Photo courtesy of DCNR
Stefanie Gouse, Little Buffalo State Park ranger (left) is pictured with Special Environmental Education Mindy Wilt and Wilt’s Athena.
NEWPORT – Stefanie Gouse started the BARK program at Little Buffalo State Park in Newport in honor of her dog, Angel, who passed away two years ago.
Little Buffalo was Angel’s favorite stomping ground, “We always said, ‘Rain, sleet or snow, she has to go’” explained Gouse, a park ranger at Little Buffalo.
“The purpose of the BARK Ranger program is to highlight the dog-friendly atmosphere of the park and to provide dog owners with a Leave No Trace program,” Gouse added.
This program is part of the Healthy People Healthy Parks Initiative. BARK stands for:
• Pack out your pet’s waste.
Photo courtesy of DCNR
Angel, the late dog of Little Buffalo State Park ranger Stefanie Gouse, enjoyed the water at Holman Lake several years ago.
• Always keep your pet on a leash.
• Respect wild animals.
• Know where to go.
“We have had some issues with people not keeping their pets on a leash, not picking up their pet waste or even leaving waste bags on the trails and in the woods,” Gouse said.
“We hope this program helps people learn better pet etiquette, but we also hope to attract new visitors from outside our area,” Gouse added. “So far the program has had great feedback, with someone coming all the way from North Carolina and another from New Jersey.”
Dog owners are encouraged to take their furry friends on a walk with a park ranger on Sunday at 1 p.m. and follow BARK’s four principles to become a full-fledged Bark Ranger.
Pets who complete the program are sworn in, receive a certificate and can purchase a commemorative plaque.
Dog owners and their pets must register through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources events calendar. Participants must meet at the main boat launch on Boat Launch Road.
“I promoted the program on social media, specifically on a Facebook group called “American Bark Rangers #UBarkRangers,“where my post received approximately 360 responses and 35 comments from group members, some of whom said they had never heard of the park but were eager to come and do the program,” Gouse said.
Mindy Wilt, environmental education specialist at Little Buffalo, hopes the program will help people learn better pet etiquette and attract new visitors from outside the area.
“The tags are super cool, but very scarce,” Want explained. “We are asking for a $5 donation for them to our Friends of Little Buffalo. We will order more tags once the program starts. We hope it will be a new fundraiser for the park.
The BARK Ranger program is just one of the programs coming to the park in November. Others include:
Waterfowl identification and watch
Are you interested in bird watching? This is the perfect time of year to identify and observe waterfowl on the lake. No one is ever quite sure what birds will go through. The Saturday program begins at 9 a.m. at the office with a presentation on waterfowl identification, followed by a drive to the lake to look for birds. Meet in the park office classroom.
Fossil hunt
Sunday at 10 a.m., visitors can explore the Little Buffalo fossil bed and learn what life was like in the shallow seas of Perry County. Meet at the additional vehicle parking area at the campground on Black Hill Road.
Walk on Veterans Day
On Monday, November 11 at 10 a.m., outdoor enthusiasts can participate in a special semi-accessible hike along the Fisherman’s Trail in celebration of Veterans Day. The hike starts at the main boat launch and heads over the dam to the trailhead. The length of the walk is expected to be 1 to 3 miles. Meet at the main boat launch on Boat Launch Road.
Shoaff’s Mill Tours
Shoaff’s Mill will be open on Monday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. View the 10 meter long water wheel machine in the flour mill. Admission is free.
Speaking of turkey
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, now is the perfect time to talk turkey. On Sunday, November 24 at 10 a.m. at the park office, visitors can learn more about one of North America’s most charismatic birds and how it earned its place around this special American holiday.
The Pennsylvania white-tailed deer
Once Thanksgiving is over, it’s deer season. Well, it’s rifle season, but it’s still a national holiday for many people in the Juniata Valley. Whether you’re a hunter or not, how much do you really know about our state mammal? Located in the park office classroom.
For more information you can find them on Facebook.
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