Advocate article "Off-road drivers damage streams"

[Fly Guy]

More should be done to keep destructive off-road vehicle users from tearing up Alberta's wilderness, an area environmentalist says.
Martha Kostuch was disturbed, but not surprised, by the results of an Alberta Conservation Association survey that showed recreational vehicles are damaging many forest streams.
Of 178 stream crossings studied by the association, 67 per cent were heavily or moderately impacted by off-road vehicles. The remaining 33 per cent were minimally impacted - but many of these crossings were expected to further deteriorate with increased off-road vehicle use.
The Alberta Conservation Association survey was done in the Upper Bow River Watershed, but similar results would be found in the Big Horn area, west of Nordegg, said association assistant regional leader Kevin Gardiner.
He believes the problem is provincewide.
"We opted to study one area so we could present some data to the government," Gardiner said.
Kostuch knows off-road vehicles are very popular in Rocky Mountain House area forests. "We're seeing the same kind of degradation of stream beds here."
She wants new provincial legislation that makes it easier to fine off-road vehicle users for causing environmental destruction. Kostuch also wants more money to be spent hiring more enforcement officers.
While many recreational vehicle owners are responsible people, Kostuch said others should be punished for ruining stream beds, silting up the watershed, and destroying fish and wildlife habitat.
Alberta Sustainable Resources spokesperson Dave Ealey said the province prefers to focus on prevention and education programs.
But this doesn't mean that fines aren't available for environmental destruction, he added, noting that the province hired additional seasonal workers earlier this year to help with enforcement.
Three Red Deer men were the first in the province to be slapped with $100 administrative penalties under the Forest Act for tearing up the forest with four-wheel drive vehicles in 2004.
Ealey doesn't know if other fines were laid since.
He agrees with Kostuch that Alberta's existing forest protection regulations couldn't have anticipated that off-road vehicle use would "skyrocket" in the province.
But Ealey isn't sure new regulations are needed.
The provincial government must first review the Alberta Conservation Association study as well as other surveys to determine how large a problem exists, he said.
Meanwhile, Ealey invites all off-road vehicle users to check the status of trails online at www.bighorn.gov.ab.ca before going into the wilderness.
By lana michelin
Advocate staff

[keener]

It's unfortunate that Martha is a nutcase with a big mouth. I know of her and her dealings with the oilpatch.
It's also unfortunate that when she speaks, the press listens.
We also need to speak loudly.
Go to Gunther's meeting on Saturday. Write letters to your MLA (which I'm going to do this weekend), or email him/her.
People, we have to get a move on, everyone needs to be involved or we are going to lose trail access.

[TrappersJeep]

Be nice - Ms. Kostuch is allowed the option of her own opinion, however narrow it may be.  In dealing with persons with opposing views the saying "more ants with honey, than a big stick" is never truer.  The key to maintaining our access is indeed to make our opinions voiced, but to do it in an informed and civil manner, and avoid the "mud throwing" that will only raise emotions and distort the overall goal - us on the trails responsibly riding, and Ms. Kostuch happy to see us there!  But hey that's just my two cents...take it or leave it.  Hopefully there are lots of voices at Saturday's meeting...get'er done!