Legalizing All Single Track for Bicycles in Marin
- van: Ryan Quinn
Currently in Marin County, there are hardly any legal single track trails besides those in China Camp and Tamrancho, all which don't provide the same experience as single track trails on MT. Tam and in other areas such as IVC. Mountain Biking was developed in Marin, and many trails that currently don't allow bicycles were originally created by bicycles. It is unfair that cyclists do not enjoy the same rights and access to trails as hikers and equestrians. By signing this petition, you are advising the Marin Open Space District to legalize all single track to bikes, and create fun and challenging runs for cyclists.
In Marin County, the birth-place of mountain biking, trails are becoming more and more scarce due to actions of the Marin County and Water District. There are currently no single track trails open to cyclists in Marin besides that of China Camp and Tamrancho. Cyclists should enjoy the same rights as equestrians and hikers to acces trails. There are many arguements against letting cyclists on trails which are are all argueable at best.
Erosion-
Many people say that cyclists cause the erosion of trails. This is not true. There have been many scientific studies on how horses and hikers effect the environment, all which come to the conclusion that bicycles contribute less to environmental problemsthan that of horses.
A 2001 study performed by botanist Richard Reader of the University of Guelph (Canada) noted that "We've found that hikers have the same effect as bikers do, regardless of the number of trips along the path. In reality, both are equally damaging to the environment, but there is increased trail wear because twice the number of people are now using the trails." (Impacts of Experimentally Applied Mountain Biking and Hiking on Vegetation and Soil of a Deciduous Forest - Eden Thurston and Richard Reader).
A trail impact study from the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute comparing hiking impacts to horses and llamas noted: "Horse traffic resulted in statistically significant higher sediment yields (the primary indicator of trail deterioration) than either hiker or llama traffic. The low level (250 passes) horse treatment caused more impact than the high level (1000 passes) llama treatments, suggesting that horses can cause at least four times as much impact to trails under the conditions simulated in this experiment. In addition, under dry trail conditions horse traffic caused significant reductions in soil bulk density (a measure of how compacted the soil is) compared to llama and hiker traffic. Horse traffic also caused significant increases in soil roughness compared with the other 2 users. This suggests that the greater impacts of horses on trails is a result of soil loosening of trail surfaces that are otherwise compacted, thereby increasing the detachability of soil particles and increasing sediment yield and erosion." (Llamas, Horses, and Hikers: Do They Cause Different Amounts of Impact? - Thomas Deluca (University of Montana) and David Cole (USFS - Wilderness Research Institute) 1998 study)
Don Weir also addresses the differences in compaction of soils by some users and displacement of soils by others in his book A Guide to the Impacts of Non-Motorized Trail Use (Don Weir and Associates- Edmonton Alberta Canada). Weir noted: "Repeated passes by bicycles (and most other users) tend to compact the soils of a trail tread. Vertical compaction tends to push particles closer together, thereby increasing shear strength. An increase in shear strength of the soil will have greater ability to resist erosive forces."
Weir also notes that: "Research to date has indicated that the degree of impacts from mountain bikes, relative to those of walkers who have their own unique forms of impacts, appear to be similar."
There are also concerns that bikers could crash into hikers. This can be avoided by making biker only trails, or having specific times and days when bikers could use the trail. Regardless, most cyclists stop and let horses and hikers pass, without any harm done.
By signing this petition you are recognizing the need to legalize all trails in Marin to bikers.
petitie tekenenpetitie tekenenErosion-
Many people say that cyclists cause the erosion of trails. This is not true. There have been many scientific studies on how horses and hikers effect the environment, all which come to the conclusion that bicycles contribute less to environmental problemsthan that of horses.
A 2001 study performed by botanist Richard Reader of the University of Guelph (Canada) noted that "We've found that hikers have the same effect as bikers do, regardless of the number of trips along the path. In reality, both are equally damaging to the environment, but there is increased trail wear because twice the number of people are now using the trails." (Impacts of Experimentally Applied Mountain Biking and Hiking on Vegetation and Soil of a Deciduous Forest - Eden Thurston and Richard Reader).
A trail impact study from the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute comparing hiking impacts to horses and llamas noted: "Horse traffic resulted in statistically significant higher sediment yields (the primary indicator of trail deterioration) than either hiker or llama traffic. The low level (250 passes) horse treatment caused more impact than the high level (1000 passes) llama treatments, suggesting that horses can cause at least four times as much impact to trails under the conditions simulated in this experiment. In addition, under dry trail conditions horse traffic caused significant reductions in soil bulk density (a measure of how compacted the soil is) compared to llama and hiker traffic. Horse traffic also caused significant increases in soil roughness compared with the other 2 users. This suggests that the greater impacts of horses on trails is a result of soil loosening of trail surfaces that are otherwise compacted, thereby increasing the detachability of soil particles and increasing sediment yield and erosion." (Llamas, Horses, and Hikers: Do They Cause Different Amounts of Impact? - Thomas Deluca (University of Montana) and David Cole (USFS - Wilderness Research Institute) 1998 study)
Don Weir also addresses the differences in compaction of soils by some users and displacement of soils by others in his book A Guide to the Impacts of Non-Motorized Trail Use (Don Weir and Associates- Edmonton Alberta Canada). Weir noted: "Repeated passes by bicycles (and most other users) tend to compact the soils of a trail tread. Vertical compaction tends to push particles closer together, thereby increasing shear strength. An increase in shear strength of the soil will have greater ability to resist erosive forces."
Weir also notes that: "Research to date has indicated that the degree of impacts from mountain bikes, relative to those of walkers who have their own unique forms of impacts, appear to be similar."
There are also concerns that bikers could crash into hikers. This can be avoided by making biker only trails, or having specific times and days when bikers could use the trail. Regardless, most cyclists stop and let horses and hikers pass, without any harm done.
By signing this petition you are recognizing the need to legalize all trails in Marin to bikers.
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