I’d like to congratulate Mel Caron on her new position as Concord’s new trail ranger. And I hope that she takes what I’m about to say into consideration.
I’ve spent a huge amount of time in the wilderness over my 54 years, the past 15 of them in and around the Concord area. I hike, hunt, fish, forage, mountain bike and belong to two of the biggest and most successful conservation organizations in the country. And let me tell you, Mel, the picture isn’t as rosy as some on the Conservation Commission would have you believe.
A few years back, Jim Oehler from NH Fish & Game spoke to the Conservation Commission about his “Trails for People and Wildlife” publication where he lays out guidelines for the creation of trails that will have the least impact on local wildlife. It would seem as though they’re not following Jim’s science-based advice.
Case in point, the newly proposed bench at the Curtisville beaver pond. It was suggested the most likely place for it would be at the north end of the pond, closest to Curtisville road. This would provide the best access for a range of differently-abled citizens and have no impact on viable wetland habitats.
In the end, I hear they’re putting it at the far southern end, furthest from the road, in an area various waterfowl species use for nesting and rearing their young. This is typical of what’s happening all over the country. We’re loving the wilderness to death.
Recent studies have shown that entire elk herds have been driven out of wilderness areas in Vail, Colorado by an over-abundance of trail-based recreation. This phenomenon is no doubt happening elsewhere to other species of wildlife.
Consider Jim Oehler’s “corridor of influence” from his previously-mentioned publication. A trail can impact wildlife movement and behavior over 100 yards on both sides. Anyone familiar with the over 80 miles of trails in Concord can see how we are fast approaching a scenario where there are many areas where our native wildlife cannot escape this corridor of influence. I would hate for the mega-fauna of the Concord area to be displaced by overused, under-regulated trail systems the way elk are being displaced out west.
I’ve long advocated that the Conservation Commission’s biggest concern should be for the wildlife of Concord. I’ve suggested that they should monitor the trails they already have to see what sort of impacts they are making. Trail camera studies, for example, would show the amount and type of recreational use that trails receive, and verify the presence or absence of wildlife around them. This would be a big undertaking, but it would provide valuable data that the Conservation Commission could use to regulate trail use, create new trails, close existing ones that are having negative impacts, and more.
I hope that Mel will consider protecting not just the trails, but the wildlife of Concord. And if you want to borrow some trail cameras, Mel, I’ll gladly donate some of mine.
(Dan Williams lives in Concord.)