The Spread of an Invasive Species
| Posted on September 21, 2014 at 4:00 PM |
“Unsanctioned trail building and rogue lines have been growing in the Park like an insidious mold.”
“Any off-trail activity is detrimental to the ecology … it prevents the indigenous species from growing in these areas and allows invasive species to come in and take over, it also fractures the habitat for wildlife, and this all happens very quickly.”
We wouldn’t give our children a reward for bad behaviour, so why do so many private and public sector funders, and the like, reward the ongoing bad behaviour of free ride mountain bikers in our midst? It’s ignorant!
According to the “Fromme Mountain Trail Maintenance Service Agreement”, signed by DNV and NSMBA, DNV is has doled out up to $50,000 to the NSMBA’s “volunteerism” on the MTB trails, between July 2013 and July 2014. It is called a “pilot program”. But, we know it is a permanent program, no matter what the NSMBA and rogue mountain bikers inflict on our forests and wetland environments, both “sanctioned” and unsanctioned! There is no merit to it, at all.
Serious drainage and erosion problems are rampant, with so many mountain bike tires indiscriminately slicing and dicing the forest floor like pizza cutters, rain or shine, day and at night, four seasons a year.
Vernal seeps and underground springs are tampered with; exposed tree roots are a problem. “Gold dirt” pits are dug up, off-trail, by the wheelbarrows and buckets full. Both the MTB riding and trail building habits are irreversibly damaging our natural environments (natural capital), to accommodate a cheap “abusement park-like” thrillride
Too many mountain bikers riding on steep rainforest trails are the problem, etc. Too many mountain bikers are cutting their own unsanctioned “lines” because they don’t like the present “sanctioned” trails, they say. The favourite “remedy” of politicians and public land managers has always been to try to appease the mtbing scofflaws, right down to the last cent – yours and mine.
If too many mountain bikers on trails is an erosive problem, then why is DNV considering building a large parking lot or two on Fromme to encourage more mountain bikers coming to ride and build on this mountain -- “sanctioned” and unsanctioned?! It lacks total common-sense! It just doesn’t work, and only creates bigger and very expensive problems in the long term. But with all this freeride mayhem in the mountains, only a few of us seem to be barking up an empty tree voicing complaint, these days. Off-road Mountain “dirt” biking, an invasive species, has taken full wheel-hold of our forests and parks, and continues to spread, unabated, and aided by some most unusual partners in "ecological crime".
We not only have private corporations jumping onto the mountain bike trail building bandwagon, but alsofunding from the public sector, with BC Parks now contributing to the spread of this off-road freewheeling "invasive species". This is even more shocking!
Provincial Trail Academy
"Thanks to support from BC Parks Park Enhancement Fund and Arc'teryx, the North Shore Builders Academy hits the road this month, starting with Vancouver Island. In October, the Academy will make its way to the Interior. The Academy is focussed on sustainable(?!) solutions, care(?!) for the environment and a positive user experience. The NSMBA is proud to partner with other trail associations in the Province to expand opportunities for the sport and create a culture ofstewardship(?!).
The NSMBA will travel to Nanaimo, Campbell River, Victoria, Kamloops, Vernon, Hope and Barriere this fall."
"Mountain biking is simply an activity that has been determined not to be compatible with our society’s values..."
Mountain BIKING is WRECKREATION at its worst, because it is flying under the radar of so many – “out of sight, out of mind”. We can’t do anything but inform the general public, so they will understand how a forest is suffering the slow death by 1000 cuts on Fromme Mtn., and elsewhere on the North Shore. The NSMBA “invasive species” roots run deep, from being constantly “cultivated” with funding and sponsorships -- rather than being “pulled out by the roots” -- and still spreading its damning “seeds” of deceit.
We have BC Parks to “thank” for it, among others without care, nor scruples.
What has become of all the forest and wetland protectors?
"Dear Father, hear and bless
Thy beasts and singing birds:
And guard with tenderness
Small things that have no words."
~A Child's Prayer
"Kayla's Art"
The Last Word: “I was just listening and looking at the facts and thinking: Wow, we are really screwed here. We are not going to stop this from happening... I will have a glass of wine now and try not to worry about it.” ~Paul Kingsnorth (The Dark Mountain Project)
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