Stop muddy boots! | The Press

Isabelle Moisan and her friends had taken advantage of the long Patriotes weekend to walk a trail in Vermont. They had a little surprise when they showed up at the border to return to Canada: they were asked if they had cleaned their hiking boots properly.

“The customs officer was very friendly, says Isabelle Moisan. He asked us where we were from and if we had mud on our boots. We had a little, so he explained to us that in principle, we had to go back to the United States to clean the boots. »

The customs officer explained to the hikers that the mud could contain harmful species: insects, insect eggs, certain plants. However, he was understanding and contented himself with a warning.

“He let us through because there were several cars behind us, but he advised us to be careful next time and to clean the boots well before we went through customs. »

It’s not just hikers who need to be careful. Mountain bikers have reported having to turn around through customs to get their mounts thoroughly cleaned.

Protecting the Canadian Ecosystem

There are indeed good reasons to clean your hiking boots, walking sticks or mountain bike before returning to Canada. It is about protecting the Canadian ecosystem.

“Soils carry many invasive species as well as many plant and animal diseases,” the Canada Border Services Agency said by email. Vehicles, equipment, footwear and other goods that arrive at borders contaminated with soil are normally not allowed to enter Canada. »

The agency says dirt and mud can carry bacteria, fungi, insects, nematodes (small worms) and weeds.

The authorities believe that due to the number and complexity of these organisms, “it is virtually impossible to guarantee freedom from pests of concern”.

It is therefore easier to ensure that the articles or equipment are free of soil. In addition, it is not very complicated to clean the soles of your boots or the tips of your walking sticks after each hike. You just have to get used to it. Either way, the car owner is usually happy when his passengers’ boots don’t leave mudslides all over the trunk.

The regulations specify that certain products are not considered soil and can enter the country. Sand from salt water beaches, for example. But the mud of the mountainous trails of the American Northeast, it does not pass. Neither does the land of mountain bike trails.

Most boat owners are also aware of the importance of properly cleaning their boat to avoid transporting invasive species such as zebra mussels.

Canada is not the only country to check what hides under the soles of hikers. New Zealand, for example, is particularly picky about this. At international airports, hikers are asked to show their boots, walking sticks, and even tent poles to make sure there isn’t a speck of dirt hiding there. New Zealand being an island, the authorities take things seriously.

Cruise ship passengers visiting Antarctica are subject to even tighter controls. Crew members go so far as to vacuum the nooks and crannies of the hiking packs to ensure that no twigs, seeds, pollen dust or leaf fragments remain. When passengers disembark the ship to set foot in Antarctica, they must first soak the soles of their boots in a disinfectant liquid.

This is primarily to avoid introducing pathogens to Antarctica, or even transporting pathogens from one colony of animals to another on the continent itself. We wouldn’t want to trigger an epidemic among penguins, anyway!