Dear Editor:
It was very disheartening to hear of the recent vandalism and of the gate construction by the abutters to Estabrook Woods. The over 1100 petition signers and members of Concord Unleashed do not condone acts of vandalism nor would we ever promote such activities. Both actions do little to bring Concord together and only serve to further alienate an increasingly restricted general population who believe in maintaining public access to the woods.
The dog owning residents of Concord are caring and concerned about the environment. We are active and leaders in the diverse collection of Concord charities: Gaining Ground, The Community Chest, Open Table, Concord Land Conservation Trust, Concord Recreation, The Concord Museum, Household Goods and The Human Rights Council, etc. We are committed, engaged and believe in creating community, not only just giving back.
Our belief is that we can resolve these dog related issues through reasonable discussion and practicing some simple etiquette guidelines. That’s why we train our dogs to behave in the woods. Leashing your dog on approach and when encountering others. Picking up and properly disposing of your dog’s waste. And keeping your dog in sight, under effective voice control, have all been proven to work at Emerson Field and other places people walk dogs.
We have been working very hard for months, meeting with the Natural Resources Commission and volunteers to find a common solution. Unfortunately, there are going to be occasional difficulties and conflicts, but by promoting responsible dog ownership and through better education, we know it can succeed. Our goal is keeping our lands available for all, not just the select few. Together, we are certain we can make this work for everyone, but by building bridges, not gates or walls.
Concord Unleashed