Keeping ATV users from Driving over Salmon Habitat

I have not had to deal with this problem myself; however, I have noticed that one source of the go-anywhere attitude that ATVers have is ATV advertising. I've seen ads on TV that show ATVs cavorting in streams and I cringe at the sight. One facet of your campaign should be aimed at the ATV manufacturer's ad campaigns: try to get them to both omit the stream frolicing as well as admonishing ATV users of the results of destroying salmon habitat. Signage at well-used stream entry points might help; however, you'd probably get the signs either destroyed, used for firewood, or more likely used for target practice. An information campaign aimed at 4-wheel user groups may bring some decreased instream use, too. Information flyers at businesses that sell ATV might reduce instream use also. If the particular area is in a national park or other federally designated area, you might contact the agency in charge of managing the area to get the area patrolled on a more frequent basis as well as having the rangers pass out anti-stream use flyers. You might even try to get the land management agency to begin closure proceedings in the more abused stream areas, if for no other reason than to bring the problem out into an open forum. There'd be a hue and cry from the 4-wheelers but it would also draw attention to the problem and that may do more than actually closing the most sensitive areas. I think a multi-pronged media and informational campaign will reduce the instream abuses but there'll always be those idiots that don't pay attention. Am I being judgemental?

Ron Harben
Air Quality Coordinator
California Association of Resource Conservation Districts
United States

Hi Megan:

I have long wanted to see a coordinated campaign aimed at ATV users - this is a well known threat to species at risk/biodiversity in many parts of Canada. I would think that a logical step would be to try to engage some of the existing associations (e.g. http://atvontario.com/aboutus.php ; http://www.atvbc.ca/, etc). Not sure if there is a national one. Nothing beats working through existing networks and building on that existing trust. I would also think that providing some alternatives will be key, so not just about keeping them out but giving some options. There is often concern (liability) about this but I would love to see some of the exhausted aggregate pits include this as an afteruse - there are some good examples of this type of 'extreme' stuff in the UK (can't find the website but something like extreme sports/adventures)

Good luck

Kate

Kate Hayes
Canada

I agree with Kate that identifying and working with ATV associations to discuss the issue and how it might be resolved together is a good approach. The associations will understand the mindset of users, and will be able to help tailor an approach that works.

Norm Ruttan
President
iWasteNot Systems
Canada
www.iwastenotsystems.com

Found the UK example of rehabilitated quarry focused on extreme sports: http://www.adrenalinquarry.co.uk/

Other examples of more innovative after uses of pits/quarries are outlined here, with some focused on recreational uses: http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@mnr/@aggregates/documents/document/stdprod_067739.pdf (see Chap 10)

Kate Hayes
Canada

I found a potentially useful link: http://www.newrules.org/environment/rules/road-vehicles-and-atv-regulation


Steve Gorzula
United States

Information has just gone on to the BRASS website about the Bernie program. Its a rather different problem, setting grass fires in the Welsh Valleys, but the probable causes may be similar, a lack of comprehension of the damage they are doing. http://www.brass.cf.ac.uk/projects/Sustainable_Consumption_and_Marketing/sustainability-consumption-and-marketing--Project-Bernie.html


Jo Horsley
Environment Wales Development Officer
Wales

One approach to your arson problem would be to remove the flammable vegetation at the beginning of the "fire season." Ther would be a couple of ways to do this: disk fire breaks along side the roads so that the vegetation cannot be easily reached without having to walk through freshly disked soil (soil erosion would have to be avoided), special grazing paddocks could be erected using high intensity electric fences and the vegetation would then be heavily grazed to reduce its volume (again, erosion control would be necessary), and lastly, pre-emptive controlled burns could be used to reduce the vegetation volume (again with the erosion control). The last item could be a "community" event so that the miscreants could fulfill their "fire lust" in a safe and controlled manner.

Prescribed fire can rejuvenate and/or modify vegetation characteristics for livestock grazing so the last item could be coupled with a vegetation management program to improve the nutritional value of the resultant forage. See the CalFire (California's fire management agency) fact sheet on its Vegetation Management Program: http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/VegetationManagement.pdf.

Ron Harben
Air Quality Coordinator
California Association of Resource Conservation Districts
United States