OK, I have had it with too many people "saying" they will write letters or complain about our closures, I doubt they do.
This is a post that I want to see 1000 replies on, I want you to copy and paste your letters to gov officials on this thread. If you dont do so, I take it that you have not done it and dont give a crap if you only get to wheel crubs and rti ramps for the rest of your lives. You dont have to write a essay, write whats on your mind, good or bad civil or evil, just do it. Hell copy and paste mine, and edit them a little (not as good as your own but better then nothing). Just send something! I was told straight up by the SRD that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, so lets squeal like hell!
So I will start off, lets also put links to who to send these to.
Ted Morton
[email protected] Ed Stelmach ( copy and paste letter in)
http://www.premier.alberta.ca/contact/lets get some more people to whine at too, post your links.
here are some of mine (first was from may long). I plan to do atleast 2-3 a week now.
I would like to address some problems with Alberta’s “land management” and shifting of blame. For the past 3 generations my family has used enjoyed and respected the open land use areas of southern Alberta, and this last weekend I was infuriated with the provincial governments acts to help keep these areas under control.
Some back ground information on me is I am a 23 year old male, I have a degree in Geology from U of C and m family has been in Alberta since the 1800’s. I am a hiker, bicyclist, motor biker, fisher, camper, four wheel drive enthusiast and most importantly an environmentalist…..
Now many will disagree with what I said last, but how many of you have picked up measured tons of others garbage after May long weekend in the back country? How many of you have planted 1000’s of trees in newly logged areas? How about spend countless hours helping with erosion control? Fencing off problem areas? Educating un-educated irresponsible users? I like to think I am trying to help solve the problem unlike the province.
This is what irritates me, this weekend we planned to do some trail rides in Indian Graves, upon arrival on Friday afternoon we were stopped in a check stop, I was thrilled at this, what a great sign, finally the province is trying to help! This was until the Civic full of teenagers drinking Kokanee’s infront of us was waived through, and I was thoroughly checked beyond means, my girlfriend was questioned with me out of the vehicle while I was under questioning from another police officer…. All because I was hauling out my wheeling rig legally 100%.
This delusional discrimination has to stop. The four-wheel drive communities have done more for these areas in the past years then the province, the actually users of these areas are all that’s left to defend them. Countless times not 10 meters from the road illegal activities can be seen in these “may long” users camp sites. The lack of SRD/Forest Rangers patrolling is unquestionably responsible for the activities going on. It frustrates me beyond comprehension how these areas are ignored by the SRD until the problem is so far gone they feel the need to close the areas. I have been all over North America in recreational areas and none are as lightly policed as Albertas.
For example in Moab Utah the entire town relies on its natural areas for its income. Our family recently bought a house there as the recreational areas are phenomenal, yet on most weekends of the year 20,000+ users can be in these areas. Why can they easily handle this? It is because in one weekend I personally will see and talk to at least 3-4 park rangers. Not just on the road on the way in, not just in the parking lot, but 10 miles in, on a trail. These park rangers are well informed and strict, you know if you’re in the wrong you will be held reliable. It’s a simple concept but here in Canada it is not fully understood yet.
The government here try’s to sweep the problem under the carpet, waiparous has these issues I saw this weekend in Indian Graves, and it was all but closed in a attempt to solve the issue…. Clearly a lot of thought went into that (excuse my sarcasm). How would this not just shift the problem elsewhere? Clearly the grad party kids, the drunk slobs, and other users could figure out to go somewhere else. This is evident in users like Jeff and Matt Sawatzky and Jason and Colin Porte who were quoted by the herald as first time users (imagine that) "It brings out the redneck in you,"
"There are no rules. That's the reason you come here," Sawatzky said. "You can party." ( Calgary Herald, Sunday, May 20, 2007,
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=018c0a59-eb91-4f26-8c94-e545388a0aae&k=84021 )
Does this not answer the problem? Does this not ring the bell in any government officials heads? This is what I hear from every kid I tell to get out of the creek, or to stay on the trail. “There are no rules” they say, “that’s the reason you come here”.
This proves to me the province is completely reliable for the damage being done. Now they want to close the areas so on the other 51 weekends of the year people like myself cannot clean up after the “may long” users to cover for them and enjoy the back country. They want to just shift the problem elsewhere, as long as it is out of their view it is solved right? How ignorant.
This weekend we came home a day early we were so disgusted at the damage being done by the “may long” users, but more on the lack of policing shown by the province. Closing trails and limiting access does not address the problem at all. It punishes the responsible, and does not affect the guilty. Further more, it shows the world we cannot handle the same problem other areas can handle easily. Alberta shows no passion for its backcountry, the government cannot comprehend the money being spent in Alberta because of these beautiful areas and ignores them. Because of this we as users are taking the hit, its time the government steps up, and looks into places like Moab, the problem can be solved, it should not be ignored any longer with closures.
Simple litter laws that would be enforceable while you’re in camp would do wonders, strict fines for leaving anything behind or damaging the land would help to, but it needs to be enforced, at any time, anywhere, and firmly. The irresponsible users admit they don’t have any rules and that’s why they come. Let’s solve this, I want to see rangers on the trails, writing tickets, and in camps looking for any litter and giving fines. These few little things would provide them with the funds they need, and do wonders for our backcountry. If the problem continues I feel it is in the real users hands to start enforcing these laws by any means. It is our right and heritage to use these areas; it will not be taken away lightly.
This was todays, its a little harsh, but it seems thats what it is going to take.
I would like to let you know by introducing your recent closures to the willow creek area, you have created an absolute monster.
Less then a week ago I was out cleaning up litter, help fencing off problem areas with zero srd help, I went and cleared over 40 miles (yes miles) of fallen timber on trails so the quaders would quit going off trails to avoid the fallen trees. I did this all on my own, with my truck and me and zero help from the gov.
This week….. it’s a different story, after my brother drove up from Denver to do some 4 wheel driving on pure rock trails (zero mud) at Indian Graves “willow creek” we were turned around, he spent a week of vacation 2,000$ in gas, and you guys could not give us the decency of more the a weeks notice before your discriminating closure to anything over 800 lbs , you have no idea how much damage you just caused.
We both had a decision to make, with such little recreational areas available now in Alberta, and with such a huge amount of forrest areas owned by the public (government land is owned by the public in our country, just so you know) we decided to prove a point.
So instead of running some nice proven trails with zero mud and zero impact, we went 30-40 km north to K-country and scouted things out. Hell you don’t have any rangers there, there is less chance of getting busted there then in “willow creek” now. Well we found some nice meadows we can tear the hell out of in your name, We can beat the crap out of our rigs and really caused some damage there, it is way more sensitive then willow creek/Indian graves. This weeked we have planned a wheeling trip out by Canmore now instead of Indian graves, I have hiked some areas that would be great for wheeling, and you sure as hell don’t patrol those areas either. We will explain to the hikers why we are there when they question us.
So for your records, you have absolutely caused more damage then fixed. I will now recreate wherever the hell I want, I have a large following of supporters since we have no trials left. Good luck finding out where we are going, after we are done with these places I will send you the locations so you can see what damage is.
Also with my company I took a helicopter out like you and viewed the damage from may long….. what I saw scared me, the hectares and hectares of clear cut logging just west of willow creek was so damaging I couldn’t bare it, the petro can pipeline, and H2S facilities were absolute atrocities. It was then I realized you need a wake up call. You need to introduce reasonable laws to willow creek, reopen it to four wheel drives, have stiff fines for going of trails, have large littering fines, heck even have access fees. Do something to prove to me you care about ALL users and we will stop what we have started. This is a time for action on our part, you can no longer bully us.
You are a smart man, think about black market scenarios in the economy, and think what happens when more restrictions are imposed on that product….. the black market grows….. that is what you have caused here. The more you make four wheel drives illegal, the more we use prime areas you really don’t want us. The reasoning on our part is, I have over 100 grand and 5 years of my life into building my four wheel drive, It is worth it for a few fines and tickets to use it, and if that’s going to happen, why not use it somewhere nice like Banff or Canmore?
Also we will ponder organizing a day in which deerfoot will be closed do to “too much traffic and environmental concerns”. We will make it quiet clear you have caused these actions. This is the same mentality you have when in recreation areas, so as responsible users we will do our best to prevent over use on deerfoot.
Good luck, and if you decide you want to make reasonable laws and none discriminating policies for Indian Graves and Ghost/Wiaporous let me know, No damage has been caused yet in your name, but that time is coming to an end.
We can be your friend and help you enforce reasonable environmentally sound rules, and help clean up after the people who abuse the land ( they will still be there with your new laws, in fact their areas are untouched by your new regulations…) or we can be your worst enemy. We know you get pressure from the green side, and when they see the deliberate damage we cause in their areas specifically in spite of these uneducated ignorant laws, you will get complaints from all sides. This is in your hands now, you have been given fair warning unlike us, clearly we have more respect for you then you have for us.
Topic: Prove Yourself (Read 2586 times)