Does province want genuine consultation on OHV use?

Onerous and time-consuming surveys suggest otherwise, says Brent Hodgson.

The month-long public consultation process regarding the draft Livingstone-Porcupine Hills Footprint and Recreation Plans will soon wrap up.

Online surveys are available to Albertans as a means of providing feedback on those plans. Anyone who completed the surveys, or attempted to, can attest to the fact that it was a time-consuming and onerous process. From a public consultation perspective, that raises a red flag. One might ask if the process was undertaken more for optics than true consultation.

You see, the government of Alberta is enacting the biggest change to land use in the province in over 30 years. That being the case, one would expect public consultation to be more extensive than 30 days and more robust in providing information. Instead, the draft plans presented for review and feedback leave Albertans and users of the back country with many unanswered questions, making it difficult to make informed decisions and answer survey questions with confidence.

That is a concern, not only for the Alberta Off-Highway Vehicle Association (AOHVA), but for others as well.

AOHVA was one of 30 stakeholders that participated in the Southwest Alberta Recreation Advisory Group (SARAG). Concerns were raised by various participants that the process was rushed, leading to inadequate information gathering and assessment, and in turn leading to compromised decision-making. Concerns were also raised about the lack of information provided by the government for review and reference by stakeholders. Yet, those in attendance were asked to make sound judgments and recommendations on the future of public land use in the region.

That lack of information remains an issue months later with regards to the draft management plans for Porcupine HillsLivingstone. Trail inventory and planning, capacity, increasing demand, science-based and socio-economic considerations are curiously inadequately addressed, leaving Albertans unsure, unaware and unprepared for the looming impacts of the proposed changes to recreation on public lands in the province.

Since 2008, AOHVA has been promoting a user-funded trail management system, offering solutions, guidance, advice and the collaborative efforts of our volunteer base to achieve a balance between environmental stewardship and sustainable recreation management. The AOHVA Four-Point Plan for Responsible OHV Use addresses the concerns underpinning the Livingstone-Porcupine Hills region and other areas where recreation on public lands occurs.

By incorporating best practices and implementing innovative approaches to developing, managing and sustaining shared trail networks the AOHVA Four-Point Plan brings focus to design and development; protection and partnership; tools and mandate; and better experience — enveloped by care and concern for the environment.

Over the past 30 years, responsible user groups, such as AOHVA and our member clubs, have invested millions of dollars and tens of thousands of volunteer hours to build trails used for motorized and non-motorized recreation in Alberta. We have hauled material, built bridges and created a sustainable trail network to ensure that responsible trail users have a safe place to ride, hike, mountain bike and generally enjoy the wilderness of our great province.

It remains AOHVA’s intent to establish a genuine partnership with the government of Alberta, municipal governments and stakeholder groups across the province to collectively work to protect and preserve Alberta’s outdoor spaces alongside the outdoor pursuits enjoyed by all Albertans.

We believe the AOHVA FourPoint Plan for Environmentally Responsible OHV Use provides the framework required to create a legacy all Albertans can be proud of.

To date, hundreds of letters of support for the AOHVA plan have been signed by organizations and people across the province. Albertans can read the plan at AOHVA.com.

The surveys can be completed until April 26 and can be found at: www.alberta.ca/release.cfm ?xID=546581AC0EC1F-9A59 -310E-BA21C4EA2727EFC6.