The MTB Freeriding 1%...
| Posted on January 9, 2014 at 4:10 PM |
We need to seriously take a look at the 2013 Outdoor Activities Survey from 2009 to 2012. Mountain biking sits at around a steady, just less than 3% participation rate, and participation rates may be falling. This sport is not growing!
The participation rates of mountain biking are about the same for that of downhill skiing and snowboarding. The difference is mountain biking is sprawled across our parks and wilderness trails, and the others are not. Skiing and snowboarding are contained to properly run recreational resorts, and do not do as much environmental damage than the other 3% (most likely the 1%, as many mtbers are not extreme freeriders, like the NSMBA, who do the worst damage to our forest/wetland environment via indisciminate riding and trail/structure building).
Let's compare the 2012 Mountain Biking stats with Hiking and Wildlife Viewing activities:
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Participation in Outdoor Activities, All Americans Ages 6+
2012 in 000’s -- % of Population
Bicycling (Mountain/Non-Paved Surface) - 7,714 pop. -- 2.7%
Hiking --- 34,545 pop. -- 12.0%
Skiing (Alpine/Downhill) --- 8,243 pop. -- 2.9%
Snowboarding ---- 7,351 pop. -- 2.6%
Wildlife Viewing (More Than 1/4 Mile of
Home/Vehicle) - 22,999 pop. -- 8.0%
(page 58 of the online report)
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If this is the case, why is the District of North Vancouver spending so much time, energy and fundingfor mountain biking when it is clear that passive activities like hiking and nature viewing/walking are more favoured, and leaves far less damage in its wake?
Why are we not insisting on the containment of this destructive off-road vehicular sport?
It is shame that our politicians and public land managers allow the squeaky-wheeled 1-3% mountain biking "community" to dictate the future use and abuse for our forests and wetlands. This is very detrimental to the overall forest health and wellbeing.
The question is, what are we going to do about it?
Write letters/emails to Mayor and Council and the media. The more hikers and wildlife viewers, among others, speaking out against uncontained freeride mountain biking, the more we will be heard above the din of the squeaky-wheeled 1-3% Thank you.
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