Quad Crackdown Finally Coming

[TerryH]

I browsed through the proposed (i.e. sample) regulations yesterday.

 

Proposed Pulbic Lands Administration Regulaton

 

It's 274 pages long, so pour a coffee before you wade in. It's interesting reading and if it is implemented and more importantly enforced, it will certainly be a step in the right direction. If nothing else, the 14 day rule on random camping would go from being a "guideline" to being a law. And moving your RV two feet every 14 days won't cut it -- it has to be removed from the Land Use Area for a period of at least 24 hours. However, in the end, it still all comes down to enforcement. Unfortunately, I don't see that improving significantly any time soon, simply because it all comes down to how many officers there are in the field. Terry

[Taco]

You should see'm howling about rights and Government interference in said rights over on the hunting board. One hotshot even compared the Government proposed amendments to Nazi Germany.

 

Abuse It Lose It.

[osprey]

Just did my survey. This is long overdue. Thanks for the heads up. I also agree with Don Anderson that the proposed maximum fines are too low and with all the rest that enforcement will be key.

[Giovanne]

Why does this get all the attention from outdoorsmen when Big Oil, Gas, and Forestry roll right along?

 

I am sure the Government is all but willing to let the perceived problem get diverted to OHV use, I am sure that said industries appreciate the diversion.

 

I do not want to debate the merits of controlling OHV's as I believe they should be severely restricted or banned in some areas that currently allow them. But c'mon, there is so much damage to our wild areas from industry, really no comparison.

[DonAndersen]

Giovanne,

 

While this is land disturbance with oil/logging etc. there is also accountability. If the companies make a mess, they repair or clean it up.

Quadders - nope. Plus there are 2 sets of rules. Those with land use operating guidelines and quadders. Land use guidelines tell companies what they can or can't do. Quadders can do anything that an IQ of 10 + lots of beer can dream up.

Make Quadders conform to the same guidelines and things would be good.

 

Of course, agri-business would be exempt of any ground rules.

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

[Giovanne]

Giovanne,

 

While this is land disturbance with oil/logging etc. there is also accountability. If the companies make a mess, they repair or clean it up.

Quadders - nope. Plus there are 2 sets of rules. Those with land use operating guidelines and quadders. Land use guidelines tell companies what they can or can't do. Quadders can do anything that an IQ of 10 + lots of beer can dream up.

Make Quadders conform to the same guidelines and things would be good.

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

 

Sorry Don but I have to disagree. When you look at the LONG TERM "mess" left behind there is no comparison. We already have laws on the books to deal with quads, the problem is enforcement, or lack there of. Without enforcement there are no rules or laws.

 

I wish I knew how to post a google earth link? If you look at the area starting just west of Caroline and zoom up and down the Eastern Slopes the land looks like it has a bad disease from all of the clearing for Oil and Gas batteries, and roads that lead to them, all along creeks and rivers as well. There are areas west of Sundre where the logging is clear cut and right up to the banks of the Red Deer river. How one can even compare this damage and that that some rogue quadders create is beyond me?

 

Alberta's long term financial sustainabilitry is based on the O&G industry, but to blame the quadders for the environmental damage that is going on in Alberta's wild places is a case of the foxes guarding the hen house.

 

If the solution to dealing with rogue quadders is to ban them then we should be careful with what we wish for. Poaching is also a big problem, because of a few bad apples and compounded by a lack of enforcement. Kinda parallel isn't it...

[hydropsyche]

If the solution to dealing with rogue quadders is to ban them then we should be careful with what we wish for. Poaching is also a big problem, because of a few bad apples and compounded by a lack of enforcement. Kinda parallel isn't it...

 

Priceless.......

 

[DonAndersen]

Giovanne,

 

What you see is clear cutting of trees. Whether this is good idea or not is in the beliefs of the person seeing the clearcut.

What is important is forests either burn down or fall down but disappear they do.

What most people don't realize is we have by far more land under trees in the eastern slopes than for perhaps 100 years.

 

And guess where the biggest clearcut in Alberta exists?

 

As far as roads, they do add silt to river/streams etc if proper precautions are not taken.

 

I'm not aware of a clear cut on the Red Deer to the river edge. I know I got ticked @ one I saw on the Ram. Apparently the cut to the river was driven by the Wildlife folks who wanted more grazing for elk.

 

Oil/Logging companies would be jailed for driving up and down streams as regularly happens by quadders all summer in the Rocky area.

 

Of course, agri-business is exempt.

 

catch ya'

 

Don

[Giovanne]

Don,

 

Excuse my ignorance of current OHV laws; is it illegal to drive a OHV up a creek or stream? If we currently have laws that address obvious abuse of the environment then enforcement is the issue. If there are big holes in the legislation then a framework needs to be addressed that fill these holes, laws put in place then proper enforcement.

 

My point to all this is banning is not the solution. If OHV users are considered consumptive users of a resource as hunters and fishers are then banning an activity because of lacklustre laws, or lack of enforcement is just the thin edge of the wedge.

 

The sad reality is we live in one of the most prosperous jurisdictions in the world, yet we struggle to properly fund the enforcement of our fish, wildlife and natural areas; all held within the public trust, it is ours!!! Our current Provincial Government is failing us, this is the problem- not rogue quadders.

[jjthom2]

Giovanne,

 

What you see is clear cutting of trees. Whether this is good idea or not is in the beliefs of the person seeing the clearcut.

What is important is forests either burn down or fall down but disappear they do.

What most people don't realize is we have by far more land under trees in the eastern slopes than for perhaps 100 years.

 

And guess where the biggest clearcut in Alberta exists?

 

As far as roads, they do add silt to river/streams etc if proper precautions are not taken.

 

I'm not aware of a clear cut on the Red Deer to the river edge. I know I got ticked @ one I saw on the Ram. Apparently the cut to the river was driven by the Wildlife folks who wanted more grazing for elk.

 

Oil/Logging companies would be jailed for driving up and down streams as regularly happens by quadders all summer in the Rocky area.

 

Of course, agri-business is exempt.

 

catch ya'

 

Don

Don,

Posted this last fall. Wrote letters to all applicable parties that basically got nowhere. The clear cut is far worse this year after winter blowdown.

http://flyfishcalgary.com/board/index.php?...c=10291&hl=

 

Jeff

[DonAndersen]

Jeff,

 

I'll see if I can get an explanation for your pictures.

 

 

Giovanne,

 

It is illegal. Contravenes Federal Statures. Long story - DFO is in Alberta after a judge found the Alberta Govt didn't enforce it's own environmental regs. [even on itself] So the Alberta Govt' step back and does nothing leaving it to the Feds. Along come the Conservatives in Ottawa who are not going to p**s on their Alberta counterparts. So the long story. The environment gets trashed.

The regional Biologist in Rocky when the quad question came up @ the spring Regional Meeting commented that it very difficult to prove which quad did the damage. My comment " in a gang rape, who cares who got her pregnant".

 

 

catch ya'

 

Don

 

 

 

[Harps]

Jeff,

 

I'll see if I can get an explanation for your pictures.

 

 

Giovanne,

 

It is illegal. Contravenes Federal Statures. Long story - DFO is in Alberta after a judge found the Alberta Govt didn't enforce it's own environmental regs. [even on itself] So the Alberta Govt' step back and does nothing leaving it to the Feds. Along come the Conservatives in Ottawa who are not going to p**s on their Alberta counterparts. So the long story. The environment gets trashed.

The regional Biologist in Rocky when the quad question came up @ the spring Regional Meeting commented that it very difficult to prove which quad did the damage. My comment " in a gang rape, who cares who got her pregnant".

 

 

catch ya'

 

Don

 

Love this post...

I missed this forum!

 

 

Freestone, send me a PM and we can discuss the problem you saw last fall.

 

 

Not enough people complain to the gov't (at all levels) and the lack of issues(?!?) and general atmosphere has resulted in a cut of enforcement in Alberta. People should have been asking about every small issue, wondering if things were going to be fixed, following up with each complaint, and commending folks that try to do right. The actions of the government reflect the overall majority of folks in the country (unfortunately the majority are oblivious, don't care, or prefer cash over enviro).

 

Now it's too little too late.