Support low-impact recreation trails in the Saratoga Sandplains Wildlife Management Area

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation is developing a management plan for the Saratoga Sandplains Wildlife Management Area (SSWMA), located in and around the Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park (WWPP). The goal of the management plan is to protect the SSWMA's unique habitat and wildlife, including the endangered Karner blue butterfly and Blanding's turtle, while also providing opportunities for compatible non-motorized recreation. Public input is an important part of the process of developing the management plan.

Several parcels within the SSWMA, either currently owned by DEC or soon to be purchased by DEC from the Nature Conservancy, lack formal trails.  These parcels are located in the vicinity of Preserve Way (east of Ruggles Road and south of King Road) and are indicated on WWPP's Map of Protected Lands as State of NY or Nature Conservancy lands.  Years of use by recreationists such as hikers, mountain bikers, trail runners and cross-country skiers has resulted in several low-impact footpaths or "social trails" traversing the parcels.  Unfortunately, these parcels also have a long history of use by illegal and destructive ATVs that have created their own network of rutted and damaged trails.  Here's a look at some of the illegal ATV activity (Illegal ATV 1, Illegal ATV 2, Illegal ATV 3) and the damage they cause (ATV damaged trail).

DEC has indicated that they intend to designate one of the badly damaged and eroded ATV trails as the official trail through these parcels.  Here's a look at the route they intend to use: DEC's recommended trail.  We think this is a terrible idea for butterflies, turtles and recreationists.  The ATV trails should be abandoned and restored to a natural condition, and the low impact footpaths that have been used for years by hikers and mountain bikers should instead be adopted by DEC.  Here's a typical section of the low-impact recreational trails we recommend the state adopt instead:  Low-impact recreational trail.  We ask that the DEC take the following into consideration:

• Further use of the parcel's ATV trails only encourages more destructive trespass by ATVs.  By contrast, the existing low-impact trails are narrow paths that by their very nature discourage use by ATVs.
• The ATV trails cross directly through restored Karner blue butterfly habitat.  The existing low-impact trails avoid the restored areas.
• Years of use have eroded the ATV trails into wide, sandy corridors.  In many places erosion by ATVs has created exposed sandbanks that are 18 or more inches deep.  These exposed sandbanks are exactly the areas favored by the Blanding's turtles for laying their eggs.  By contrast, the low-impact trails used by hikers and mountain bikers have a narrow, firm tread that is unsuitable for egg-laying by the Blanding's turtles.
• The sandy, eroded ATV trails are simply unpleasant and unsuitable for any form of human powered recreation.  About all they're good for is more illegal ATV use.  However the low-impact footpaths are both pleasant and well-suited for hikers, mountain bikers, trail runners and cross-country skiers.  The existing low-impact footpaths also provide important links to established trails on adjoining parcels owned by Saratoga County (the Kalabus-Perry county forest) and Saratoga PLAN (the Colebrook Preserve), increasing the recreational opportunities available.
• Mountain bikes should continue to be allowed on trails within the SSWMA, along with other forms of human-powered recreation.  Many studies exist which demonstrate that mountain bikes have no more adverse impact than hikers. This report summarizes many of those studies: Natural Resource Impacts of Mountain Biking.

Specifically, the low-impact recreational trails that we recommended DEC adopt are the trails marked as the "White loop" north of Preserve Way, the "Green Trail," and the "Yellow Trail" on the map that was formerly published by the now disbanded Friends of the Kalabus Perry Trails facebook group.

Unfortunately, DEC has already marked the first portion of their official trail using the ATV route.  They've also brushed in and felled trees across some portions of the low-impact footpaths.  This has been undertaken by the DEC without input from the public and without completion of the SSWMA management plan.

Please sign the petition below to send a message to DEC that the existing low-impact trails should be adopted and the badly eroded, illegal ATV trails should be abandoned.

Please also consider sending an email directly to the DEC at: Melissa.neely@dec.ny.gov with copies to:

Kathy O'Brien, DEC (Kathy.Obrien@dec.ny.gov)

NYS Forest Rangers Joseph Hess (Joseph.Hess@dec.ny.gov) and Anthony Goetke (Anthony.Goetke@dec.ny.gov)

and Margo Olson, Executive Director of WWPP (mbolson@wiltonpreserve.org).