WILDERNESS ACTION ALERT!JUNE 17
IMBA requires your support to prevent widespread trail closures across California if the Senator Barbara Boxers Wilderness bill passes Congress. The Senate introduced the California Wild Heritage Act of 5,085 cm without much or any consideration for the mountain biking community. After promising meetings, IMBA was certain that Boxers staff would collaborate with them to remove critical mountain bike trails from the 2.7million acres proposed in the bill. It is now painfully clear that IMBA’s pleas were not heard.
WILDERNESS DESIGNATION DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK
The Federal Act restricts recreational use of wilderness areas to very specific activities. This is not just environmental protection. Non-invasive outdoor users such as paragliders, mountain bikes, and hang gliders are prohibited as extreme mechanized sports. Hunting, whitewater rafting, and kayaking are allowed.
Private land owners who are surrounded by new designated wilderness face a problem because of the laws requiring minimal structures and non-motorized transportation. A simple act of building a barn or adding a fence or drilling a hole can lead to a flood of environmental officials who impose harsh fees and regulations that can’t be appealed outside the walls of Congress.
ENOUGH IS Enough!
In California, where there are 14 million acres of wilderness, mountain bikes are banned. We were also expelled from an area that is larger than the majority of Eastern states, by the Mojave Desert protection act. Anti-recreational groups now want more. Californians gave their blood to preserve and conserve a significant portion of its natural resources. Boxers wilderness bill is not popular among Californians because it targets at multi-use areas that pro-wilderness/anti-recreation groups want sealed from public access. Because it moves the decision from California to Washington DC, Senator Boxers congressional bill bill, it is a loophole for Californians. The California Wild Heritage Act sets dangerous precedents for mountain bikers from every state.
EVERYONE SHOULD HELP
Mountain bikers from all 50 states should oppose the California Heritage Act. Senators from East Coast states will have the swing votes to support Senator Boxer’s politically motivated land grab. Designating multiple areas as Wilderness is a permanent process that evicts most legitimate and non-destructive recreational users groups is utterly wrong. Each proposed Wilderness area should be evaluated individually and with input from landowners as well as recreational user groups. The Boxers bill steamrolled the mountain biking community as it did every other user-group she met with. This madness must stop.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
CLICK HERE T0 IMBA
CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE BARBARA BOXERS OFFICE
