Tom Stienstra: "Gridlock in wild areas: Time for new policies"

There are several things wrong with Tom Stienstra's approach:

1. There is no right to mountain bike. That was decided a decade ago
in federal court: http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande/mtb10. Mountain
bikes are inanimate objects and have no rights. 95% of the conflicts
he mentions are due to the presence of the bikes. Not too many hikers
will approach at such a speed that they spook horses or scare other
hikers!
2. Allowing bikes on trails forces land managers to either (a) build
more trails, thus destroying more wildlife habitat or (b) kick hikers
off of some of their trails, in order to cater to a small minority of
recreationists (mountain bikers). Neither is fair or wise.
3. Bikes are harmful to wildlife and people: they accelerate erosion,
create V-shaped ruts, kill small animals and plants on the trail,
including tree roots (all of which a hiker can step over or around),
and drive other trail users off the trails and out of the parks.
4. Mountain biking teaches kids that the rough treatment of nature is
acceptable -- a BIG step backwards in an era when most people are
becoming MORE concerned about nature.

Mountain bikers are obviously people who can walk. I am not willing to
sacrifice our scanty remaining wild lands, just so a few people can
speed through them so fast that they can't possibly experience them
(as Stienstra was doing in Butano State Park).
===
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande