It is my view, as a “Suburban” Green, that we, as the local Greens group, need to properly consider all sides of this matter.
I have a fairly strong view, though I am ready for it to be challenged, that we need to support initiatives for active recreation, especially affordable unstructured youth activity, such as Mountain Biking. Especially if organised and managed in a positive, even educational way. Instead of trying to lock people (except PLUs) out of Berowra Valley Regional Park, and for that matter other urban fringe national parks, we should be encouraging people to use these resources, wisely, and to become more appreciative and informed about the bio diversity and other issues involved in the proper management of parks.
The answer surely is for reasonable people from the Conservation groups and the Mountain Bike groups to get together and try to understand each other’s point of view, and see if it is possible to have a eco-friendly bike trail somewhere in the locality. I believe that we, as a local Greens group, should be able to work with both groups to try to find a reasonable solution, if each group is prepared to be reasonable about it. We surely should be able to find some common purpose with people who’s activity is so close to bushwalking.
Without a managed trail, the odds are strong that un-managed use will proliferate and do real damage.
totally agree. I think somewhere like the old quarry in old mans valley is a more suitable site for a mountain bike trail.
ReplyDeleteSince I wrote the blog, things have moved on. The Old Man Valley's Mountain Bike trails have been approved, so in reality there is less need for a bike trail at Stringy Bark Ridge.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I have found out more about Stringy Bark Ridge. This site has, under the care of local people, slowly been returning to it's natural condition. It would be devastating for those volunteers who have invested so much to have their slow and hard fought gains swept aside.
Nevertheless, there must always be scope for talks. Through talks, the Mountain Bike enthusiasts may come to a greater appreciation of the conservation groups work. And the conservationists might find that some form of bike trail may be possible, might cut down on unmanaged bike usage, without impacting on the sensitive areas.
Talks and shared information are the way forward, not uninformed confrontation and stand off.
The whole issue has been somewhat overtaken anyway by Nick Berman's actions in virtually promising Stringy Bark Ridge for sports fields, which would be far more devastating. Frankly, a crude and cynical attempt at influencing the vote of the sporting groups in the coming council elections. The area is now included in the Berowra Valley National Park (announced, but not yet declared). Any chance of the area being excised from the National Park is extremely remote, and Berman knows that. He should concentrate instead on finding real sites for more sporting facilities.