DAMAGE IN BOOMERS and other cuts off Midden
I have been informed by Brendan Welsh from the Smiths Gully MTB Assoc that he was contacted by Parks Victoria wrt damage in Boomers reserve. Specifically someone has attempted to make a new piece of single track by spraying poison across grassed and planted areas. As Brendan and I are friends he asked if I would post this on RB to get the word out and keep eyes peeled.
The bad news is that chemicals have been introduced to a natural area and PV is not pleased.
The good news is they went to Brendan in an attempt to appeal to the word of mouth social community to manage this “in-house” per se, rather than coming in and shutting down all of Boomers without consultation.
Additionally there is the attempted addition a-top the Upper Midden for what can only be termed a squiggle of ST to nowhere, there is no reason this should be undertaken to this existing trail. Please stop. The Midden and Orchid are ripper tracks already and don’t require any off shoots to nowhere.
It is not believed that the two activities are related as one is using chemicals/pesticides to make a trail and the other has used tools such as fire rake.
The last thing anyone wants is a labyrinth of "nothing" or pesticides being introduced so please allow this to grow out.
Knowledge is power, but a little bit of knowledge in the wrong hands can have negative consequences.
My belief is the person/s who used pesticides took the easy way and just weren’t informed, that is, didn’t know better (perhaps should have) and the person/s who cut the squiggles with turns big enough for a 16in bmx only, have their heart in the right place but just need to temper their effort and perhaps focus more on how to properly build a trail, why you build, where you build and future sustainability. There is heaps of information out there and heaps of people with knowledge.
I should also say I personally do not believe it is a RBr but rather local kids doing stuff in their "backyard".
Brendan also mentioned that certain areas were being reviewed with the view to fix things such as the half logs used as steps behind the shop being removed and potentially having a line for riders and another for horses and walkers. Additionally they are looking at engaging the use of brush cutters provided by the council to clear areas in working bees etc, so follow the SG MTB Assoc on FB. I think there is a working bee this Sunday too with Brad from the council and Brendan and the Assoc so check that out. I am told the team plan to clear away the long grass as you exit Boomers into Yanggai before you go down the dip into Wimbi which then brings you out at the cross roads.
Hopefully there is a shortage of that lilydale topping and we won’t see too much more of that rubbish strewn onto trails for a cheap fix :yuck:
