— Mountain bikers urged to participate in online comments and public meetings
The long-awaited draft strategic plan for managing NY state forests has been released. While there is much to like about the proposed plan, New York mountain bikers are urged to provide input and help refine the language about bicycling on trails in State Forests.
Send your comments via e-mail.
You can also make your voice heard at the public listening sessions in upcoming days (schedule at right).
The plan stipulates: “Mountain bikes are permitted to travel on any existing road or trail on State Forests unless the road or trail is posted as closed for this use.” This is good!
However, the plan also continues to say: “Due to environmental concerns and conflicts with other users of the state forests, mountain biking is acceptable only on trails that have been assessed and approved for such use.”
This is problematic for mountain bikers and the state should remove this passage. Why should one user group be singled out for environmental concerns when recreation ecologists say that our impacts are about the same as other non-motorized activites? Regarding potential conflicts, hundreds successful shared-use trail systems around the nation show that mountain bikers, hikers, equestrians and others can enjoy trails together, espcially when the trails are properly designed and signed.
Public Listening Sessions
Sept. 21: DEC Region 5 HeadquartersMain Conference RoomRoute 86, Ray BrookSept. 22: Lowville Fire Department5420 Parkway Dr., LowvilleSept. 23: DEC Region 3 HeadquartersMain Conference Room21 South Putt Corners Rd., New PaltzSept. 28: DEC Region 4 HeadquartersMain Conference Room1130 North Westcott Rd., SchenectadySept. 30: DEC Region 2 HeadquartersAnnex Building11-15 47th AvenueLong Island CitySept. 30: DEC Region 1 HeadquartersSUNY Stony Brook50 Circle Rd., Stony Brook
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