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OHV Group: Ban Bikes from Greenback Habitat? Then Ban Everyone Else, Too
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May 01, 2013
OHV Group: Ban Bikes from Greenback Habitat? Then Ban Everyone Else, Too
By Tim Romano
Greenback cutthroat trout were placed on the Endangered Species List 46 years ago. Efforts to restore the fish were a modest success — or so everyone thought until last year, when genetic testing revealed we'd been stocking the wrong kind of fish. Fortunately, there is still one tiny piece of water called Bear Creek where a genetically pure strain of greenbacks live. It's only four miles long, and researchers estimate there are fewer than 800 greenbacks living there.
Last fall the U.S Forest Service closed all trails around the Bear Creek drainage to all vehicles to limit erosion and reduce sedimentation in this critical habitat. In retaliation the Colorado Springs-based Trails Preservation Alliance sued the agency — not to re-open the trails, but to block all access to the area, including by foot.
From OutThereColorado.com:
In their notice to sue filed last week, the Colorado Springs-based Trails Preservation Alliance and two other groups argue there was not a rational basis for the Forest Service to immediately close specified trails to motorcycles while allowing other uses to not only continue, but increase, while leaving the trails in place to continue producing sediment.
The suit asks for all trails in the (Bear Creek) watershed to be closed to all users immediately and for “expeditious completion” of a watershed assessment being carried out by the Forest Service.
“I want to see them closed until they can be re-routed completely out of the Bear Creek drainage,” said Colorado Springs dirt bike enthusiast Don Riggle of the Trails Preservation Alliance.
If this lawsuit actually goes through and the USFS closes these trails to all use, folks who might want to respectfully tread near the creek won't be allowed to.
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Comments (13)
What do you call a busload of 30 environmental activists and 30 corporate lawyers going off a long, shear cliff in flames???
A very good start.
On one hand they are losing access to their trails, which is not an unfamiliar issue for fishermen, on the other hand, this is an endangered species and bikes tend to tear up terrain, even if they are not run hard. Go ride elsewhere for a little while.
There is the argument that those trails have been in use for a long time and there does not appear to have been a negative impact on the fish in bear creek. But, with the increased importance of the drainage comes increased precautions. However to say that banning OHV use should alos mean banning foot traffic is as logical as my 2 years temper tantrums.
Perhaps a seasonal ban on access to the area to protect spawning redds would be a good idea, but there is no reason to ban all foot travel all the time.
They have no study detailing the damage done specifically and only by the bikes, but hey Let's ban them. Guess the theme of the comments so far would be Hey, as long as they hang us separately it's fine by me until my turn comes along...Makes perfect sense to me to force a complete shutdown so that people actually care and force them to do immediate studies, or they could've had their head out of their butt a long time ago and done a better job with the science and management so that they'd at least have a solid reason for this, if there is one. Lot's of days I think we are never going to learn.
I have always believed if the efforts in the courtroom were directed towards the issue, things would be resolved much quicker and with less waste.
Rhythm, is there room for Clinchknot on your bus?
I live in Colorado and think this might be a good idea. Last year three of us drove our jeeps to Lake Como near Mt. Blanca. It is a wilderness area except for the road. When we got to the lake I stayed and fished and the other two continued on the trail. At on point on the trail a group of young hikers started shouting at them but they continued on. When I got to that part of the lake I started talking to them. They were from Texas to climb the mountain. I asked how many in the group, they said over 50 people. Who makes more of an impact, three jeeps or 50 people?
Rhythm we cant afford to lose anybody who supports environmental protection (which despite what anybody says is the same as conservation) , wishing potential allies who work for a similar cause as us to drive off a cliff is ten steps backwards, not to mention just wrong (death for promoting a just cause?). Additionally your making all hunters look bad, please go somewhere else and let the rest of us get back to saving our pastime.
It's amazing how some folk can't tell fact from sarcasm? To those who can, keep it coming!
SD Bob, thanks for understanding sarcasm. I attempted to put both extreme views in the bus (lawyers and activists). I had to be fair:)
I'm way more on the side of conservation than plundering resources and polluting because the law says it's okay. I've seen and know some very out there activists that are pretty unreasonable. I also make a living on natural resource exploitation in a way by selling pollution control equipment to said exploiters.
Anyway, glad to stir the pot a little, and hope this fish population survives.
this is the typical american response these days. if you don't totally get your way then throw a tantrum and file a lawsuit
Food for thought:
Man- 150 to 240 pounds (??) and 1/6 horsepower.
ATV- 450 to 1000 pounds plus rider, 26 to 80+ horsepower.
Yes, many hikers can have a negative impact. One rider has the potential to make a much larger impact than a human on foot. Hopefully the rider will choose not to.
And this summer they will be logging just upstream. Just joking, but not surprised if it happens!
Come on Trail Preservation Alliance - you realize that dirt-bikes and atvs make more damage to the trails than foot traffic, right? you really need a stack of paper from some government goon to prove that? just look at the ruts in our trails compared to the LACK of ruts in non-motorized trails.
Quit having and "all or nothing" agenda. set aside "give em an inch they'll take a foot" and realize that we need these trout and we have plenty of other trails to ride.
I live in and ride my dirt bike in and fish in the White River National Forest and I'm part of the crew working to build our relationship with the Forest Service - not destroy it.
www.cbtra.org
rockymountainsportriders.com
Post a Comment
Rhythm we cant afford to lose anybody who supports environmental protection (which despite what anybody says is the same as conservation) , wishing potential allies who work for a similar cause as us to drive off a cliff is ten steps backwards, not to mention just wrong (death for promoting a just cause?). Additionally your making all hunters look bad, please go somewhere else and let the rest of us get back to saving our pastime.
On one hand they are losing access to their trails, which is not an unfamiliar issue for fishermen, on the other hand, this is an endangered species and bikes tend to tear up terrain, even if they are not run hard. Go ride elsewhere for a little while.
I have always believed if the efforts in the courtroom were directed towards the issue, things would be resolved much quicker and with less waste.
Rhythm, is there room for Clinchknot on your bus?
What do you call a busload of 30 environmental activists and 30 corporate lawyers going off a long, shear cliff in flames???
A very good start.
There is the argument that those trails have been in use for a long time and there does not appear to have been a negative impact on the fish in bear creek. But, with the increased importance of the drainage comes increased precautions. However to say that banning OHV use should alos mean banning foot traffic is as logical as my 2 years temper tantrums.
Perhaps a seasonal ban on access to the area to protect spawning redds would be a good idea, but there is no reason to ban all foot travel all the time.
It's amazing how some folk can't tell fact from sarcasm? To those who can, keep it coming!
And this summer they will be logging just upstream. Just joking, but not surprised if it happens!
They have no study detailing the damage done specifically and only by the bikes, but hey Let's ban them. Guess the theme of the comments so far would be Hey, as long as they hang us separately it's fine by me until my turn comes along...Makes perfect sense to me to force a complete shutdown so that people actually care and force them to do immediate studies, or they could've had their head out of their butt a long time ago and done a better job with the science and management so that they'd at least have a solid reason for this, if there is one. Lot's of days I think we are never going to learn.
I live in Colorado and think this might be a good idea. Last year three of us drove our jeeps to Lake Como near Mt. Blanca. It is a wilderness area except for the road. When we got to the lake I stayed and fished and the other two continued on the trail. At on point on the trail a group of young hikers started shouting at them but they continued on. When I got to that part of the lake I started talking to them. They were from Texas to climb the mountain. I asked how many in the group, they said over 50 people. Who makes more of an impact, three jeeps or 50 people?
SD Bob, thanks for understanding sarcasm. I attempted to put both extreme views in the bus (lawyers and activists). I had to be fair:)
I'm way more on the side of conservation than plundering resources and polluting because the law says it's okay. I've seen and know some very out there activists that are pretty unreasonable. I also make a living on natural resource exploitation in a way by selling pollution control equipment to said exploiters.
Anyway, glad to stir the pot a little, and hope this fish population survives.
this is the typical american response these days. if you don't totally get your way then throw a tantrum and file a lawsuit
Food for thought:
Man- 150 to 240 pounds (??) and 1/6 horsepower.
ATV- 450 to 1000 pounds plus rider, 26 to 80+ horsepower.
Yes, many hikers can have a negative impact. One rider has the potential to make a much larger impact than a human on foot. Hopefully the rider will choose not to.
Come on Trail Preservation Alliance - you realize that dirt-bikes and atvs make more damage to the trails than foot traffic, right? you really need a stack of paper from some government goon to prove that? just look at the ruts in our trails compared to the LACK of ruts in non-motorized trails.
Quit having and "all or nothing" agenda. set aside "give em an inch they'll take a foot" and realize that we need these trout and we have plenty of other trails to ride.
I live in and ride my dirt bike in and fish in the White River National Forest and I'm part of the crew working to build our relationship with the Forest Service - not destroy it.
www.cbtra.org
rockymountainsportriders.com
Post a Comment