Walking to Sustainability

This is a topic that has been weighing on my mind for some time.  I have been wanting to push it further but my time has been tied up with other things.  The weight got to heavy however, and so I want to have a discussion with folks from around Kings County, NB who want to push recreational trails to the forefront.  They can serve a multitude of benefits and in a region such as Kings County they can easily highlight the natural beauty, the history, and the people.

Kings County is blessed with rural, rustic beauty that can be accessed by anyone willing to walk for a while.  Walking is the most environmentally friendly source of transportation and is refreshing for the soul.  Typically I enjoy walking in the wilderness but I understand that not everyone is comfortable being off a trail.  Luckily we have some great trails in the Sussex area.

Trails connect parts of our community and provide those near it with an avenue to health and wellness.  In today's environment it is great to have a "walkable" community.  We have a great trail here, but there are still some parts of our community that are not yet connected.  Potential exists for a number of new trails and extensions of trails that already exist.

Imagine a trail meandering along Ward's Creek, or even Parson's Brook.  Such trails could connect Magnolia Avenue, Fowler Avenue, and Skyline Acres to the existing trails and to each other.  People near these corridors could more easily connect to their neighbors, would more likely take a bike ride, and thus be more physically and spiritually healthy.

The required green built for such a trail system could provide much more than simply a walking corridor.  With proper planning and some time, it could serve as wildlife habitat and a buffer to protect our waterways.  The trees that exist in the green belt could help buffer our regions carbon foot print or help filter some of our air to assist some of those with breathing or other health issues.  The green belt would resist impacts due to flooding and also mitigate some of the impacts to existing infrastructure during flood events.  Let's face it any effective flood mitigation approach would greatly enhance our community.

Going beyond the urban setting, a hiking or mountain biking trail could readily connect Sussex to Apohaqui or Waterford.  This strengthens our region and brings us all closer together.  Looking towards Waterford, a hiking trail with the proper corridor could showcase spectacular ridges, waterfalls, caves, and ravines.  This could quickly grow our tourism industry and stabilize our economy and dare I say, remove our need for shale gas.

Winter time does not mean the trail sits dormant either.  Sections of the trail could be designated as cross country skiing while other sections could be set aside for snowshoeing, and it wouldn't be a stretch to create a sliding hill somewhere along the trail either. 

So maybe our area could improve our walkability and by doing so enhance our environmental health and economic sustainability.  This type of action can't happen overnight and it would require many hours of planning and insight.  It will take leadership and sacrifice, time and money, and land and resources, all things that we have in our region.  If this is something you might want to contribute to contact me and I'd love to chat about it.

A Snowshoe to the Bluff

Bambi is one of my best hiking partners.

The holiday season is now over and it is back to work.  I apologize for being so long posting but, like everyone, I was extremely busy over my vacation time.  The last evening before going back to work was a great one though.


I responded to a Facebook friend looking to do an evening snowshoe along the Bluff in Sussex Corner.  I had been looking for an excuse to get out of the house and enjoy some wilderness so I responded and before you knew it we had 4 others joining us.

Mila was game the whole way.

Cole put it out on FB and led the way.

It was 8:30pm on a Sunday evening and four varied individuals headed off into the darkness to search their way to a familiar spot to all.  If you spend any time in this part of New Brunswick you likely have been to the Bluff.  If not you have at least gazed up at it from the Dutch Valley Road thinking "I bet there is a nice view from up there."  All those hiking have been around these parts for a good portion of our life and all had been to the Bluff through the summer months during the day time but only  a some of us have ventured there in the middle of the night during the winter.  I love the Bluff at any time of year and any time of day.

Rubin started late but finished strong.

Luke and Kody were a team.

There was a light snow falling as we ducked into the woods along the already beaten, narrow, trail.  Conversation was easy going and relaxed with maybe a slight hesitation as one hated to break the magical and natural silence of the night.  The lights towards the Village were dimmed by the falling snow and grayish skies.  Beyond us the snow muffled any noise and only the odd drone of a distant snow mobile or passing car on the roads far below could be heard.

It was a great night and one that has prompted me to investigate what might be done to create a linear park here to protect this sensitive ecosystem.

The view from the saddle towards the Village is my favorite spot.

Trails Versus Trails

 The Balloon Fiesta has now come and gone with a great weekend hosted by that incredible organizing committee.  Even though the weather didn't cooperate all the time, when the balloons go up it is special.  Below is a column I submitted to the KCR which was printed in their September 11, 2012 edition.  I spend more time chatting with hikers than ATV riders but it has often frustrated me when I listened to hikers lament how bad ATVs are for trails and the environment as if all hikers were excellent for the trails and environment.  I can't argue that when a hiker damages a trail it is usually less visual than an ATVs but I think if both user groups work together then both trails and the environment could benefit.  I recently worked on an ATV trail project that improved both the trail and environment and I know of hiking trails that could use similar work.  Feel free to let me know how you feel.

Working for the KWRC, I'm putting the finishing touches on a bridge we built in partnership with the SVATV Club.  The bridge will keep the bikes from crossing a small stream.

 

The Atlantic International Balloon Fiesta is just around the corner and our household is pretty excited for all the excitement that weekend brings to this great region.  Originally I was hoping to bring you a column on a great balloon ride but alas, my ride was postponed and thus I am left with a scramble to find my inspiration.  Thankfully my job often provides me with many topics that are worth discussing.

At present I am working at separating a recreational trail from an ephemeral stream, one that runs part of the year.  The trail is used by hikers, bikers, and ATV riders.  So what is inspirational about this?  Is it the fact that by separating the trail from the stream I am improving the natural ecosystems while improving the trail?  Is it the scenery in the remote location I am working in?  In fact it comes from the fact that this trail is mainly an ATV trail but in reality it serves as a trail for many uses.

Hikers and ATV riders in the province have been feuding over trail space in the recent past and I feel that more could be accomplished if the tense feelings were set aside.  One of the partners on this "Trail and Aquatic Corridor Restoration Project" is the Sussex Valley ATV Club and already some of their members have worked a tough 10 man days on the project which should wrap up later this week.

A log crib wall helps separate the ATV trail from the stream bed.

As a hiker I understand some of the issues hikers have with the ATV riders but I feel that many are unfounded.  In my mind the only viable argument is the loud noise of the bike engines.  When used properly though a bike can be quiet and have little impact to the environment, especially if on a well developed and properly designed trail.  A good ATV trail also makes a great hiking trail or mountain biking trail.  Even better than that, a protected trail corridor could also serve as a protective corridor for watercourses or sensitive habitats.

As a hiker I don't always use trails and even when I use trails, the terrain they cover wouldn't be suitable for an ATV.  In fact ATV trails provide access to some of the terrain I backpack or hike across.  Without the ATV trail it would mean a lot more hiking to access the area I wish to explore on foot.  In a way I owe thanks to ATV trails or old logging roads for allowing me to more readily explore some wonderful stream valleys and ridges.

The biggest detriment to this issue of hikers versus bikers is those who don't properly use the trail we should share.  Hikers are not entirely innocent here but ATVers who abuse the trail typically have a more noticeable impact on the experience for all.  There are some ecosystems ATVs should avoid, such as stream beds; except at established fording sites, beaches, and areas with plant species with special status.  Hikers can more effectively access such habitats without impacting them.  It is truly about the mindset of the rider or hiker that determines how much impact they might have on the environment.

Maybe you have impacted the environment recently and are looking to offset that impact.  If so, come out on September 22^nd to the KWRC's Great Canadian Shoreline Clean Up where you can clean up litter from local river banks.