What? A March 30 story in the Press Herald (“Committee endorses $30 million to support Maine trails“) talked about a bill to make trails more accessible and do repairs necessitated by serious damage caused by this winter’s storms and floods. Twenty-five percent of the funding will pay for trails exclusively for motorized uses, and 50% for multi-use — motorized and not.

Why were this winter’s storms and floods so unusually damaging: climate change. What’s causing that crisis: humans putting carbon into Earth’s atmosphere. What are these “motorized uses:” dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles, light utility vehicles, quad bikes, and so on. Almost all such vehicles run on gasoline, pumping increasingly more carbon into our air. All for power sports, or so-called recreation.

Some people enjoy them, but none are necessary except perhaps a rare rescue situation. They erode the terrain and kill small animals. They make loud mechanical noises that scare animals and ruin lovely walks. Those of us who wish to save our planet and prefer nature enjoy hiking while listening to leaves in the breeze, a scurrying rabbit, a babbling brook.

Please, don’t fix trails for polluting sports vehicles, which are unnecessary and are making the climate crisis worse. To save life on Earth we must outlaw these destructive, invasive, anti-nature carbon spewers. Make all trails safe for people on foot and some that accommodate wheelchairs.

Want to be out in nature? Want to be healthier? Want our grandkids to have a place to live? Walk or hike. Want to go fast? Run.

Louise Davis
Portland

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