Have you ever wondered why pets are not allowed on Dinosaur National Monument trails? Well, always finding an opportunity to educate online, Dinosaur National Monument explains that one major reason is the fragility of the soil. The biological soil crusts within the Monument are a living community of blue-green algae, fungus, lichens, mosses & liverworts, and other microorganisms. “Found in arid to semi-arid environments, they play very important roles in the ecosystem,” shares the informative post. “Soil crusts can fix carbon and nitrogen while stabilizing the soil, this in turn provides nutrients and habitat for larger plants to grow.” One reason that they talked about living soil is because these soil crusts are extremely sensitive. One step on the dirt could destroy a community that took decades to form. Even though the weather is shifting and hiking trails might not be on the top of the list, please be mindful of the rules and requests that are in place as there is more going on than we often realize.
