Hi, all --This conversation is an important one, and I am glad to hear and read
the wide variety of perspectives Lincolnites and others have shared.So many
factors regarding opening trails for recreational use in particular have been
discussed: -- the wish by Lincoln cyclists to ride Lincoln trails and to ride
to other towns' trails without getting in a car to do so-- the wish by regional
cyclists to explore Lincoln trails by bike-- the wish by walkers to keep the
trails through Lincoln natural areas vehicle-free-- the wish to protect the
flora, fauna, soils that make up and populate Lincoln's natural areas-- the
wish to promote family togetherness by biking the trails-- the wish to promote
family togetherness by walking the trails--
the wish to enjoy quiet contemplation of nature without having to
encounter the asymmetrical dominance of trail space, if even for a brief
time when bikes are approaching and passing walkers-- the wish to shrink
LIncoln's collective carbon footprint by opening trails for cycling--
the wish to tread lightly on the land, and share appreciation of that
light footprint (literally and figuratively) with others.As
I understand it, the initial impulse to open trails had to do with
expanding point-to-point transportation opportunities within the town --
to connect significant town institutions and various populated
neighborhoods in Lincoln by trail. Somewhere between this first
initiative and the draft proposal the goal has shifted to focus on
recreational opportunities for cyclists. I am concerned that the focused drive to open recreational trail loops for cycling a)
will put vehicles (human-powered and electric) in places where the most
vulnerable plants and wildlife currently live, and that vehicle use in
those areas will degrade those habitats into inhabitability.b)
will also affect nearby natural areas -- as I have noted before, Walden
Pond, already under enormous pressure, is likely to be still further
burdened should Pine Hill and Adams Woods loops be opened to cyclists.c)
will homogenize the special qualities of Lincoln's natural areas into a
generic blend of ever-wider treadways and impoverished habitat.Riding
on natural trails is fun. Nobody has to worry about getting clipped or
hit by a car, or having to ride off the road into a ditch or guardrail;
cyclists, who ride the most vulnerable wheeled vehicles, lose that
vulnerability when they get onto the trails. Walking
on trails is fun, too. Unfortunately, when bikes and walkers are on the trails,
bikes become the dominating vehicle. And walkers -- who are as
individuals the most vulnerable humans on road or trail, and who
currently enjoy little threat on the trails -- become vulnerable to
cyclists, who can ride at least 4 or 5 times as fast as a person can
walk. (Electric bikes, which are gaining fast in popularity, can go faster with less effort by the rider). Small wildlife, saplings, forbs, moss, and tree roots are often
more vulnerable still, and stand the greatest risk of harm from wheeled vehicles.I love LIncoln's
trails; they give me the ability to walk freely and observe the nature that
presents itself readily in the woods and fields here. I definitely see
cyclists on the trails, though usually solo riders, or riders in groups
of 2, 3. or 4. Conflicts don't have to arise if all parties are cognizant
of and use trail etiquette.(Btw, riders are not a
monolithic group -- over an individual's life span he or she may learn
and exercise good trail etiquette -- but new individuals enter the
riding pool every day, and certainly the only etiquette some follow is
whatever accords with their sense of entitlement.) One meeting attendee, who also sent a comment in to the discussion, spoke about the youth cycling group he leads that would love to ride on Lincoln trails. While I think it's great that the local youth riding groups train young
riders in riding protocol, I also wonder how having big groups of kids
zip through Lincoln trails is at all good for the trails and the woods
and fields they traverse. And with comments on the trails discussions coming
from Lexington, Belmont, Concord, Weston, Wayland, and Andover
cyclists, too, I have to think that groups of adults will also be
heading (many by carbon-burning car) to the trail loops to ride. Middlesex
Fells is a prime example of a unique natural area that has become a
trail-riding mecca; the trails there show extreme wear, and a nature
walk is mostly a walk over exposed and torn-up tree roots, pebbles, and
ad hoc jumps. Not a ton of habitat remains there.I'm
all for inclusivity, but above all, I'm for protecting what is wild and
habitable for Lincoln's non-human inhabitants, and keeping the trail
system primarily for the two- and four-legged walkers. Our conservation land here is ever more precious for the passive recreation it offers humans and the refuge and habitat it offers flora and fauna. I hope that the Conservation Commission's
and Conservation Department's stewardship responsibility, and their goal of ensuring "the
long-term protection of the Town's natural resources" don't get lost
in the eagerness of recreational cycling advocates to open the trail
system to wheeled vehicles. Deb Howe--
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