| © The Wicklow People | May 27th 2004 | Jim Hurley - NATURE TRAIL |
FOR PEOPLE who love the great outdoors it is disappointing to see and hear motorbikes travelling at speed over sand dunes.
They tear up the surface in an attempt to gain traction and in so doing they noisily mangle the living skin of vegetation that clothes these smooth hills of soft sand by the seaside.
Owners of motorbikes, scrambling bikes, trails bikes, quads, 4x4s, dune buggies and other all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) do, of course, have a right to pursue their chosen sport. And, good luck to them. However, they have no right to destroy dune systems, especially if they are heritage sites earmarked for conservation for the common good of all the people.
Many sand dune systems are candidate Special Areas of Conservation (cSACs) and are legally protected under the Natural Habitats Regulations, 1997. Under these Regulations causing erosion to the dune vegetation by driving any kind of vehicle over it is a Notifiable Action that requires the prior written consent of the Minister responsible for nature conservation.
National Parks and Wildlife (NPW), a service of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, is the arm of government responsible for nature conservation.
Most off-road vehicles arrive at sand dunes on trailers towed by cars or vans. Good citizens who are concerned about the degradation of heritage sites should note the registration numbers of the cars or vans and forward these numbers, together with details, to:-
Mr Eamon Meskell,
Regional Manager (South East),
NPW Office,
2 Patrick Street,
Kilkenny,
telephone
(056) 776 0070.
If there is any difficulty contacting the regional office, NPW's national headquarters are at 7 Ely Place Upper, Dublin 2, Callsave 1890 321 421.
The government service investigates incidents reported to it. Normally NPW traces the owner of the vehicle concerned and issues a letter of notification setting out the legal position. Repeated offences by known offenders who refuse to co-operate or to heed reasonable warnings have led to successful court action in the past.
It would be great win-win situation if ATV enthusiasts got together and laid out a course somewhere out of harm's way where they could pursue their hobby without destroying heritage sites and sensitive landscapes as well as disturbing the peace and quiet.
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