Originally Posted by no tengo coche
Thanks for the insights. Let me put out a hypothetical question: would the damage really be -that- bad, even if mtbers did destructive riding, such as skidding, trail blazing, and riding thru overly muddy conditions?
Seems like the trail's quality would deteriorate, less people would ride it, and then over time, with less riding, it would recover, developing into a somewhat different trail, and more people would begin riding it again.
I'm not an ecology/environmental expert but I imagine there are some things which nature can heal herself but there are others that she cannot. I for one am not willing to find out so I think the safe and prudent course would be to act as responsibly as we can.
Originally Posted by no tengo coche
Maybe my notion of mtbing is off...what exactly is mountain biking? Cuz I always thought part of the sport was inheritly destructive. Just seems like the process of riding thru Nature and enjoying the scenery is going to do some damage to the Environment, just as it soothes and provides happiness to the soul.
There are many things we do which are inherently destructive to nature. Some of it can be controlled. Others can't. As the dominant race on this planet we do far greater damage to our natural surroundings just by existing. Does that mean we should all go commit mass-suicide? Riding (even responsibly) through natural surroundings can and will cause some amount of destruction but this is on par with walking/hiking. If that land is too sensitive to support outdoor sports then it will be cordoned off. If however there is a way for us humans to enjoy those natural surroundings without bringing about major destruction then I personally see no reason not to allow such activities. Acting responsibly means taking measures to keep the level of impact low enough such that nature can support our being there. Things like responsible riding and trail maintenance/cleanup help preserve the environment and repair any damage that we may have done.