ADAMS, Mass. — The Conservation Commissioned is concerned with motorized vehicles on the developing Greylock Glen trail network.

 

The commission had only good things to say about the new $3 million trail system currently under development by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, however, it noted that all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes have been damaging the trails.

 

"I have been on the board just about 20 years and for those 20 years, we have gone through many different glen proposals," Commissioner Thomas Robinson said. "Now we settle on something that benefits the town and the environment and we have some people intent on destroying it."

 

The biggest concern is the recently completed 1.7-mile stone covered Meadow Loop that was created for foot traffic and cross-country skiing.

 

Robinson said the Conservation Commission worked with local snowmobile riders to design trails that were both people and snowmobile friendly. He said they even offered to help pack down the snow on the trails for cross country skiers.

 

However, the stone pathway specifically was not intended for wheels.

 

Commissioner Zachary Bantle agreed off-road vehicles should stay off the trails, especially the Meadow Loop trail, but noted there is no place in town to legally ride.

 

"It is going to happen and you will never be able to stop it because there is no legal place to do it here," he said. "Unfortunately, it is one of those things where you have one hotshot on a dirt bike who is peeling out everywhere. That ruins it for everybody."

 

Commissioner Corey Bishop felt the problem could solve itself: more people on the trails, less room for vehicles.

 

"If you get a lot of people up there getting in their way they will stop," he said. "The more people using the trail system the less problems they will have up there."

 

In other business, the commission voted to issue Stanley's Lumber's riverfront violation as a reclamation instead of a Notice of Intent.

 

"We felt as though that was a reached a compromise in that a lot of that property has been degraded and we felt that it was a good way to resolve the problem so that it was a win-win for everyone," Robinson said. "We protect the riverfront he, in turn, has use of his property." 

 

Owner John Duquette has been operating his business too close to the waterfront. The commission suggested planting a green 30-foot buffer and removing cinder blocks from the riverfront area. 

 

Duquette will have a plan for the Conservation Commission in early August.