A thoughtful guest column in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle shines a light on an emerging problem associated with community trails: Extensive use, and user conflicts.

     Gallatin Valley Land Trust Executive Director Chet Work and One Montana Executive Director Sarah Tilt co-authored an op-ed that stresses a single word for the diverse groups and individuals who use local trails: Kindness.

     From the op-ed: Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT) and One Montana (have) partnered up with other outdoor recreation groups and land managers to create the Outside Kind Alliance, a collaborative effort to create consistent messaging and education around outdoor ethics and etiquette. The partners represent diverse perspectives from skiers, bikers, dog owners, hunters, hikers, trail runners, and more.

     After months of conversations and exploration into the challenges of trails and public land stewardship, the alliance coalesced around a simple message…Kindness: Hike Kind, Ski Kind, Ride Kind, Wag Kind, Hunt Kind. Be kind to the trail and the land that you’re using. Be kind to each other in the outdoors. And be kind to the landowners, neighbors and critters who call the area home.