The MDJ article on new mountain bike trails left the impression that the use of mountain bikes in the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area was a positive thing while in fact they are a disease of the forest.
The mechanical effects of mountain bikes on a park include trampling, destruction and mortality of ground-level vegetation on undeveloped off-trail land, and erosion and disruption of animal ecosystems, leading to added stress and consequent affects on wildlife.
Bikers tear up the floor of the forest because mountain bikes are more studded than regular bikes. They turn the ground into a muddy mess. Like a virus, the mountain bikers do not realize the damage they do to the forest as an organism, they are just out trying to have some fun and they go too fast to notice what they are doing. But the sellers and renters of mountain bikes who profit from it are aware of the damage and are just abusing the public resources by lobbing for more of the activity.
It would be better to just set up some mud hills on pasture land where the damage could be minimized. God made nature and feet but He didn’t invent the bicycle.
Johnny Plunkett
Smyrna
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Are the trails that bikers do already walking trails/existing?
I have to agree with the writer...fun is all well and good but destruction in the process is unacceptable. As much as I despise the continuous cutting and not replanting of our forests, it can't be equated with something that people are doing for fun. In my neck of the woods, the sport is 4-wheeling to tear up nature---hypocrites any who profess to love nature and have such a 'hobby.' What a spoiled generation we have become, caring about no one but ourselves...and the u.s. shows it!
get out in the woods some more buddy...and im not talkin anywhere around atlanta
after that go see a south GA farmer and talk to him about wild hogs
what color is your prius?
Bikers enjoy nature & are active environmentalists!
Where were you when Smyrna city allowed Glock to clear cut the beautiful , pristine 13 acres destroying any and all wildlife in its way?
And how 'bout the 5 or more 80 year old oaks Smyrna killed at Brawner, to pour cement for the treeless, overly lighted sidewalks?
Do you know the bright lights all of Smyrna parks roads and city buildings that are on all night, affect & harm the eco system?
Have you encouraged Smyrna to use NIGHT lighting?
And , you are aware, there is no effort in Smyrna to keep waste out of the landfills?
Smyrna doesn't even have curbside, single stream recycling!
Smyrna also has ZERO bike lanes, to encourage biking as a transportation alternative.
So. do you really have concern for the environment, or do you just not like bikers?
Vegetation in that strip is killed, but mountain bikers don't get on a piece of land and ride over all the natural vegetation. They stay on the designed path.
An abandoned mountain bike path would take only a few years to recover to its original condition.
Responsibly built mountain bike trails are an asset to any community.