New Law In Bc

[Harps]

Don't know if this has been posted in the past week, but it is an excellent law.

 

We should start a petition to get something like this in Alberta!!!

 

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

2007FOR0106-000964

July 26, 2007

 

Ministry of Forests and Range

 

NEW LAW IN FORCE TO PREVENT ECOSYSTEM DAMAGE

 

VICTORIA - Effective immediately, people who cause environmental damage

to public forest and range lands through recreational activities such as

mudbogging will be subject to financial penalties and prosecution,

Forests and Range Minister Rich Coleman announced today.

 

"I hope this new legislation will stop people from harming the

environment by mudbogging or recklessly driving ATVs through sensitive

alpine terrain and range lands," said Coleman. "We want to encourage the

public to act responsibly on Crown land when they go out and enjoy the

great outdoors."

 

On May 31, the Forests and Range Statutes Amendment Act received royal

assent. The act introduced a provision that makes it illegal for

individuals to cause environmental damage. Previously, only industrial

users of Crown land were subject to these prohibitions. Regulations

deposited this week bring the law into effect, and update the definition

of environmental damage to include any change to soil that adversely

alters an ecosystem.

 

Under the new provision, individuals found to have caused environmental

damage may face penalties of up to $100,000. Criminal convictions carry

maximum fines of $100,000, up to one year in jail, or both.

 

"As a long-time proponent of off-road vehicle management, I strongly

support any steps toward increased protection of B.C.'s grasslands,

alpine and riparian areas," said East Kootenay MLA and BC Outdoor Caucus

Chair Bill Bennett. "Our public land in B.C. is an incredible resource,

and although I support motorized recreation and enjoy it myself, we must

balance motorized recreation with other values. There is room for

everyone out there if we use common sense."

 

Irresponsible use of off-road vehicles in ecosystems can easily damage

soil, the ecological foundation of natural areas. For example,

repeatedly driving or driving at certain times of the year in wetlands

can change the structure of the soil, making it difficult for plants to

take root and grow because of a lack of air or nutrients. In addition,

off-roading in wetlands kills birds and amphibians. Generations of

wildlife can be impacted due to a lack of plant life and clean water.

 

In fragile alpine areas and dry grasslands, off-roading can quickly

erode the thin soil layer so that plant life can no longer be sustained.

 

 

An information brochure, titled "Is your mud worth $100,000 and a year

in jail?" is available online at:

www.for.gov.bc.ca/hen/reports/index.htm

For photos illustrating damage

to ecosystems caused by off-road vehicles, please see

www.for.gov.bc.ca/pab/media

 

The public is encouraged to use public forest and range lands

responsibly. Report any suspected forestry contraventions or crimes to a

local Ministry of Forests and Range office, or call Crime Stoppers at

1-800-222-8477.

 

-30-

 

Media

contact:

 

Jennifer McLarty

Public Affairs Officer

Ministry of Forests and Range

250 387-4592

[admin]

$100,000, up to one year in jail

 

Wow, that is serious. It's nice to see some beef behind the maximums. I hope they can follow through on convictions to really send the message home.

[rhuseby]

Okay, let's start pushing the Alberta government to bring in something like this. There's not really much anyone in the ATV/4x4 community to say against it, since they are otherwise saying that their recreation destroys the environment and they don't give a flaming rat. One nice $100,000 conviction is all it would take to clean up a lot of trouble.

[Pipestoneflyguy]

Just as all flyfishers are not all poachers, not all off-roaders are looking to chew up the environment, off roading, for example allows the disabled to explore and enjoy the wilderness when otherwise they couldn't - Looking at the 4x4 discussion boards its clear many support this type of heavy handed regulation being in place. They are a recreational group that is losing its options rapidly due to the typical irresposible and uncaring bad apples that exist in all activities.

 

As a jeep owner I support this legislation and in fact think it is long overdue and I hope they do follow through with some signifigant penalties for violators.

[Hawgstoppah]

Good good GOOD it's about time. Why does alberta always seem to be one step behind BC??? I support the new regs they got, and I am 100% behind this, or course.

[Tyler25]

I grew up on quads in Northern Alberta (my parents would take me for rides as a baby to put me to sleep) - and up there a quad trail is very unintrusive on the ecosystem. The locations you can access you would never otherwise see unless you spent a week with a backpack or horse.

That being said, the population explosion down here seems to have made this necessary, so i'm not in disagreement with it. As Pipestoneflyguy said, the few always ruin it for the many. I guess the question that leaves me is this: if many areas are protected, that means less areas to quad - resulting in heavier traffic in said areas. This could have the potential to obliterate the ecosystems in those areas due to excessive overuse. Wonder how they decide where is ok to destroy, and where is not?

Glad its not my decision.

[Xplorer]

This is an interesting new law, but as far as I can see it really does nothing.

 

What we need is ENFORCEMENT! Without the manpower or will to enforce this law or the ones that already exist we are just spinning our wheels(no pun intended).

 

I am an responsible atver who has been waiting for years for the government to enforce the existing laws with no luck. The yahoos who rip and tear are a small minority of offroad users that give us all a bad name. I wish the government would catch them and land on them with both feet, but it doesn't seem to be happening or at least I have not seen it yet in my 20 years fishing and atving.

 

I think we need more enforcement and education for new users, without that all the laws in world will do nothing.

 

Just my 2cents