October 20 Editorial
Thursday, October 25, 2007 6:07 PM PDT
Temporary ban needed
Like the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, the Peninsula News consistently has favored the inclusion of mountain bikes on local trails in places like Forrestal Canyon. That is, as long as those riding the bikes stay on designated pathways and respect the natural habitat around them. However, it appears that at least a handful of mountain bikers are destroying vital habitat in the Portuguese Bend Nature Preserve. Rather than sticking to the trails, these thrill seekers are creating jumps and riding roughshod over native plants that are vital to the survival of species like the threatened California gnatcatcher.
It’s important to note that many, if not most, mountain bikers respect the natural habitat, stick to the trails and often help with trail maintenance. They deserve our respect and support.
Unfortunately, all it takes is a few people to wreak havoc on precious habitat that is part of this Peninsula’s heritage. That’s why the Land Conservancy wants to close all the biker-made trails that have built up in the Portuguese Bend Nature Preserve. Further, the Public Use Master Plan, or PUMP, Committee charged with determining which uses should be permitted on the preserve on Oct. 17 voted to recommend suspending bicycle riding temporarily in the most highly used part of the area, according to committee member John Wessel. A temporary closure would “allow clear marking of approved trails and healing of the scars in the habitat caused by the blazing of multiple new trails,” Wessel said in a letter to the News.
The News supports the committee’s recommendation to close trails to mountain bikers while officials mark the trails and repair the damage to habitat. There are clear signs of destruction. “Rock formations of ancient strata have been destroyed; wooden structures have been built into the canyon bottoms and into the rock strata above,” John Nieto, vice president of the Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society, told the PUMP Committee Oct. 3. “In many places, the native habitat has been compromised so severely that it will take years to repair.”
Clearly, the preserve needs time to recover. The News urges officials to take action as soon as possible to maintain this beautiful area.
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