MTBrider
07-25-2005, 11:54 AM
The Forest Service is being asked to explain its reluctance to provide land for mountain bike pursuits in the Province despite the successful establishment of several off road cycling areas on the mainland.
The call comes from West Tyrone Assembly member Derek Hussey who feels Northern Ireland is missing out both in terms of potential tourism revenue with cyclists forced to travel to the rest of the UK to purpose-built trails.
Mr. Hussey said: "For the past three years, the Countryside Access and Activities Network (CAAN) has been at the forefront of the development of a mountain bike trail network in Northern Ireland that could benefit the local rural economy and help improve the health and well being of the population.
"CAAN has conducted extensive research into the feasibility of trail
development here and produced a strategy document for the development of
mountain biking in the Province.
"It seems the Forest Service here is not prepared to let people have the access to areas which have been identified as suitable for the sport," said the UUP MLA.
"Similar projects have resulted in the construction of a number of purpose-built cycling trails in England, Scotland and Wales. Many of these sites have been developed by the Forest Commission of Great Britain and represent a significant and imaginative shift in policy and management away from increasingly unprofitable timber production and toward the more profitable leisure industry.
"Mountain bike centres on the UK mainland have generated massive economic benefits for their surrounding areas by increasing visitor numbers. Equally beneficial are the obvious long-term health benefits associated with encouraging an active population to enjoy the outdoors."
Mr. Hussey says the strategic plan proposes the development of a number of cross-country, downhill and leisure/family trails throughout Northern Ireland.
The document recommends the development of five key sites across the
province, all currently managed by the Northern Ireland Forest Service, for
cross-country and downhill mountain biking: Binevenagh/ Glenariff forests,
Rostrevor Forest, Gortin Glen Forest Park, Tollymore Forest Park and
Castlewellan Forest Park.
In addition, CAAN secured funding totalling approximately £2 million, from numerous funding organisations across Government, to pay for the construction costs. After a study visit, the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) reported that Northern Ireland's diverse range of sites had the ability to surpass any other area of the UK and Ireland in terms of mountain biking.
Mr. Hussey added: "Unfortunately, it sees there is a reluctant attitude from Forest Service management toward the project and none of the proposed sites have been developed. At a meeting organised by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Forest Service stated that it had decided not to support any of the cross-country or downhill trails in the current strategy.
"As a result, CAAN has now withdrawn all funding applications relating to X-country and Downhill mountain biking in Northern Ireland forests.
"Surprisingly, Forest Services' decision was made after an independent economic appraisal of the proposed strategy, recently published by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, recommended that at least three cross-country and downhill test sites be developed immediately. Despite this recommendation from NITB, it appears that the Northern Ireland economy will miss the chance to benefit from the opportunities available to the rest of the UK."
Mr Hussey claims the Forest Service suggests that maintenance costs will be considerable, suggesting £1.60 per linear metre as an economic appraisal, much higher than figures quoted from GB.
The Service fears that mountain bike trail development will interfere with current forest operations such as felling. The Forest Commission, managing the rest of the UK appears to have resolved this issue and have realised that their forests are more than just a source of timber.
"Forest Service has stated that mountain biking will conflict with other forest users. This can be the case when mountain bike trails are constructed informally on Forest Service property as opposed to being formally managed.
" Informal building occurs here regularly and many of the trails are badly laid out and poorly constructed. As the sport grows in popularity, it can only be imagined that more of these trails will appear, and that the associated problem of conflict will increase.
"I believe Forest Service has missed an opportunity to manage this growing problem on their property.
"There is clearly a demand for mountain bike trails here. Many cyclists from Northern Ireland regularly travel to mainland destinations to enjoy the trails and often return home feeling cheated when they consider the lack of development here. Indeed the facilities currently provided for all forest users in Northern Ireland are pitiful in comparison to that available to the rest of the UK.
The call comes from West Tyrone Assembly member Derek Hussey who feels Northern Ireland is missing out both in terms of potential tourism revenue with cyclists forced to travel to the rest of the UK to purpose-built trails.
Mr. Hussey said: "For the past three years, the Countryside Access and Activities Network (CAAN) has been at the forefront of the development of a mountain bike trail network in Northern Ireland that could benefit the local rural economy and help improve the health and well being of the population.
"CAAN has conducted extensive research into the feasibility of trail
development here and produced a strategy document for the development of
mountain biking in the Province.
"It seems the Forest Service here is not prepared to let people have the access to areas which have been identified as suitable for the sport," said the UUP MLA.
"Similar projects have resulted in the construction of a number of purpose-built cycling trails in England, Scotland and Wales. Many of these sites have been developed by the Forest Commission of Great Britain and represent a significant and imaginative shift in policy and management away from increasingly unprofitable timber production and toward the more profitable leisure industry.
"Mountain bike centres on the UK mainland have generated massive economic benefits for their surrounding areas by increasing visitor numbers. Equally beneficial are the obvious long-term health benefits associated with encouraging an active population to enjoy the outdoors."
Mr. Hussey says the strategic plan proposes the development of a number of cross-country, downhill and leisure/family trails throughout Northern Ireland.
The document recommends the development of five key sites across the
province, all currently managed by the Northern Ireland Forest Service, for
cross-country and downhill mountain biking: Binevenagh/ Glenariff forests,
Rostrevor Forest, Gortin Glen Forest Park, Tollymore Forest Park and
Castlewellan Forest Park.
In addition, CAAN secured funding totalling approximately £2 million, from numerous funding organisations across Government, to pay for the construction costs. After a study visit, the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) reported that Northern Ireland's diverse range of sites had the ability to surpass any other area of the UK and Ireland in terms of mountain biking.
Mr. Hussey added: "Unfortunately, it sees there is a reluctant attitude from Forest Service management toward the project and none of the proposed sites have been developed. At a meeting organised by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Forest Service stated that it had decided not to support any of the cross-country or downhill trails in the current strategy.
"As a result, CAAN has now withdrawn all funding applications relating to X-country and Downhill mountain biking in Northern Ireland forests.
"Surprisingly, Forest Services' decision was made after an independent economic appraisal of the proposed strategy, recently published by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, recommended that at least three cross-country and downhill test sites be developed immediately. Despite this recommendation from NITB, it appears that the Northern Ireland economy will miss the chance to benefit from the opportunities available to the rest of the UK."
Mr Hussey claims the Forest Service suggests that maintenance costs will be considerable, suggesting £1.60 per linear metre as an economic appraisal, much higher than figures quoted from GB.
The Service fears that mountain bike trail development will interfere with current forest operations such as felling. The Forest Commission, managing the rest of the UK appears to have resolved this issue and have realised that their forests are more than just a source of timber.
"Forest Service has stated that mountain biking will conflict with other forest users. This can be the case when mountain bike trails are constructed informally on Forest Service property as opposed to being formally managed.
" Informal building occurs here regularly and many of the trails are badly laid out and poorly constructed. As the sport grows in popularity, it can only be imagined that more of these trails will appear, and that the associated problem of conflict will increase.
"I believe Forest Service has missed an opportunity to manage this growing problem on their property.
"There is clearly a demand for mountain bike trails here. Many cyclists from Northern Ireland regularly travel to mainland destinations to enjoy the trails and often return home feeling cheated when they consider the lack of development here. Indeed the facilities currently provided for all forest users in Northern Ireland are pitiful in comparison to that available to the rest of the UK.