Opinion: Off-road-vehicles take a brutal toll on public trails

By Anthony FydenPrint Story | Email Story
Ruts, berms and oxbows are caused by irresponsible ORV riders
Citing environmental damage and safety worries, state officials have banned off-road vehicles from Savoy Mountain State Forest. That leaves miles of Berkshire trails in Beartown, October Mountain, Pittsfield and Tolland state forests open to dirt bikers and ATV riders. But judging by the condition of many trails this spring, it may be time for the state to pull the plug on ORV’s on Berkshire public lands altogether. Simply put, many “multi-use” trails – which are intended for uses such as hiking, mountain biking, cross country skiing, as well as motorcycling and ATV riding – have been butchered. Although legal ORV usage in state forests (other than Savoy) began on May 1, it’s obvious that riders have been using the trails during winter and spring. The trails are particularly vulnerable in the wet spring season. A prime example is the Vagabond Trail in October Mountain State Forest, which I visited on Tuesday. This quiet trail in the loneliest section of the state’s largest public forest has been reduced to an ugly, litter-strewn, deep-rutted gash through the woods. Even if ORV usage were stopped now, it would take years for the trail to recover. At some points, the trail is more than 30 feet wide. “Berms” have been created at corners. The trail has been so overused that it’s sunk several feet in the ground at points. Because of this, the trail holds deep water. Undeterred, ORV users simply go around the water blockages, creating several “oxbow” side trails into the woods. At several points, people have dug trenches to try to drain the trail, with little result, other than making it even uglier. There’s no proof that ORV users are littering, but the first section of the trail is strewn with beer cans, tires and other debris. Some genius even dumped an old recliner, laundry basket and other junk on the trail. What does all this mean? This trail is virtually unusable for recreation. While the surrounding woods are lovely, the trail is difficult to walk on, swamped with water and simply brutal to look at. Mountain bikers won’t like it either. And until there’s a deep snow pack, it won’t be usable by skiers next winter. I can’t imagine that it’s even much fun for ORV riders, who likely have to creep slowly up the trail. My feeling is that the forests are meant for everyone to enjoy in whatever way they choose. I don’t mind sharing the trail with responsible snowmobilers and other ORV users, but the damage from irresponsible riders has ruined the privilege for all. When I was a teenager, I rode my dirt bike almost every day with a group of friends. We rode mostly on farm trails, private land. The farmers knew who we were and we knew that our fun depended on their goodwill. We were smart enough to take care of the trails on which we rode. We had a great time and never once got a complaint. If we had done even close to the kind of damage I saw this week on The Vagabond, I would have received some damage myself. There’s no such accountability on state lands. And obviously, some riders simply don’t care about other users. Accountability is the key – you won’t find this kind of damage on private snowmobile or ORV club trails, which are clean, well-maintained and policed by members. What’s the answer? A complete ORV ban from Berkshire state forests seems the only solution. The state simply does not have enough park staff to police the trails and seperate the responsible users from destructive ones. Riders, even responsible riders, have only themselves to blame. They failed to police others and failed to adequately maintain the trails. Instead of sharing the trails, they abused them to hell, drawing the ire of others. Some people will disagree that ORV’s are to blame. Well, take a look at the trails. Tire ruts, berms and oxbows don’t lie. If ORV riders want to continue to use the trails, they need to step forward as a group with a plan to police the sport and maintain the trails. Otherwise, it’s time for them to ride off into the sunset.
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Lanesborough Fifth-Graders Win Snowplow Name Contest

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — One of the snowplows for Highway District 1 has a new name: "The Blizzard Boss."
 
The name comes from teacher Gina Wagner's fifth-grade class at Lanesborough Elementary School. 
 
The state Department of Transportation announced the winners of the fourth annual "Name A Snowplow" contest on Monday. 
 
The department received entries from public elementary and middle school classrooms across the commonwealth to name the 12 MassDOT snowplows that will be in service during the 2025/2026 winter season. 
 
The purpose of the contest is to celebrate the snow and ice season and to recognize the hard work and dedication shown by public works employees and contractors during winter operations. 
 
"Thank you to all of the students who participated. Your creativity allows us to highlight to all, the importance of the work performed by our workforce," said  interim MassDOT Secretary Phil Eng.  
 
"Our workforce takes pride as they clear snow and ice, keeping our roads safe during adverse weather events for all that need to travel. ?To our contest winners and participants, know that you have added some fun to the serious take of operating plows. ?I'm proud of the skill and dedication from our crews and thank the public of the shared responsibility to slow down, give plows space and put safety first every time there is a winter weather event."
 
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