Interested members of the public are invited to complete an online survey about off-road vehicle use in the Thompson Rivers Natural Resource District until Sept. 7, 2014. Survey results will be used to inform the Thompson Rivers District Recreation Strategy to help protect ecologically sensitive Crown land areas while maintaining sustainable off-road vehicle use.
As motorized recreation in the Thompson Rivers District has continued to grow, so has the need to mitigate its impact on the environment and protect ecologically sensitive areas. An off-road trail system should be manageable as well as sustainable.
The strategy will be developed over the fall and winter. Strategy development is led by Thompson Rivers Natural Resource District staff in partnership with BC Parks staff and representatives from the Skeetchestn Indian Band, and has two guiding principles: Allowing public access while protecting resource values; Managed trails will be designed, developed or maintained to be sustainable.
Questions on the survey include: Are ORV riding opportunities in the Thompson Rivers District adequate? What concerns do you have about ORV use in the District, such as impacts on wildlife, damage to grasslands, wetlands or alpine, erosion due to hill climbs, negative impact on water quality, harassment to livestock, unregulated camping, noise, or dust? Where would you like trails developed, what type of terrain, and what kind of services would you like to see, such as parking, unloading ramps, etc.?
Off-road vehicles are used in B.C. for work, leisure and commuting purposes, and include snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles (aka “Quads”), off-road motorcycles (i.e., dirt bikes) and utility terrain vehicles (e.g., “Argos”, “Rhinos” and “Razors”).
The Thompson Rivers District (formerly known as the Clearwater and Kamloops forest districts) extends from Ashcroft and Logan Lake in the south to Wells Gray Park and Blue River in the north, and includes the communities of Ashcroft, Barriere, Blue River, Cache Creek, Chase, Little Fort, Logan Lake, Savona and Vavenby.
The survey is available online at: http://svy.mk/1tSJz9l
Learn more at: http://www.sitesandtrailsbc.ca or: Off-Road Vehicle Framework: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/mof/orv/