|
Members
of the Island Rock Crawlers 4WD Society of Victoria live to literally
put themselves “between a rock and a hard place” on off-highway
trails. But figuratively, they’d rather be anywhere else than where
they are now, says member and past club secretary Andrea deLange.
The 67-member club has found itself unwittingly pitted against The
Land Conservancy of B.C. (TLC) in a battle over 3,400 acres of privately
owned land in the Sooke hills. The TLC has an option to purchase
the land as part of its sea-to-sea greenbelt and turn management
of the property over to the Capital Regional District, which has
a policy against motorized vehicles in its parks.
Greenbelt
proponents say vehicles like these
are chewing up a rare ecosystem
“The Land Conservancy
does really great work, but if they purchase this land, we will
lose access to it which will affect thousands of people,” deLange
says. While the club members want to see the land protected from
development, they also want to be able to continue using the trails
for their sport.
But Alison Spriggs, communications director for the TLC, says 4X4ing
is just not compatible with the protection of a wilderness area.
“This area is too fragile to be reduced to a playground for off-road
vehicles. It’s just not the right place.”
She says TLC is willing to help with negotiations to ensure off-road
drivers can find a less fragile place to use. The Harbourview lands
are part of arain-shadow forest with mossy hilltops containing some
of the province’s rarest plant species, including satin flowers
and broad-leafed shooting stars. As well, there are two salmon streams
in the area, along with elk, wolves and black bears.
|
deLange
says part of the problem is that the sport is misunderstood by many
people. While it’s commonly referred to as “off-road”, the term
that should be used is “off-highway”, she says. “We don’t actually
go off the roads, we stay on the trails. This trail is a slow trail
so you can’t even go fast which keeps the noise down too,” deLange
says, adding that use of the area by 4X4ers doesn’t prohibit hikers,
equestrians, fishers, and hunters from also enjoying the land.
Spriggs, however, says that while she understands that the club
advocates that its members stay on trails, not everyone who uses
they area abides by this practice. “We are seeing areas that up
to four years ago were absolutely pristine mossy tops now reduced
to bare scoured rock and mud, and it’s a tragedy.” She notes that
part of Harbourview Road runs along Ayum Creek, which conservation
groups fought hard to protect and finally secured with $270,000
in federal funding. Spriggs says that fluids from the vehicles still
threaten the creek, while use of the road contributes to erosion
of its banks.
The Land Conservancy still has some ways to go in raising enough
money to purchase the Sooke Hill property by the February 9, 2001
deadline. While only about $200,000 has been raised so far, there
is hope that the CRD will kick in up to $3 million through its parks
acquisition fund, since the area was identified in the CRD Parks
master plan as a priority. Spriggs says the federal government has
also expressed interest. “If we don’t raise enough, then the whole
area will be certainly developed with housing and it will be lost
to everyone,” Spriggs says.
Meanwhile, the Island Rock Climbers(sic) club plans to continue
lobbying for access. A rally is planned for November 25 at 2 p.m.
at the Legislature. While those at the rally will no doubt have
the Harbourside(sic) lands in mind, the club also hopes to raise
the larger issue of public access to public land. deLange says spaces
for four-wheel enthusiasts are fast disappearing on the Island as
logging companies harvesting Crown land close off access to their
roads for fear of legal liability. If Harbourview is also closed
off through the DRC’s policy of banning motorized vehicles from
its parks, deLange says club members will be forced to go as far
as Jordan River Port Renfrew or the Cowichan Valley to practice
their sport. “There’s just no space left’” she says.
-T.K.
Dennings
|
Island Rock Crawlers Home Page
