Nature is best enjoyed without noisy vehicles
LETTERS
A recent half-page “Open Letter to Albertans” by the Alberta Off-Highway Vehicle Association (AOHVA) claims that off-highway vehicle use is a “way of life” allowing active enjoyment of public lands and one of the few outdoor activities that “can engage an entire family, spanning multiple generations” to enjoy nature.
How can this be an established “way of life” since quads were introduced only a bit over 30 years ago? How can one enjoy nature by riding on a noisy, bumpy vehicle breathing exhaust fumes, as well as churning up the landscape?
Let’s face it, many — dare I suggest the majority — of off-road vehicle enthusiasts are thrill seekers, seeking to challenge the steepest hillside, the boggiest and deepest mud hole or the fasted possible way around a challenging trail. The bottom line is that even for the most responsible users, there is no way to “manage a sustained shared trail network” “to mitigate environmental impact” and “protect animal habitat” through use of these vehicles.
I agree that the AOHVA should work closely with the government to find a solution. My suggestion would be for an independent audit of all that has been constructed in the Castle area and that a grant is given to the Quad Squad to allow them to establish a small quad park with steep inclines and mud puddles so that they can experience the thrill and challenges that these vehicles can provide.
For those off-road users who really want to experience nature, I suggest they leave their quads at home, pack a lunch, don some good hiking boots and go for a hike. Let them and their children get some good exercise, while smelling, hearing and experiencing nature. They’ll quickly realize what they have been missing. And they will need to stay off those quad trails as the rest of us hikers do, as these trails are unfit for hiking and it will take years before they are!
If you value Alberta’s wide-open spaces and your opportunity to enjoy them in peace and tranquility, now is the time to write the premier and the minister, congratulating them for taking this important step of eliminating off-road vehicles from the Castle area.
Mark Goettel
Lethbridge