Impact-Recreation.pdf

No AI was used in the creation of this post or its content.

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