ATV's Affect on the Environment
Apr 19, 2005 | 05:19 PM
#11
Pro Rider
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 409
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ATV's Affect on the Environment
I was just trying to say some positive things for Peppermint to write about for that college paper. I'm sure ATVs get alot of negative press when it comes to the enviroment.
Actually alot of the frogs and tadpoles survive. See them all the time.
I agree with all the above about errosion. Many things cause it. The enviromentalist really like to go after the ATVs. I just want to say a few positive things that ATVs do for wildlife.
Actually alot of the frogs and tadpoles survive. See them all the time.
I agree with all the above about errosion. Many things cause it. The enviromentalist really like to go after the ATVs. I just want to say a few positive things that ATVs do for wildlife.
Apr 19, 2005 | 05:31 PM
#12
Pro Rider
Joined: Jan 2005
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ATV's Affect on the Environment
Originally posted by: WolverineMan15666
I'm sure you are aware that ATVs get a bad rep. For causing errosion. Most enviromentalist use this to try to get areas closed to Atvs. They say that the errosion causes silt to flow into streams, etc. This is true. Errosion is also caused by cattle that are fenced in an area that has a stream running through it. By crossing the stream they cause dirt to fall into the water.
Enviromentalists also argue that ATVs cause noise pollution. They say that the noise disturbs animals. I don't feel the noise affects animals that much at all. I've rode by lots of deer, grouse turkeys, etc... that just stand and look at you as you pass them by on an ATV. If they see lots of atv traffic, they get used to it.
Another thing I've noticed is, deer and other wildlife love to walk on ATV trails. Especially in areas where vegetation is thick. Animals don't like to exert themselves anymore than they have to. I'm sure everyone has seen ATV trails that haven't been used in awhile. They start to grow in. They grow in with grasses,clover and other plants. This provides food for rabbits, deer, turkeys, etc... Have you ever seen rasberries and black berries growing along an ATV trail? The ATV trail provides easy access to these berries. Otherwise animals would have too break through all those thorns to get at the berries. I've seen piles of bear crap right on the ATV trail lots of times. This sure makes it easier for animals to get a meal. They like to walk on ATV trails in the winter too. It is alot easier for deer to walk on a trail in the snow, that an ATV broke, than it is to walk through the deep stuff theirselves. I'm an avid hunter. I spend alot of time in the woods during the fall. I can see that sometime animals benefit from the ATV use in the woods.
I hope some of this helps.
I'm sure you are aware that ATVs get a bad rep. For causing errosion. Most enviromentalist use this to try to get areas closed to Atvs. They say that the errosion causes silt to flow into streams, etc. This is true. Errosion is also caused by cattle that are fenced in an area that has a stream running through it. By crossing the stream they cause dirt to fall into the water.
Enviromentalists also argue that ATVs cause noise pollution. They say that the noise disturbs animals. I don't feel the noise affects animals that much at all. I've rode by lots of deer, grouse turkeys, etc... that just stand and look at you as you pass them by on an ATV. If they see lots of atv traffic, they get used to it.
Another thing I've noticed is, deer and other wildlife love to walk on ATV trails. Especially in areas where vegetation is thick. Animals don't like to exert themselves anymore than they have to. I'm sure everyone has seen ATV trails that haven't been used in awhile. They start to grow in. They grow in with grasses,clover and other plants. This provides food for rabbits, deer, turkeys, etc... Have you ever seen rasberries and black berries growing along an ATV trail? The ATV trail provides easy access to these berries. Otherwise animals would have too break through all those thorns to get at the berries. I've seen piles of bear crap right on the ATV trail lots of times. This sure makes it easier for animals to get a meal. They like to walk on ATV trails in the winter too. It is alot easier for deer to walk on a trail in the snow, that an ATV broke, than it is to walk through the deep stuff theirselves. I'm an avid hunter. I spend alot of time in the woods during the fall. I can see that sometime animals benefit from the ATV use in the woods.
I hope some of this helps.
Apr 20, 2005 | 01:37 AM
#13
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ATV's Affect on the Environment
Way back when we had managed to get access to a very large farm and were on the verge of getting access to a couple of other farms but a bad group of riders came in and ruined the whole thing by riding irresponsibly.
The main problem we had was with sport ATVs and dirt bikes. The dirt bikes did incredible amounts of damage on hills due to the nature of the single ground contact point and the riders CONSTANTLY roosting and spinning tires. Next in the line of damage were the Sport ATVs. "The Banshee Crowd" as we called them. They were also constantly spinning tires and tearing up hillsides and causing erosion problems. The aforementioned "Banshee Crowd" did multiple thousands of dollars of damage to a very vulnerable erodible hillside. As far as I know the damage has never been fully repaired.
Another thing that REALLY pissed off the landowner we had permission from and the ones around him we were attempting to get access from were the loud ATVs. "The Banshee Crowd" had very loud pipes and with the constant revving and roosting it angered all the neighbors who didn't want to listen to that every weekend. Noise from loud ATVs will close a riding area faster than anything else. When I get a new ATV 3 things are going to be on it before anything else. Different tires, a winch and a exhaust silencer of some sort. I had my foutrax silenced so it was really difficult to hear out in the woods. You really couldn't tell any difference in power and the thing was nearly silent. Almost like driving a electric golf cart.
To make a long story short after working to get access to a great riding, hunting, fishing, camping and hiking area and when we were on the verge of getting access to a couple of more very large tracts of land, we lost it all due to one group of riders who didn't ride responsibly, trespassed and wrecked it for the rest of us.
It isn't the ATV or the dirt bike. It is the way they are used. Just as a matter of policy I don't let anyone ride on my farm. A couple of friends and family members and that is it. No dirt bikes and generally no sport quads. I don't want my land torn up. I could ride my Honda fourtrax across my meadow even when it was wet and aside from the crushed grass you would never know I had ridden there. 4 mild tread tires with a wide footprint compared to 2 or 1 with a smaller contact patch and probably spinning to make matters worse. Do I have some mud holes to play in? You bet your *** I do. Some fantastic ones, but they are in carefully selected area to minimize their overall impact to my land. In fact, one area I'm trying to erode and it makes a great mud hole in the meantime. My riding trails are laid out very carefully to avoid sensitive areas and to put obstacles like mud holes in areas where they won't do damage. Making trails on hillsides is extremely critical as they can erode very badly unless done right.
The things I see that damage the most are
1. Irresponsible riding
2. The contact patch of the tire
3. The excessive spinning of tires especially on hillsides
4. The use of very aggressive mud tires on normal trails.
5. Loud exhausts which while they don't damage the land they do annoy those that live near the riding areas (including wildlife) and noise will probably be the number one factor that gets trails and land closed.
The main problem we had was with sport ATVs and dirt bikes. The dirt bikes did incredible amounts of damage on hills due to the nature of the single ground contact point and the riders CONSTANTLY roosting and spinning tires. Next in the line of damage were the Sport ATVs. "The Banshee Crowd" as we called them. They were also constantly spinning tires and tearing up hillsides and causing erosion problems. The aforementioned "Banshee Crowd" did multiple thousands of dollars of damage to a very vulnerable erodible hillside. As far as I know the damage has never been fully repaired.
Another thing that REALLY pissed off the landowner we had permission from and the ones around him we were attempting to get access from were the loud ATVs. "The Banshee Crowd" had very loud pipes and with the constant revving and roosting it angered all the neighbors who didn't want to listen to that every weekend. Noise from loud ATVs will close a riding area faster than anything else. When I get a new ATV 3 things are going to be on it before anything else. Different tires, a winch and a exhaust silencer of some sort. I had my foutrax silenced so it was really difficult to hear out in the woods. You really couldn't tell any difference in power and the thing was nearly silent. Almost like driving a electric golf cart.
To make a long story short after working to get access to a great riding, hunting, fishing, camping and hiking area and when we were on the verge of getting access to a couple of more very large tracts of land, we lost it all due to one group of riders who didn't ride responsibly, trespassed and wrecked it for the rest of us.
It isn't the ATV or the dirt bike. It is the way they are used. Just as a matter of policy I don't let anyone ride on my farm. A couple of friends and family members and that is it. No dirt bikes and generally no sport quads. I don't want my land torn up. I could ride my Honda fourtrax across my meadow even when it was wet and aside from the crushed grass you would never know I had ridden there. 4 mild tread tires with a wide footprint compared to 2 or 1 with a smaller contact patch and probably spinning to make matters worse. Do I have some mud holes to play in? You bet your *** I do. Some fantastic ones, but they are in carefully selected area to minimize their overall impact to my land. In fact, one area I'm trying to erode and it makes a great mud hole in the meantime. My riding trails are laid out very carefully to avoid sensitive areas and to put obstacles like mud holes in areas where they won't do damage. Making trails on hillsides is extremely critical as they can erode very badly unless done right.
The things I see that damage the most are
1. Irresponsible riding
2. The contact patch of the tire
3. The excessive spinning of tires especially on hillsides
4. The use of very aggressive mud tires on normal trails.
5. Loud exhausts which while they don't damage the land they do annoy those that live near the riding areas (including wildlife) and noise will probably be the number one factor that gets trails and land closed.
Apr 28, 2005 | 03:04 AM
#15
Range Rover
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 179
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From: Central IL
ATV's Affect on the Environment
Typically, the educational system wants your paper to detail the damage and destruction to the environment caused by any man or machine. That is the purpose of this kind of assignment. This way all students learn that man and machine destroys everything.
For your assignment, I would suggest trying to show both the bad and the good. Finding good is the challenge. I concur with most of the replys that poor judgement and speed cause a lot of damage to the environment. We have friends who allow three families to bring their kids to ride in their timber and pasture. We (the adults) developed several trails in the timber and in the pasture for riding ATVs. We ask that everyone stay on the marked trails and not spin tires to damage the trails. Four years of riding and there was only one small area that we had erosion problems on, so we moved the trail. Everyone enjoys seeing the wildlife and riding ATV's in various situations. But just like the other posters, one of the owner's sons invited 5 college buddies for a weekend last fall and in two days they rutted every trail by racing around our trails. They destroyed several small trees by driving over them, etc. It took several trips back to help repair the trails.
On the positive side, I think you should show that ATV's allow the public access to natural areas without destroying acres of land for roads and bridges. They can enter into areas and leave without permanently damaging the environment. I've showed my granddaughter more turkeys, deer, raccoons, owls, frogs, snakes, woodpeckers, wild flowers, hornet nests, etc. that she would never have seen had it not been for riding ATV's in the woods. Also, riding an ATV has given our granddaughter the confidence that she can handle a machine and learn the judgement skills in driving long before she has to get in a car and join you on the road. That confidence she learns is priceless.
For your assignment, I would suggest trying to show both the bad and the good. Finding good is the challenge. I concur with most of the replys that poor judgement and speed cause a lot of damage to the environment. We have friends who allow three families to bring their kids to ride in their timber and pasture. We (the adults) developed several trails in the timber and in the pasture for riding ATVs. We ask that everyone stay on the marked trails and not spin tires to damage the trails. Four years of riding and there was only one small area that we had erosion problems on, so we moved the trail. Everyone enjoys seeing the wildlife and riding ATV's in various situations. But just like the other posters, one of the owner's sons invited 5 college buddies for a weekend last fall and in two days they rutted every trail by racing around our trails. They destroyed several small trees by driving over them, etc. It took several trips back to help repair the trails.
On the positive side, I think you should show that ATV's allow the public access to natural areas without destroying acres of land for roads and bridges. They can enter into areas and leave without permanently damaging the environment. I've showed my granddaughter more turkeys, deer, raccoons, owls, frogs, snakes, woodpeckers, wild flowers, hornet nests, etc. that she would never have seen had it not been for riding ATV's in the woods. Also, riding an ATV has given our granddaughter the confidence that she can handle a machine and learn the judgement skills in driving long before she has to get in a car and join you on the road. That confidence she learns is priceless.
Apr 28, 2005 | 10:48 AM
#16
Pro Rider
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 385
Likes: 0
ATV's Affect on the Environment
We ride constantly,and I agree about how they have little effect on wildlife.I've drove up to deer,rabbits,moose,etc.Several times while stopping to stretch the legs,we've had grouse come onto the trail and walk toward us.Must have been the humming of the motor.
I've also read how they are less destructive to the enviroment than previously thought because of the surface area that the wheels cover,meaning less pounds per square inch.
Look at the destruction a logging crew does.I could lose a bike in some of their ruts.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img]
I've also read how they are less destructive to the enviroment than previously thought because of the surface area that the wheels cover,meaning less pounds per square inch.
Look at the destruction a logging crew does.I could lose a bike in some of their ruts.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img]
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