Bikers leave trail of destruction in 'ancient' woodland

Motorcyclists and mountain bikers are destroying a prehistoric monument and environmentally sensitive sites in "ancient" woodland in Cornwall.

By Michael Smith (Veshengro), RFA

For the second year running, bikers have been wreaking havoc by riding their vehicles off-track in Kilminorth Woods, West Looe, which is designated as an Area of Great Landscape Value and a Local Nature Reserve.

Owned and managed by Caradon District Council, the 45ha site lies along the western bank of the West Looe River and is South East Cornwall’s largest primeval oak woods.

Until recently, Kilminorth Woods offered a largely undisturbed habitat for many different species of wildlife and plants. Last year mountain bikers, who are permitted to use the bridleway through the woods, began using the area for off-road biking, building several large ramps and causing substantial damage to ancient woodland’s fragile environment.

The district council removed the ramps, but the bikers are back in force this year. Trial bikers have also recently taken to using the woods – even though motorcycles are prohibited from the area – causing much more serious damage to the woods and creating a hazard for walkers.

Councillor Margaret Allen, Caradon’s local environment portfolio holder, said: “During the past year I’ve made many visits across Caradon to see our woodland sites, play parks and nature reserves, but my recent trip to Kilminorth Woods was the saddest.

“The bikers have built substantial wood and earth ramps, gouging trenches in the floor of the woods for their construction and churning up the earth where they ride their bikes off-track.

"They are destroying the lichens, mosses and ferns for which the woods are known and disturbing the habitat of small creatures such as voles, insects and nesting birds. Deer and badgers are also being affected, and one bike track passes close to an established badger sett.

“Worse still, the bikers have deliberately dug out sections of the Giant’s Hedge to form tracks. There can be no excuse for wantonly destroying an ancient monument, and it is clear from the scale of the destruction that we are talking about the actions of adults rather than children.

Councillor Allen continued: “Kilminorth Woods is designated as a Local Nature Reserve, and Caradon has an obligation to protect it. We have no objection to bicycles on the formal pathways, but off-track mountain and trial biking is not appropriate in an environmentally sensitive area.

“The vast majority of visitors to Kilminorth Woods use the footpaths in a safe and sensible way, but sadly a few thoughtless trial and mountain bikers are causing serious problems by their illegal and inappropriate use of the woods.
"The near accidents, verbal abuse of other users of the woods and damage to the area is wholly unacceptable.

"Ancient woodland like Kilminorth is the United Kingdom’s version of the rainforest. A mere 2 per cent is left, and it is still disappearing”, said Councillor Allen further.

Unfortunately, Councillor Allen does not know, in the latter instance, what he is talking about, much like so many local councillors. She does remind one of some of the so-called environmental advisers to the local councils here that have about as much knowledge of the environment, namely none or very little.

I very much, as a professional forester, amongst others, would like to dispute the notion of ancient forest/woodland in the UK to mean one never touched by hand of man. 99.9% of all woodlands and forests in this country have, at one time or the other, been worked and managed by man. The often quoted ancient woodlands in some places of the West Country are in fact ancient coppice woodlands which, if they are not going to be worked pronto will fall apart and will become history.

Spouting off the contents of material they have read, but all too often not properly digested and especially understood, and more often than not from dubious sources, does not help the cause one little bit.

I do, however, agree that motorbikes have no place in such woodlands – or any other woodlands – for that matter as those that ride mountain bike of the push bike variety should do so with consideration and if they do not they should be brought to book and fined severely – period.

Like the law give the right of seizure of an illegally used motorbike, that is to say that the relevant authorities can take the bike and have it crushed, the same might be a good idea for the mountain biker variety too when they are used in a manner as outlined here. It is my belief that many riders would thing more than twice doing the described if they'd knew that the authorities could seize their bike, which often have cost them thousands of British Pounds, and gave then destroyed or – and this would be much better – sold off to others.

© M Smith (Veshengro), May 2008