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A Few ATV-Riding Bad Apples are Too Many

November 12, 2007 - Every fall for decades, as part of a regime to cut algae growth, the water in Sebasticook Lake has been drawn down and the muddy edge of the lake bed exposed. And every year for at least the last four, ATV riders have broken state law by taking joy rides in the muddy lake bottom, tearing it up and endangering the country's oldest Native American fish weir, which lies submerged in the Sebasticook Lake mudflats.

This year, though, they got nailed. Finally fed up with the scofflaws to whom he'd issued warnings in several previous years, state game warden Sgt. Kevin Adam posted "No ATV" signs around the mud flats. In their arrogance, the ATV riders ignored the signs and the rules and got what they deserved - tickets and, if convicted, we hope a hefty fine.

"We're not giving warnings anymore," said Adam. Local ATV club member ludi Brooks came to the defense of the riders. "I honestly don't believe these people were down there to ruin the lake," said Brooks. "I just think they were uninformed you can't do that."

The foregoing provide Exhibits A and B, dear readers, in why ATV riders can be such a problem in the state of Maine. We understand that ATV riders bring money into the state, they are part of a growing recreational group, and they love being outdoors. And that they've spent the last few years organizing themselves into clubs so that they can advocate for trails and educate other riders about proper ATV use. But the fact remains that these are vehicles designed for a kind of fun that can wreak havoc with the environment. They have huge, tractor-like tires that gouge the landscape. They can tear up streambeds, create erosion, make an ungodly racket and scare the wits out of wildlife. They're fun all right, but that fun comes at a cost. Especially when they're used where they shouldn't be used, which is too often.

We wish the state game warden had acted sooner. One year of warnings surely would have been more than generous. Three to four years leaves too much opportunity for damage and also erodes confidence in law enforcement. But Adam and his warden colleagues are at a significant disadvantage. Most of the funding for their jobs comes from fish and game licenses. Since the majority of their salaries is paid out of those licenses, the majority of their time is, by law, to be spent on fish and game issues. ATV policing is far down on the list. So lax enforcement of ATV laws is one end of the problem.

Apologists are the other end of the problem. ATV enthusiasts have so far discouraged more land from being posted to them by forming clubs that will teach the rules and self-police their members. So what is it about state law that Brooks doesn't think the riders understood? She claimed that riders from outside of the area are unaware of the problems created by disturbing the lake bed. But as Adam notes, and any ATV rider should know, state law prohibits riders from crossing over any lake, lake bed or bog. Period.

There's nothing special about Sebasticook Lake - ATV riders shouldn't be tearing up any lake bed. Yet what we hear, again and again, as the damage from uncontrolled ATV-use accumulates across the state, is that it's just a few bad apples who are doing it. But a few bad apples can cause a lot of damage. As one reader wrote in an online comment about the Sebasticook Lake incident, the lake "is home to one of the richer archaeology sites in the Kennebec/Penobscot watershed ... 10 minutes of 'I didn't know' could cost us a huge loss of our native history in this region." In their arrogance, the ATV riders ignored the signs and the rules and got what they deserved - tickets and, if convicted, we hope a hefty fine.

Our Opinion represents the opinion ofthe Editorial Board of this newspaper: Publisher John Christie. Executive Editor Eric Conrad and Opinion Page Editor Naomi Schalit.

SOURCE: MORNING SENTINEL

DATE: 10-29-2007


Lakes:
Regions: Belgrade, Bangor


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