Go Figure...

[ÜberFly]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/data-shows-alberta-off-road-vehicle-use-unsustainable-environmental-group-says-1.3139097

 

Nearly a decade's worth of data and observation from an environmental group suggests Alberta's fragile backcountry is
being damaged by unsustainable off-highway vehicle use.

Ruts deep enough to swallow a person and erosion that has relocated streambeds shows that some areas can't handle motorized traffic even if users do their best to be responsible, says the Alberta Wilderness Association.

"We have photographs of trenches that are so bad that a person is standing at the bottom of it and it's over their head," said Sean Nichols, who runs the association's trail-monitoring project.

"There are some areas where there are three or even four trails parallel because all but the most recent are essentially
impassable."

Since 2003, the association has buried traffic sensors at three trailheads connecting about 70 kilometres of designated off-highway vehicle trails in the Bighorn region in the Alberta foothills, southwest of Edmonton. The group has also sent teams up the trails to photograph changes.

Its numbers show use has grown significantly. Although traffic dropped in flood years, the number of vehicles on those trails grew from 3,226 in 2007 to 5,544 in 2014.

Monitors also used GPS co-ordinates to document changes and measure the depth and length of ruts. The erosion gets so bad it diverts streambeds, said Nichols.

"When the stream gets diverted down the trail, even (conscientious) riders end up driving in the streams because that's
where the trail is."

Nichols said the data shows trail use during closed periods has actually declined and signs urging riders to stay on marked trails are largely heeded. The problem, he said, is that these trails — and others like them — are in the wrong place to begin with.

"There are areas where one could reasonably place trail networks and it would have a low impact," he said, adding the Bighorn area problems are common up and down the Alberta foothills.

"Worse in some areas, better in others."

Sustainable trails needed

Dave Coutts of the Alberta Off Highway Vehicle Association said the problem stems from increases in ownership and vehicle capability.

"The infrastructure just has not kept up."

He said his group has long sought a provincial network of sustainable and properly engineered trails that will keep the
vehicles out of places where they cause damage.

"People have got to learn you can't just go everywhere with these machines."

Coutts said the activity needs to be properly managed by the government.

Ryan Heise of Alberta Environment said the province is dealing with the issue through its land-use frameworks. Two such agreements — including one that covers the Bighorn area — have been hammered out.

"It's a combination of consultation and looking at the cumulative effects of land usage," he said.

"Those marked trails have been developed based on consultation and cumulative effects management. If that's not working out, there may be a need to go back and re-evaluate some of these trails."

But the land-use plans have been a disappointment, said Nichols.

"There still is no access management plan as such, anywhere. We're still waiting for an actual plan with implementation details, with any kinds of limits."

Nichols said the association has shown its data to Alberta Environment every fall, without effect.

"The first 80 per cent of the meeting is getting the land managers to grudgingly admit that maybe this isn't the right place.

"And nothing ever tends to happen, and we have the same meeting over again."

[DonAndersen]

Nichols of the AWA is learning what every one has discovered trying to get Govt to move.

As a superintendent I had years ago put it when he said "there are two kinds of people, self starters and kick starters"

Nichols shoulda showed up to the Govt meeting wearing boots - big heavy boots.

 

 

Don

[alan2]

Its a long shot but maybe with NDP in instead of the good old boys network somebody might actually take the ATV issue seriously. Restrictions and enforcement would be a good start. We can only hope...

[BurningChrome]

He said his group has long sought a provincial network of sustainable and properly engineered trails that will keep the

vehicles out of places where they cause damage.

"People have got to learn you can't just go everywhere with these machines."

Coutts said the activity needs to be properly managed by the government.

This is what needs to happen. Close places like the Castle and McLean Creek to off roading and open new areas in less sensitive land that is more sustainable. The problem is that all the existing off road trails are on old logging roads and seismic lines. When they put those in, they didn't care about where the "road" went through. Keep trails out of low-lying areas that tend to turn into mud bogs every time it rains, keep them out of the muskeg, and if there is a river or creek around put in a bridge with proper deterrents to keep people out of the stream - if that doesn't work set up cameras or some other form of enforcement. Moving off road trails to rockier land will go a long way. Also implementing trail stewardship programs like they have in Moab and on the Rubicon would help a lot.

 

It would be nice to see the new government do something, but unfortunately between the mess the previous gov't left and the current bust cycle I just don't see this being a high priority for them.

[bcubed]

Don't forget that while the government face may have changed, the senior folks within the government are still the same...it will take a fair bit of pressure. Need to take them for a tour through McLean, Indian Graves, etc.

[DonAndersen]

Don't forget that while the government face may have changed, the senior folks within the government are still the same...it will take a fair bit of pressure. Need to take them for a tour through McLean, Indian Graves, etc.

 

 

And what do you do to make them care?

 

Don

[bcubed]

You tell me Don. I'm at a loss that people feel that ripping up the earth is considered fun

[alan2]

The whole difference is whether you feel a part of where you wander and fish out there, or whether you see it as a place to be dominated by you and a machine as you roar through it. I think I know where most of us here stand on this issue. Noise and horsepower don't click with me but I sometimes feel like an outsider in the Castle area.

[bcubed]

I camped at Castle falls last weekend, and we aptly named it "the outside". Feels like the apocalypse down there

[Vagabond]

I'm guessing 95% of off-roaders aren't ill-intentioned eco-terrorists....they just don't know any better?Theyre not stupid,they just don't know jack about fish,fish habitat,fishing,or givachit about fish......they just don't know,because theyre not into fishing .

An education campaign with lotsa back road signage would help a ton.,along with well advertised,steep fines for violations...I'd like to think most people want to play nice?

[SilverDoctor]

I got pictures of a guy running up the Burnt with his ATV. Sent em to F/W but heard nothing back. I seem to see it time and again. He saw me taking pictures and sped up the slope. Knew he was wrong. Wish we could at least license them so we could get plate numbers.

[BurningChrome]

I'm guessing 95% of off-roaders aren't ill-intentioned eco-terrorists....they just don't know any better?Theyre not stupid,they just don't know jack about fish,fish habitat,fishing,or givachit about fish......they just don't know,because theyre not into fishing .

An education campaign with lotsa back road signage would help a ton.,along with well advertised,steep fines for violations...I'd like to think most people want to play nice?

Yeah this is pretty much right. Usually when I explain to someone what they're doing is wrong and why they say they didn't realize it. I've only had a couple people tell me off.

 

I got pictures of a guy running up the Burnt with his ATV. Sent em to F/W but heard nothing back. I seem to see it time and again. He saw me taking pictures and sped up the slope. Knew he was wrong. Wish we could at least license them so we could get plate numbers.

They are required to have license plates:

 

http://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/Regs/2002_319.pdf

 

Licence plates

18(1) The Registrar must issue an off-highway licence plate for an off-highway vehicle if the Registrar issues a certificate of registration for the off-highway vehicle.

(2) The Registrar must issue off-highway vehicle licence plates in the number and of the type and colour approved by the Minister.

(3) The owner of an off-highway vehicle must attach the licence plate issued under subsection (1) securely to the front or rear of the off-highway vehicle so that the licence plate is clearly visible.

 

Condition of plates

19 No person shall drive an off-highway vehicle if the licence plate is not securely attached, legible and clearly visible to other drivers at all times.

[albertatrout]

I'm guessing 95% of off-roaders aren't ill-intentioned eco-terrorists....they just don't know any better?Theyre not stupid,they just don't know jack about fish,fish habitat,fishing,or givachit about fish......they just don't know,because theyre not into fishing .

An education campaign with lotsa back road signage would help a ton.,along with well advertised,steep fines for violations...I'd like to think most people want to play nice?

 

Nice thinking process but I'm on the other side of the fence regarding that group. I think the vast majority of ATV users couldn't give a crap about their impact. I have had discussions on many occasions with guys driving up and down creeks (including over redds) and even polite confrontation leads to a "I pay taxes and go shove it" kind of response. They can't clamp down on these yahoo's soon enough. The government is in the process of repairing trails/ reclaiming areas down south but of what I've seen, not accomplishing much yet as the quads go around the signs and rip it all up again as soon as they can. The problem with submitting photos to fish and wildlife is its a "I said, they said" sort of argument and rarely is anything done. I have seen no stop to the abuse in areas with signs/ barricades, strictly enforced no messing around rules will be the only solution. Most know the rules, they also know the chances of getting caught are astronomically low.

 

As for the AWA getting involved, It makes me want to distant myself from the issue. The amount of lies and misinformation they have used trying to keep the grizzly bears protected is disgusting and many many conservation minded people will not align with that organization. Some extreme radicals in that group, including many who would like to see no human use in the west country whatsoever.

 

Keep taking pictures and writing letters, the only way things are going to improve is from the top down.