Why is there a whiteboard in the woods?
- Feb 11
- 2 min read
Image by Pete Scullion.
At Trash Free Trails, this probably isn’t the strangest thing you’ll see. But it does beg the question: why are we standing outside with marker pens anyway?
Because our data doesn’t start in spreadsheets. It starts on the trail.
At TFT, we’re lucky enough to have a community made up of magical types of people: those who love a good graph, and those who love being outside. Often, they are the same people. And while classrooms and powerpoints have their place, our favourite place to talk about numbers is wherever the data was actually found.
That’s how Whiteboard in the Woods was born - our monthly way of telling a data story, outside, with our wonky whiteboard. It’s our attempt to show the power behind all those little tally marks you submit after a clean.
Image by Rach Coleman TFT heads to the Senedd to share the environmental case for a Deposit Return Scheme.
Why numbers matter.
Recently, we took that whiteboard story a step further - all the way to Wales.
Our latest video looks at Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) eligible items spread across Wales, and how the number of submissions we receive directly affects how accurate our picture becomes.
That’s why we were in The Senedd (Welsh Parliament) recently, alongside Marine Conservation Society, Reloop, Keep Wales Tidy and Surfers Against Sewage, sharing the environmental case for Wales’ Deposit Return Scheme. Not only as a lifeline for our trails, but as a shift towards stewardship, community empowerment and economic resilience.
Wales has a strong track record of environmental ambition, and what we brought to the table was something simple but vital: Actual items, from actual trails, logged by actual people.
Evidence from the ground up.
January is usually a month for hibernation. Letting the depths of winter howl past on the other side of the windows, yet even in the coldest, darkest stretch of the year you showed up, and so for the first time we’re proud to share our Monthly Morsels Data, right here on our blog!
Out of everything found in Janurary:
87% was single-use pollution
88% of submissions found DRS-eligible items
96% found EPR-eligible items
30% found dog poo bags
Red Bull and Lucozade fought it out for brand of the month, with Haribo and Coke tied for third.
Over a quarter of surveys reported wildlife interactions with litter, and 6% recorded animal deaths. And yet:
61% felt more connected to nature
96% said they’d do it again
The bit we don’t see (and why it matters)
As one big cherry on top of all of that, when looking at our community survey data we found that comparing what people say they remove with what gets formally submitted, we estimate that in 2025 alone, our community likely removed an additional 150,000 items from trails that never made it into the dataset!
That means the impact is bigger than even the graphs show. And that with each submission made, it sharpens the picture for everyone. So if you ever see us in the woods with a whiteboard, this is what’s behind it!
As a student preparing for university applications, I think an SOP should reflect both personality and academic direction. Simply listing achievements does not create a meaningful application. The statement should explain what motivated the chosen field and how past experiences shaped future ambitions.
I found SOP Writing Help useful for understanding how to structure these ideas naturally. It encouraged me to focus on relevant experiences instead of adding unnecessary information. I also learned that each paragraph should contribute something valuable to the overall story. This approach makes the statement easier to read while allowing admissions teams to understand my goals more clearly.
The stat about an estimated 150,000 additional items removed in 2025 that never made it into the dataset is genuinely striking it means the real impact is consistently being undercounted, which makes the case for better submission habits even stronger. I came across this post while taking a break from coursework on environmental data modelling, where I had been looking up Machine Learning Project Help to understand how citizen science datasets get cleaned and processed for analysis. The Whiteboard in the Woods concept is exactly the kind of thing that makes data feel human and grounded rather than abstract. Taking real numbers from real trails to the Welsh Parliament is the sort of evidence-based advocacy that actually moves policy. Really inspiring…
This is such an interesting and creative way to connect people with nature and encourage interaction on the trails. The idea of placing a whiteboard in the woods creates a unique space for visitors to share thoughts, experiences, and observations while enjoying the outdoors. Learning from such community-driven initiatives, even Statistics Assignment Writing Help can benefit from analysing how data and human experiences connect in meaningful ways. Great work in inspiring people to engage more deeply with natural spaces!
What an interesting idea! The whiteboard is a creative way to encourage people to pause, reflect, and connect with nature while raising awareness about caring for the environment. It reminds me that good communication matters everywhere, just as Best book publishers help meaningful stories reach readers. Thanks for sharing such an inspiring and thoughtful initiative.
Interesting read with valuable insights into protecting trails and the environment through community action. Truck tire repair Rockwall TX is also an important service that helps drivers stay safe and keep their vehicles in top condition.