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This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_005F_01D1569B.0D6C8370 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Sadly, there is a minority among the ATV groups who have carelessly = littered remote locations, and far worse, can fish out previously = hard-to-get to remote streams with healthy trout populations. Fires = have been carelessly started that led to wildfires (e.g., one that I = have noted on the =E2=80=98fire roads=E2=80=99 recently, which we = taxpayers must pay to put out. There is no =E2=80=98let it = burn=E2=80=99 policy in place, as NS is too small for this concept which = is more appropriate for other ecosystems such as the vast boreal). =20 =20 With respect to the road (or perhaps two roads!!!) that will apparently = be open to ATVers which transects the middle of Medway Lakes Protected = area, our Premier spoke of ATVer impacts directly to some of us last = December, and made two points: 1. There is no money available to hire more Conservation Officers = to police our protected areas to ensure illegal activities do not occur 2. He believes that ATVers will just have to =E2=80=9Cpolice = themselves=E2=80=9D. =20 I can accept the first statement, but was alarmed by the latter. The = best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour. I=E2=80=99ve seen = some of the damage first hand, and I know some of the players involved. = This simply won=E2=80=99t work, despite the good that some folks bring. = Do drivers of vehicles on highways police themselves?? It is obvious = that the ATV groups have placed a great deal of political pressure on NS = politicians to give them access to many places where their travel does = not serve the best interests of the common good. =20 Also, when we think of the remote chance of a rare mainland moose = wondering some of these protected areas, what chance will it have with = ATVs zipping by? It is an unfortunate fact that currently when a moose = is spotted in the southwest, some of the nonconformist and selfish = members of our society come back with a flashlight, call it out, and = that=E2=80=99s the end of the moose. The ATV is a necessary tool to = haul out the meat. This is far less likely to happen if protected areas = are open only to hikers, canoeists, and even those speeding cyclists. =20 =20 Some folks lament about owning an ATV with nowhere to drive it. Why did = they not foresee this issue before making the purchase? But then, we = have hundreds of km of trails and roads for ATVs already. My friends = trailer their ATVs and haul them to wherever they want to explore and go = from there. Pretty soon, the old railway track through the valley will = have all of the bridges replaced and will be open for new traffic. = (I=E2=80=99ll leave my personal opinion on this aside. The track runs = through my property.) My point is that there are many places to ride = ATVs without getting greedy and wanting to muddy up protected areas, = too. =20 =20 We own an ATV and use it mostly for the woodlot, but sometimes we go on = a recreational ride (it=E2=80=99s good to know both sides of the = equation). But lest we forget that some wildlife like trout and moose = pay for our selfishness when we open up still more remote areas to ATVs. = =20 =20 Donna Crossland =20 (I always thought I=E2=80=99d marry a cowboy : ) -to =E2=80=98chime = in=E2=80=99 to the preceding emails, ha! ) =20 =20 From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca = [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of John and Nhung Sent: January-23-16 10:55 AM To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Protected areas; ATV use =20 Yeah, the majority of folks in any particular group are sensible, and a = few eejits can ruin the reputation of any group. =20 Sensible folks can educate one another, admit to making mistakes, mend = ways, and still recognize that they can educate other sensible folks. =20 I shouldn=E2=80=99t have said =E2=80=9CCowboy,=E2=80=9D Paul. That was = unfairly labelling a group who doesn=E2=80=99t deserve it. =20 From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca = [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of = rita.paul@ns.sympatico.ca Sent: January 23, 2016 10:34 AM To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Protected areas; ATV use =20 Well John that has been our observations on several trail groups I've=20 been associated with over the years. ATVers are very helpful.=20 I suspect closer to bigger centers Cowboys may be more plentiful=20 although I was a Cowboy myself in my younger days. The real kind who=20 worked with cows!=20 The worst are bicycles Those folks think they are better than other = humans on=20 the trail and all should bow before them. but I guess its easier to stop = an ATV=20 and get it up to speed than it is with a bicycles. And harder to get = their hand in=20 the pocket when funds are needed!=20 Enjoy the winter=20 Paul=20 =20 > On January 23, 2016 at 5:19 AM John and Nhung <nhungjohn@eastlink.ca> = wrote:=20 >=20 >=20 > Hopefully, the ATV access debate will get resolved by sensible folks.=20 >=20 > We were at a joint session in Weymouth a couple of years ago with = various=20 > stakeholders regarding the future of the Silver River/New France = lands. It=20 > wasn't too difficult to agree to maintain access on the main existing=20 > trails, open no new trails, and work together to accommodate times and = > places when species at risk and sensitive environments might be = adversely=20 > affected. Wasn't rocket science, but did require a little mutual = respect.=20 > Maybe that's easier to achieve in smaller communities where folks in = one=20 > camp know those in another! :-)=20 >=20 > By the way, another thing that environmentalists and ATV associations = easily=20 > agreed to was doing our damnedest to stop the depredations of the = cowboys.=20 > I suppose we could work together more to achieve that, but we have = discussed=20 > the issue at times already. And I found that the ATV Association had = good=20 > suggestions.=20 >=20 > -----Original Message-----=20 > From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca = [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca]=20 > On Behalf Of David & Alison Webster=20 > Sent: January 22, 2016 7:59 PM=20 > To: NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca=20 > Subject: [NatureNS] Protected areas; ATV use=20 >=20 > Dear All, Jan 22, 2016=20 > I have noticed fair traffic in Voice of the People about ATV access. = Can=20 > someone bring me up to date on current practice ?=20 >=20 > For example:=20 > 1) Are there any hiking trails in some or all of these areas ?=20 > 2) If there are trails, who pays for clearing windfalls from the = trails and=20 > maintaining trail markers; a charity or tax dollars (directly or = indirectly)=20 > ?=20 > 3) Or are windfalls left to dispose of themselves naturally ?=20 > 4) In event of fire is the standard pract