When we're short and getting shorter on habitat for vanishing grassland
birds and many other species, it is a waste of a dwindling supply of
public money to fund areas for motorized "recreation." ATV use does not
require land in a natural state, as verified by the "abandoned quarry"
suggestion from an ATV advocate, and if anyone's going to cater to this
lazy activity, it needs to be the "private sector," or counties and
towns with abandoned quarries, retired landfills, etc. It sounds goofy
for a state agency to buy any abandoned quarry or other degraded area,
when there are so many high-value areas threatened with inappropriate
development (see Wisconsin Land Legacy report).
Concern over upwardly spiraling health care costs at the state and
federal level should dictate that state money be used to encourage
active leisure time pursuits, including cycling of all types.
New York's legislature is working on passage of a bill that would
prevent ATV use on all state lands, not just in the Adirondack Forest
Preserve, recognizing the need to use state land for non-motorized
activities. The intent is to place the responsibility for catering to
ATVs on private and county lands, which "in general" are also less
ecologically significant.
Further, while the mountain biking that many of us enjoy can have some
negative impact, the nature of both the vehicles and, I would asset, the
mentality of the users, means that ATVs are far more destructive to the
landscape when used off of developed roads. Visit the Mt. Valhalla area
in Bayfield Co. for an eyeful.
I agree with Mike R. that the claim of state ATV ridership seems highly
inflated ("* About 23% of the state's population, or 959,400 people,
ride ATVs.") Based on registration numbers from 2 1/2 years ago
(178,0000), there would have to be 5 people sharing each ATV:
>From the State Trails Council, the chairman of which also questions the
wisdom in state money promoting sedentary "recreation" -
(http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/trails/council/resolution/STC_ATV_Fee_
Resolution.pdf):
"Whereas registered ATVs in Wisconsin as of October 1, 2003 number
178,045, and whereas studies have shown the
increasing impact of ATVs in Wisconsin,"
... Casual observation shows that many families have multiple full-sized
and kid-sized ATV's, so these figures don't jive in the least - Unless
most ATVs in use are not registered and therefore operated illegally.
Jeff Schimpff
"Bus, Bike, Walk or Carpool to Work for Clean Air for Kids"
Madison, WI
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, June 07, 2006 8:04 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Bikies] DNR Promotes ATV's
Good grief...
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=432812
23% of Wisconsin citizens use ATV's? Seems very high. I know many use
them for work purposes such as farming, but how many ATV's are actually
used for recreation? It looks like DNR inflated the numbers to justifty
their actions.
The D.N.R is setting an interesting precedent developing this project!
What next? Motorized Disney theme parks?
The DNR needs to go back to its roots and realize it has a primary
mission to protect and conserve state natural resources.
Any DNR development of ATV areas will ignite a firestorm of controvery
regarding DNR policy. The agency should stay out of the ATV
entertainment business.
I am amazed the agency is even considering this proposal. The DNR seems
hell bent on creating a state environmental disaster area... and global
warming site...
Mike Rewey
_______________________________________________
Bikies mailing list
[email protected]
http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
_______________________________________________
Bikies mailing list
[email protected]
http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
