Photo courtesy of DCNR
Little Buffalo State Park ranger Stefanie Gouse (left) is pictured with environmental education special Mindy Wilt and Wilt’s Athena.
NEWPORT — Stefanie Gouse started the B.A.R.K. program at Little Buffalo State Park in Newport to honor her dog, Angel, who passed away two years ago.
Little Buffalo was Angel’s favorite stomping grounds to be, “We always said, ‘Rain, sleet or snow, she must go,'” explained Gouse, a park ranger at Little Buffalo.
“The purpose of the B.A.R.K. Ranger Program is to highlight the dog-friendly atmosphere of the park as well as provide a Leave No Trace program for dog owners,” Gouse added.
This program is part of the Healthy People Healthy Parks Initiative. B.A.R.K. stands for:
• Bag your pet’s waste.
Photo courtesy of DCNR
Angel, the late dog of Little Buffalo State Park ranger Stefanie Gouse, enjoys the water at Holman Lake several years ago.
• Always leash your pet.
• Respect wildlife.
• Know where you can go.
“We have had some issues with people not leashing their pets and not picking up their pet’s waste or even leaving waste bags on the trails and in the woods,” Gouse said.
“We are hoping this program helps to teach people better pet etiquette, but we are also hoping to get new visitors from outside of our area,” Gouse added. “So far, the program has had great feedback, we’ve had someone come 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 at 1 p.m. Sunday and follow the four principles of B.A.R.K. to become a full-fledged Bark Ranger.
Pets that complete the program will be sworn in, receive a certificate and can purchase a commemorative tag.
Dog owners and their pets should register using the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ calendar of events. Attendees should meet at the main boat launch on Boat Launch Road.
“I’ve been promoting the program on social media, specifically a Facebook group called “US Bark Rangers #USBarkRangers,” where my post had about 360 reactions and 35 comments from group members, some stating that they have never even heard of the park before but would like to come do the program,” Gouse said.
Mindy Wilt, environmental education specialist at Little Buffalo, hopes the program helps to teach people better pet etiquette as well as bring new visitors from outside of the area.
“The tags are super cool but in very short supply,” Wilt explained. “We are asking for a $5 donation to our Friends of Little Buffalo for them. We will be ordering more tags once the program gets going. We hope that it will be a new fundraiser for the park.
The B.A.R.K. Ranger program is just one of the programs coming to the park in November. Others include:
Waterfowl ID and watch
Have an interest in birding? This is the perfect time of year to identify and watch waterfowl on the lake. No one is ever quite certain what birds might pass through. Saturday’s program starts at 9 a.m. in the office with a presentation on waterfowl identification, followed by a drive out to the lake to look for birds. Meet at the park office classroom.
Fossil hunt
At 10 a.m. Sunday, visitors can explore the fossil bank at Little Buffalo and learn what life looked like in the shallow seas of Perry County. Meet at the campground extra vehicle parking lot located on Black Hill Road.
Veteran’s Day hike
At 10 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, outdoor enthusiasts can take part in a special semi-accessible hike along the Fisherman’s Trail for Veteran’s Day. The hike will start at the main boat launch and walk out across the dam to the trail. The length of the hike 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 from 1 to 3 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, for Veteran’s Day. View the 32-foot water wheel powering machinery inside the grist mill. Admission is free.
Talkin’ turkey
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to talk turkey. At 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24, at the park office, visitors can learn about one of the most charismatic birds in North America and how it earned its place around this special U.S. holiday.
Pennsylvania’s White-tailed deer
Once Thanksgiving is over, it’s deer season. Well, rifle season, but it’s still a national holiday to many people in the Juniata Valley. Whether you are a hunter or not, how much do you really know about our state mammal? Located at the park office classroom.
For more information, find them on Facebook.
