dirt

dirt.

Michelle Barker, Cedar RapidsLinn Area Mountain Bike Association

Linn County Trails Association

Works in partnership with: City of Cedar RapidsLinn County Iowa Coalition of Off-Road Riders

to build and maintain soft trails in Linn County and surrounding areas

Linn Area Mt. Bike Association

Designed and built over 10 miles of soft surfaced trail at NO cost to the city and county!

Maintain over 20 miles of softsurface trail through volunteer efforts.

Advocate for multi-use soft surface trails for mountain biking, hiking, bird watching, trail running, geocaching, snowshoeing, etc.

Participate in conservation efforts of natural spaces:•Sustainable trail design for longevity of resource use by the public.

•Over 200 hours this year devoted to controlling an invasive species, garlic mustard.

•Restoration of oak tree savannah partnership with DNR, Trees Forever, and other groups.

Why am I here today?

User conflict and ways to work together.

Why share dirt trails?

1. Satisfy user demand 2. Preserve resources

- Land?- Money?

3. Build community- Peer influence

- Common ground

4. Enhance stewardship- Grow volunteerism

- Strengthen advocacy

What is user conflict?

“Social conflict is a disagreement of perceived values (IMBA)”

Environmental Conflict

Perception: “Mountain biking causes excessive trail damage and unacceptable environmental impacts (IMBA)”

Reality: “Mountain biking impacts are on par with hiking and less significant than those of motorized vehicles or horses (IMBA)”

Safety ConflictPerception: “Mountain biking threatens the safety of therider and other visitors (IMBA).”

Reality: •From a survey of 40 resource managers: only one case of walker injury. •300 accident records stated very few from bike-walker collisions. •Almost none of the thousands of incidents over several years ofstatistics in the German Alps involved bikes and walkers.

(Cessford, 2002)

Social ConflictPerception: “Mountain bikers have goals and values that are incompatible withthose of other trail users (IMBA).”

Reality: Sharing of similar values (IMBA)

Benefits of Mountain Biking

•Economics: “Trail systems of the North Shore, Squamish and Whistler, areestimated to have collectively generated $10.3 million in spendingfrom riders that live outside of the host community over [a four month period].”

•Conservation

•Recreation

Practical solutions…1. Information and education2. User involvement and partnerships3. Regulations

1. Provide information

• Signage• User patrols• Clinics

2. Encourage involvement

• Organize users• Encourage trail work• Host shared-use events

3. Regulate lightly

• Enforcement = expensive • Types of sharing

– Preferred use– Alternating use

Cessford, G.R. 2002. Perception and Reality of Conflict: Walkers and MountainBikes on the Queen Charlotte Track in New Zealand.

Western Canada Mountain Bike Tourism Association. (n.d.). Sea to sky impact study.

International Mountain Bike Association. Editor: Webber, P. (2007). International mountain bicycling association's guide to providing great riding. Denver, CO.