mxraptor149
06-25-2007, 01:27 PM
I found this story on a Portland, Maine newspaper page:
SHAPLEIGH — While the number of all-terrain vehicle riders
statewide continues to grow, the amount of available space for
riding in southern Maine continues to shrink with development.
Not surprisingly, the number of ATV-landowner conflicts in
southern Maine is higher than in any other part of the state, and
such conflict is clear in high-tension areas such as Abbott
Mountain in Shapleigh, an area of ongoing dispute between
some riders and landowners.
The mountain itself, which the state owns, was closed to
motorized traffic a few years ago, following years of erosion
caused by trucks, jeeps and ATVs. However, a legal trail circles
the mountain, which some landowners believe is private and
would like to see closed to all motorized vehicles.
The dispute bubbled over at the beginning of the month when
Lacey Sloan, a friend of the landowners who joined their fight to
close the area to ATVs, allegedly was assaulted by an ATV rider
she was trying to stop from trespassing on private property on
National Trails Day. The York County sheriff's office issued a
summons. Sloan said she is talking with an attorney about filing
a lawsuit.
"It's just been escalating," Sloan said. "It's not compatible to have
hikers, horseback riders and ATVs on these trails together."
State officials and ATV Maine, the umbrella group representing
ATV clubs, both have been working to manage the enormous
growth in ATV use statewide and calm tensions to prevent
situations like the one at Abbott Mountain from developing.
In 1984, ATV registrations totaled 19,993. This year, the state
handled close to 65,000 registrations. In 2003, Gov. John
Baldacci formed a task force to study ATV issues.
Southern Maine, in particular, has struggled with growing ATV
use because it is a more densely populated area with more
registered ATV owners and offers less space for riding than the
north does, said David Barter, public relations officer for ATV
Maine.
It is up to the ATV clubs, Barter said, to develop positive
relationships with landowners and it is hoped that nonclub ATV
riders will opt to ride on legal trails being developed by the
clubs, in conjunction with the Department of Conservation's ATV
program.
ATV Maine recently gained a victory, reaching an agreement with
Central Maine Power Co. to be able to ride the company's rights
of way when permission is granted. CMP had cut off ATV use a
couple of years ago.
"We want to open up these areas to keep (ATV riders) away from
areas where they shouldn't be," Barter said.
With 700 to 800 miles of legal ATV trails in Aroostook County
and less than 100 miles in York County, space and density
issues are clearly a larger problem in southern Maine, said Brian
Bronson, ATV coordinator for the state.
There are also differences in cultural views on ATVs, Barter said.
In the northern parts of the state, ATVs have become a "way of
life," Barter said. In towns such as Houlton, Caribou or Fort Kent,
ATVs are a mode of transportation. Area chambers promote the
sport as a regional draw.
"It's not uncommon to watch them ride down the road (up
north)," Barter said, "but the population isn't there, which makes
it safer to do that. I would not want to see the town of
Kennebunk allowing ATVs to ride down the roads."
The 2003 task force brought about several changes to mitigate
conflict, including a requirement to have landowner permission
to use an ATV on private land and grant programs to help clubs
build trails and help law enforcement agencies monitor illegal
ATV activity.
"This sport has grown significantly and continues to grow
significantly," Bronson said. "As you have more demand, you
have issues with potential conflicts."
Just last Thursday, the Legislature signed off on a new
landowner relations position. The person who fills it will act as
the ambassador to landowners who have any kind of public
access concerns and will work with all natural resources
agencies in the state. The new position will come into existence
July 1 and will be funded for two years.
The job of a game warden, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Commissioner Dan Martin said, has changed dramatically, with
about 65,000 ATVs registered this year and close to 100,000
snowmobiles.
"These obviously create issues that a game warden has to deal
with," Martin said. "(The new position) is long overdue."
Even with these moves, however, Bronson said, there will always
be some problems, caused either by irresponsible ATV users or
individual disputes. The Abbott Mountain situation, he said,
involves public-private disagreements that will need to be
worked out.
Julie Conley, who lives along Pitts Road near Abbott Mountain,
has fought for years to have the land preserved for wildlife
education and historic preservation. The mountain has several
primitive campsites. The Friends of Abbott Mountain group
wants to continue to bring children to the mountain to learn
about the wildlife and the area's history.
"There's so much out here for the kids to learn," she said. "This
land is sacred up here, and it's about time for people to start
realizing it."
A portion of the road outside Conley's home, Pitts Road, is flush
with "No ATV" and "No trespassing" signs.
Some landowners believe other roads along the trail loop are
also private, including Owl's Nest Road and Abbott Mountain
Road. Warden John Lonergan, who is responsible for Shapleigh,
has issued 30 tickets in the last eight weeks to ATV riders for
offenses including trespassing and operating an unregistered
vehicle in the five-town area he covers in northwest York
County. Lonergan said most of those tickets stem from incidents
in other parts of his district, in Sanford or at the F.R. Caroll sand
pits, rather than at Abbott Mountain. The Abbott Mountain issue
is just more highly charged, he said.
"There's a big battle up there between people who want to use it
as ATV trails and those who don't want to see ATVs there at all,"
he said. "You have two extreme positions and they're fighting
with each other. It's just kind of a mess there."
SHAPLEIGH — While the number of all-terrain vehicle riders
statewide continues to grow, the amount of available space for
riding in southern Maine continues to shrink with development.
Not surprisingly, the number of ATV-landowner conflicts in
southern Maine is higher than in any other part of the state, and
such conflict is clear in high-tension areas such as Abbott
Mountain in Shapleigh, an area of ongoing dispute between
some riders and landowners.
The mountain itself, which the state owns, was closed to
motorized traffic a few years ago, following years of erosion
caused by trucks, jeeps and ATVs. However, a legal trail circles
the mountain, which some landowners believe is private and
would like to see closed to all motorized vehicles.
The dispute bubbled over at the beginning of the month when
Lacey Sloan, a friend of the landowners who joined their fight to
close the area to ATVs, allegedly was assaulted by an ATV rider
she was trying to stop from trespassing on private property on
National Trails Day. The York County sheriff's office issued a
summons. Sloan said she is talking with an attorney about filing
a lawsuit.
"It's just been escalating," Sloan said. "It's not compatible to have
hikers, horseback riders and ATVs on these trails together."
State officials and ATV Maine, the umbrella group representing
ATV clubs, both have been working to manage the enormous
growth in ATV use statewide and calm tensions to prevent
situations like the one at Abbott Mountain from developing.
In 1984, ATV registrations totaled 19,993. This year, the state
handled close to 65,000 registrations. In 2003, Gov. John
Baldacci formed a task force to study ATV issues.
Southern Maine, in particular, has struggled with growing ATV
use because it is a more densely populated area with more
registered ATV owners and offers less space for riding than the
north does, said David Barter, public relations officer for ATV
Maine.
It is up to the ATV clubs, Barter said, to develop positive
relationships with landowners and it is hoped that nonclub ATV
riders will opt to ride on legal trails being developed by the
clubs, in conjunction with the Department of Conservation's ATV
program.
ATV Maine recently gained a victory, reaching an agreement with
Central Maine Power Co. to be able to ride the company's rights
of way when permission is granted. CMP had cut off ATV use a
couple of years ago.
"We want to open up these areas to keep (ATV riders) away from
areas where they shouldn't be," Barter said.
With 700 to 800 miles of legal ATV trails in Aroostook County
and less than 100 miles in York County, space and density
issues are clearly a larger problem in southern Maine, said Brian
Bronson, ATV coordinator for the state.
There are also differences in cultural views on ATVs, Barter said.
In the northern parts of the state, ATVs have become a "way of
life," Barter said. In towns such as Houlton, Caribou or Fort Kent,
ATVs are a mode of transportation. Area chambers promote the
sport as a regional draw.
"It's not uncommon to watch them ride down the road (up
north)," Barter said, "but the population isn't there, which makes
it safer to do that. I would not want to see the town of
Kennebunk allowing ATVs to ride down the roads."
The 2003 task force brought about several changes to mitigate
conflict, including a requirement to have landowner permission
to use an ATV on private land and grant programs to help clubs
build trails and help law enforcement agencies monitor illegal
ATV activity.
"This sport has grown significantly and continues to grow
significantly," Bronson said. "As you have more demand, you
have issues with potential conflicts."
Just last Thursday, the Legislature signed off on a new
landowner relations position. The person who fills it will act as
the ambassador to landowners who have any kind of public
access concerns and will work with all natural resources
agencies in the state. The new position will come into existence
July 1 and will be funded for two years.
The job of a game warden, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Commissioner Dan Martin said, has changed dramatically, with
about 65,000 ATVs registered this year and close to 100,000
snowmobiles.
"These obviously create issues that a game warden has to deal
with," Martin said. "(The new position) is long overdue."
Even with these moves, however, Bronson said, there will always
be some problems, caused either by irresponsible ATV users or
individual disputes. The Abbott Mountain situation, he said,
involves public-private disagreements that will need to be
worked out.
Julie Conley, who lives along Pitts Road near Abbott Mountain,
has fought for years to have the land preserved for wildlife
education and historic preservation. The mountain has several
primitive campsites. The Friends of Abbott Mountain group
wants to continue to bring children to the mountain to learn
about the wildlife and the area's history.
"There's so much out here for the kids to learn," she said. "This
land is sacred up here, and it's about time for people to start
realizing it."
A portion of the road outside Conley's home, Pitts Road, is flush
with "No ATV" and "No trespassing" signs.
Some landowners believe other roads along the trail loop are
also private, including Owl's Nest Road and Abbott Mountain
Road. Warden John Lonergan, who is responsible for Shapleigh,
has issued 30 tickets in the last eight weeks to ATV riders for
offenses including trespassing and operating an unregistered
vehicle in the five-town area he covers in northwest York
County. Lonergan said most of those tickets stem from incidents
in other parts of his district, in Sanford or at the F.R. Caroll sand
pits, rather than at Abbott Mountain. The Abbott Mountain issue
is just more highly charged, he said.
"There's a big battle up there between people who want to use it
as ATV trails and those who don't want to see ATVs there at all,"
he said. "You have two extreme positions and they're fighting
with each other. It's just kind of a mess there."