| Author |
Message |
brian
Moderator
Post Number: 1389
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - 4:07 pm: | 
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Long overdue:
http://www.ottertooth.com/Temagami/News/newsbriefs -123.htm
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micmac
Member
Post Number: 133
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2012 - 8:20 am: |
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I think the fact that the individuals involved openly admitted that this practice had been going on for several years prior to being caught, illustrates the fact that logging road access restrictions are ineffective.
These roads must be decomissioned, scarified, and allowed to return to their natural state.
Wilderness values will never return if motorized access is allowed to continue. |
brian
Moderator
Post Number: 1391
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2012 - 12:29 pm: |
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It is interesting that they took boats up Lake Temagami. Though the hunters intended to dodge the gate, many folks on the lake have accessed these roads, not to go so far, but still to go ATVing when it was just as illegal. MNR only recently signed the roads so ignorance is no longer an excuse.
And Mike is correct. The only sure way to end this is to remove the roads forever. |
erhard
Member
Post Number: 18
Registered: 09-2010
| | Posted on Thursday, February 2, 2012 - 1:49 pm: |
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Congrats to the MNR for doing their job, in spite of the difficulties they have.
But the fines are too low. The base penaly for the violations seems to be $500 ("Thomas McDonald of Harriston was convicted of trespassing for the purpose of hunting and was fined $500.") with bonus dollars added for further transgressions. I suspect that the culprits spent a similar amount each for the trip's gas, booze and restaurants - so that makes the fines just part of the "business expense" - not much of a deterrent. Confiscating the ATVs would be a good step in the right direction since it doesn't only hurt in the wallet but also puts a dent in the owner's pride....
I am not sure the law allows for that penalty, but it seems like a good idea to me! |
andrewh
Member
Post Number: 78
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Friday, February 3, 2012 - 12:16 pm: |
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Last summer I was hanging out in the NW Arm of Lake Temagami, just south of the Jumping Cat portage. I was surprised to see a family of ATVers on the shore. I dont think ATVing is permitted by management direction but I doubt the old logging trails are signed. It must not be that tough a ride in, if you've got a couple kids riding on the back. |
gunney
Member
Post Number: 24
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Friday, February 3, 2012 - 6:55 pm: |
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Curious...Why, on Crown Land, is it illegal for only 7 months ? What's makes it okay between April 16 and November 14? Does this include snowmobiles, too? Just wondering... |
ed
Moderator
Post Number: 1134
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, February 4, 2012 - 9:46 am: |
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Certain logging roads in the province are closed to motorized traffic to protect the wilderness aspect of the area. It is generally recognized that snowmobiling does not do significant harm to the trails so some of the closed roads may be open to them for travel during the winter months. |
grncnu
Member
Post Number: 161
Registered: 08-2010
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 - 1:20 am: |
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the problem is, that the disposition of, and regulations pertaining to, lands in ontario, i.e. private, crown, preserve, park etc., is a relic of a bygone era, say the 1940's, when access to the interior was exclusively by float plane or by canoe/on foot.
with the end of the log drives came the network of logging roads that were accessible to pickup trucks and later, atv's. of course enterprising atv-ers with chainsaws were easily able to extend the network into virtually every last corner of the back country...
meanwhile the aforesaid disposition of lands, regulations and so forth remained unchanged, still reflecting the outdated 1940's assumptions about accessibility and therefore of use.
in the present political/economic climate the only solution (severe regulation and restriction of access) is politically and economically untenable. unfortunately for backcountry enthusiasts, it is difficult to forsee a positive prognosis for the backcountry experience until certain things change (price/availability of gas comes to mind...) |
Temagami canoe routes & backcountry travel