Dear Editor:

Last weekend, my father, my son and I enjoyed a great motorcycle ride in the hills above Osoyoos.

We remain unclear if we are breaking the law or if we’re going to lose this wonderful privilege. We also wonder if things are alright the way they are that compels me to write on the subject.

There are some points that need to be added to the discussion. After nearly 20 years of observing the local area and its natural habitat, why has there never been a study that would conclusively show if there has been some, if any damage, by ATVs to the local wildlife?

The opposition to outdoor enthusiasts keep preaching about damage to the environment, but over the past 20 years someone could surely have gathered some valid information that would have been measured and compared with future years and then studied to form a legitimate argument against use of the local trails.

Any resident that has been here more than 20 years would have observed the local airport that was completely torn up to make the area flat and usable as a landing strip.

Today, some 20 plus years later, it shows that even the most disturbed soil naturally regrows all the local vegetation.

There are bigger problems in the hills, such as local residents dumping truckloads of garbage to avoid the high tipping fees at the local landfill.

But that’s a whole different story.

The local hills have recovered from a huge mining industry at the turn of the century. One only has to look to the west and see clear evidence of the old Dividend Mine operation.

A logging industry that came to this community in the 1950s changed the landscape again.

The hills we enjoy and share space with today have had a tremendous amount of human-influenced changes that has helped create the local ecosystem.

I agree that it’s not the same as it was before man set foot here.

It’s impossible for travellers to simply hover over to Keremeos and not use a man-made road, so why is it so tragic to simply keep using the area as we have since industry left our community?

It seems hard to believe that a few recreational ATV users would be significant threat to the area.

Riding ATV vehicles is a family sport and part of our local culture and we are trying to get some clarity about the supposed opposition.

When the argument rolls in that we should walk instead of ride, to enjoy the great outdoors, some key points may be missing.

Some of the people we ride with do not have use of their legs and only have their outdoor vehicles as an option to enjoy the outdoors.

Recreational users typically ride for three months in the spring and three months in the fall.

What happens in 20 years if hunters are not allowed to control the deer population?

Will the government have to come in and euthanize a bunch of deer and play God to keep the entire ecosystem in check?

In five years, if there is no cattle eating the grass, will we have horrific fires that wipe out the ecosystem? This is a community issue that needs all points brought forward and thought through in full before people think for or against.

The ability to enjoy outdoor recreation brings tourists to our tourist town.

Will we lose even more young families as some of them will move to a different rural community to be able to do rural activities.

The same questions will come soon about boat use on the lake if people don’t stand up and say, “Hey wait a minute, I like Osoyoos for what it is today and not what committees choose to turn it into tomorrow.”

Right now I am part of the camp that believes that if nothing is in fact broken – and there is no evidence proving that a few trails that have been here for 100 years are causing harm – then leave things alone.

J. F. Launier

Osoyoos, B.C.