ATV riders damage sections of Dobson Trail, Fundy Footpath
Published Friday November 6th, 2009
Use trails for shortcuts despite signs banning ATVs
New Brunswick's Dobson Trail stretching between Riverview and Fundy National Park is a popular walking trail.
However, parts of the Dobson and the Fundy Footpath, which goes from the park towards Big Salmon and St. Martins, are under siege by all-terrain-vehicle operators who use them as shortcuts, sometimes to detour around their own damaged ATV trails, says Alonzo Leger of Riverview, maintenance co-ordinator for the Fundy Footpath.
The Dobson Trail celebrated its 50th anniversary in October with the Fundy Footpath to celebrate its 20th anniversary next year.
Leger said the heavy four-wheelers, which have what he described as "aggressive tires," tend to tear up the terrain and can quickly turn the soft ground into deep ruts and mud holes.
Few ATVs venture on the Dobson Trail from Riverview for several kilometres due to the number of people walking along the first sections. The problem is further on, where there are few people walking, he said.
The trails have signs prohibiting ATVs from using the footpaths, but it hasn't stopped them.
There are a few sections further on the Dobson Trail that will have to be rerouted because of the damage, he said.
He said the walking and bicycling trails are for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy nature while respecting the fragile ecological balance of the trails and surroundings and that in a couple of months, the hiking trails can be destroyed by ATVs, undoing all the work of trail volunteers who build and maintain them.
"It is disheartening for our volunteers that worked during decades to maintain the trail," Leger said.
"If we add the hours of volunteer work and the construction and maintenance costs paid by our organization during the past 50 years, the investment in both trails is estimated at a million dollars."
Those ATVs using the trails are opportunists, using the non-motorized trails rather than building and maintaining their own, he said.
He said there needs to be an education program teaching respect for the non-motorized trails and nature. The obvious conclusion is that a shared use system is not possible or safe, he added.
"When I see those damaged trails it deeply upsets me, it is theft of our good work and investments. It is time that local, municipal and provincial governments support our trails, promote an active lifestyle and an active respect for nature," he said.
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Comments (8)
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in my opionion,this place was all about nature,before the hikers and walkers and so called environmetalist took it over.
so when you do as you say "take back your trails",can you maybe reverse the complete destruction that your group has created out of 1 of the most beautiful places in this province?
dont think your gonna have much luck for 2 reasons...1)the damage is way beyond the point of fixing....2)tourism dollars expected from this plan,are fogging the vision of the people involved in the project.
True I agree if a sensetive area is posted for Atv's not to travel we should abid by it.
Dispite whats been said, all users can share.
When someone has 3 broken down cars on their front lawn (one of which is filled with dirt and being used as a giant flowerpot), do you really think they can be taught to have any respect for non-motorized trails and nature?
Let the thumbs down commence. :D
Trails , many are in fact old logging roads left from when nature was used as a resource. Now everyone claims them as their own.
Respect , common sense and patience would go a long ways in todays society.
Government needs to fast track trail applications by all user groups so that everyone has their own slice of the pie, then and only then do charges and penalties make sense.
One believes Atvers are all rednecks.
The other sounds like they wouldn't even walk on the side of a road due to it being used by cars.
In both cases painting everyone with the same brush.
Would it be fare if I said all walkers are tree hugging Saburbanites?
Yes an atv may leave a track , anyone watch the series "after mankind" on discovery? Nature has a way of ereasing man's footprint. Big picture we are not really that important.