Govt: Restrict Recreational Vehicles from National Parks

[HYPE]

As some of you may know, the watagans is now being shut down.

We have until the 3 August to make submissions to NSW parliament to have our say. Please take the time to do this.

It will only take you 2 minutes.
Just follow the submissions tab.
Link to submissions: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/pro...2579E9000215C2

You can just copy and paste below:

I regularly take part in recreational use of national parks and state forest by means of a 4WD and a an off road motorcycle.

Over the 12 years I have utilised this states forests for recreations, I have noticed a staggering amount of land area and existing trails be closed to public use. This, I feel, is limiting my ability to legally recreate in the way I wish to.

Of course, various 'green' groups and government bodies claim that 4WD vehicles and offroad motorcycles are seriously damaging the natural environment and I believe this is the main reason behind the closure of land area and tracks. These groups have convinced the NSW government to side with a minority (I refer to those who wish all forests to be exclusion zones or bushwalking only) and not allow the majority to responsibly recreate on our own public land.

What is even worse, is the fact that the reasons cited for why 4WD and offroad motorcycles are damaging the environment (mainly noise pollution and erosion) are severely over-exaggerated. Noise pollution would be a problem in small forests on the edge of cities and towns. However, the vast majority of users like myself are well out of hearing range when recreating.

While the trails used by offroad 4WD vehicles do suffer from erosion, it is of an insignificant quantity in comparison to that created naturally by wind and rain. I agree the trails often look badly eroded, but compare this volume of eroded material to the volume over an entire forest. This is not to mention the erosion after a natural occurrence like a bushfire or landslide - these volumes of eroded material would be in the thousands of times more than that created by 4WD users.

Lastly, motorcycles create far less erosion than 4WD's and as previously mentioned, are mostly used well out of hearing range of the public.

You as the government need to NOT lock us out of our own land.

Thanks.


You can read more about it here.

http://www.dirtbikeworld.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=94412

Please make the effort. Not only will we not be able to enjoy what we have been doing but there will be no hope of doing it with our kids in the future.

[Naked Twin]

Done, I haven't had a trail bike for about 10 years but loved it even if I was rubbish at it.

It seems so much easier just to close or ban rather than manage. There used to be Hungry Creek (I think that was it's name) not far away but it got turned into residential partly because of insurance cost. It was similar to Luee outside of Mudgee. I always liked the snotty hill climbs

How many trails are left?

[Nelso]

Done. Here's my letter I sent (hope it makes sense as I'm exhausted and half asleep ):

For over 35 years I have utilised state forests and National Parks for camping, bike riding and recreational four wheel driving; and have noticed a staggering number of public lands and existing trails being closed to public use. This has dramatically limited my ability to access and enjoy an 'outdoors' lifestyle and has seen the few remaining places left open, placed under undue stress with the numerous responsible users forced to concentrate their activities in smaller areas.

It is logical that by forcing all recreational patrons into fewer and smaller areas, we will see an increase in damage to those areas due to overuse. The policy of shutting responsible outdoor recreation enthusiasts out of all but a very small percentage of available bushland is very short-sighted and I believe is pandering to a very vocal, yet extremist, minority.

Sadly, various 'green' groups and government bodies make unfounded claims that four wheel drive vehicles and offroad motorcycles are seriously damaging the natural environment. I believe this to be the main reason behind the closure of public land and tracks.

These groups have convinced the NSW government to disallow it's own people from responsibly enjoying our own public land. Sadly, this policy has increased the very thing it was misguidedly trying to achieve by forcing the volume of users into small concentrated areas leading to overuse and overcrowding.

Ironically, I remember a time when these areas had no limitations on their use and there was far less damage than is evident in some areas today. As a family we camped, road dirt bikes and went four wheel driving in some of the most beautiful places imaginable and never experienced any damage by motor vehicles as the areas were never overused. It has been tragic to watch the closure of so many of these majestic destinations only to see them ravaged by bush-fires thanks to the lack of maintained fire-trails and the neglectful fire management practices of the 'green' driven policies.

The simple fact is: the reasons cited for the need to close these areas, i.e. motor-vehicles damaging the environment (mainly noise pollution and erosion); are often severely over-exaggerated, unfounded or simply untrue. Noise pollution might be a problem in small areas on the edge of cities and towns; however; the vast majority of users wish to access remote areas, far from 'civilisation' in order to 'escape the rat-race'.

While the trails used by off-road vehicles do suffer from mild erosion, it is of a small amount in comparison to that created by natural forces. I agree the trails can at times look somewhat eroded due to overuse in some areas, but even this is insignificant compared to the volume of damage over an entire forest caused by natural occurrences such as floods, bush-fires and landslides. In the grand scheme of things, the minuscule area of man made trails leading through the thousands of hectares of bush-land is quite insignificant.

Lastly, I have hiked through areas where fire trails were deliberately destroyed in an effort to stop people using the area, only to find it in a worse state than when it was open to the public. You see, when an area is often populated by responsible users, they use the area in a sustainable manner. I have often cleaned up areas that I have camped in, that irresponsible people have left in poor shape; and I know hundreds of other campers who do the same. When you shut out the responsible people, it is often still frequented by the irresponsible ones (as they are the ones that ignore the law!) and the damage they cause then goes unchecked.

I employ the government to use some common sense and stop the systematic closing of public lands and trails to appease a small minority. By working with the responsible majority who frequent these areas, (rather than pandering to extremist activists that are never seen in these environments), we can get back to enjoying the natural beauty of our bush-land in a sustainable manner.

Sincerely,

R Nelson

[Gosling1]

Great letter Rob ! we have had some similiar issues in the local mountains down this way, but they have not closed the whole joint up yet.....hopefully never will.

Good luck with keeping the Watagans open.

[seiko1]

Have your say!

[robracer]

I Sent a letter when it was first mentioned on DBW, there are so many different recreations that will be in the crosshairs, make as much noise as possible people

[fireyrob]

Fire stations are meant to start closing from tomorrow temporarily to save OT. Luckily the volunteers will be responding to incidents now. Wonder if the arrival times will still be within 10 mins 90% of the time Listening to reason is not in this govts priorities unfort but I hope they do.

[Nelso]

Here's a link that works too: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/p ... E9000215C2

[seiko1]

We're taxed and charged more than ever before for EVERYTHING, where the fark is all the money going???

[timmyrocks]

bunch of jerks! there going to need big gates/fences, guys will end up just riding around them

[philbo]

We're taxed and charged more than ever before for EVERYTHING, where the fark is all the money going???

overseas, and not where it is in desperate need here