b1umb0y
May 5th, 2010, 03:11 PM
An Open Letter to the Loch Raven Trail User Community:
Dear Friends and Fellow Loch Raven Trail Users,
Pending long-term changes are coming to the trails around Loch Raven and this letter is to update you on recent happenings and to encourage you to provide us feedback. In the case of a reservoir like Loch Raven, one of the greatest threats to its role as a municipal water supply is sedimentation. Many factors associated with being in an urban environment contribute to sedimentation in the reservoir, and the forest buffer zone surrounding the reservoir is its last line of defense. The City is focused on improving this forest buffer with hopes to both reduce sedimentation and improve the water quality in Loch Raven. Baltimore City has recently hired a number of rangers for the City’s reservoirs, including Loch Raven. The rangers' primary role is the protection and enforcement of watershed regulations aimed at limiting the environmental impact to the buffer zone and the prevention of excess erosion.
Nearly a century ago, timbering regularly occurred around the reservoir land and many of these logging roads remain today, which the City now refers to as Woods Roads. These Woods Roads were built before sustainable trail design and with a goal to move timber, not to be a recreational trail system. As we see every time it rains, these roads, because of their poor design and sheer square footage of exposed soil, are often the muddiest, nastiest sections in the reservoir, in some cases likely delivering cubic yards of sediment directly to the reservoir.
The City engaged an outside expert to assess which of these Woods Roads are no longer needed for management of the land and which shall remain open. Closing some of these roads will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the reforestation effort. However, these closings will also have an impact on recreational use.
It is important to note that the land around Loch Raven is not a park; it is a buffer zone primarily for water quality that also allows passive recreation.
Additionally, and towards this reforestation effort, the City is assessing the user-generated trails, most often referred to as single-track, around the reservoir and plans to close an undetermined number of them. The mountain bike community has been in ongoing discussions with the City and the City has asked us for a trail proposal. However, we will not be the only user group affected by the pending changes.
Runners, equestrians, hikers, fishermen, geocachers, mountain bikers, nature photographers, and other trail users often attend one another’s trail work days, see one another frequently on the trail, and quite frankly get along well. If another trail group was given the opportunity to submit a proposal to the City, the mountain bike community would appreciate the ability to participate and we gladly want to reciprocate.
The City may decide to create an inclusive master plan affecting all users of the reservoir lands. In light of their request of us to submit a trail plan for the City’s review, we want to provide a proposal with your feedback. To that end, please share your thoughts, suggestions, concerns, and desires by replying below.
If there is interest in a public meeting, we are happy to facilitate and look forward to hearing from the trail user community.
In the end, we want to present a well-reasoned plan that is inclusive of all trail users such that we can both maintain sustainable recreational trail use at this natural treasure in Baltimore, while actively mitigating any detrimental environmental impact to the reservoir and the protective forest buffer.
We look forward to hearing your thoughts and concerns.
Best,
MORE – Mid Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts
Dear Friends and Fellow Loch Raven Trail Users,
Pending long-term changes are coming to the trails around Loch Raven and this letter is to update you on recent happenings and to encourage you to provide us feedback. In the case of a reservoir like Loch Raven, one of the greatest threats to its role as a municipal water supply is sedimentation. Many factors associated with being in an urban environment contribute to sedimentation in the reservoir, and the forest buffer zone surrounding the reservoir is its last line of defense. The City is focused on improving this forest buffer with hopes to both reduce sedimentation and improve the water quality in Loch Raven. Baltimore City has recently hired a number of rangers for the City’s reservoirs, including Loch Raven. The rangers' primary role is the protection and enforcement of watershed regulations aimed at limiting the environmental impact to the buffer zone and the prevention of excess erosion.
Nearly a century ago, timbering regularly occurred around the reservoir land and many of these logging roads remain today, which the City now refers to as Woods Roads. These Woods Roads were built before sustainable trail design and with a goal to move timber, not to be a recreational trail system. As we see every time it rains, these roads, because of their poor design and sheer square footage of exposed soil, are often the muddiest, nastiest sections in the reservoir, in some cases likely delivering cubic yards of sediment directly to the reservoir.
The City engaged an outside expert to assess which of these Woods Roads are no longer needed for management of the land and which shall remain open. Closing some of these roads will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the reforestation effort. However, these closings will also have an impact on recreational use.
It is important to note that the land around Loch Raven is not a park; it is a buffer zone primarily for water quality that also allows passive recreation.
Additionally, and towards this reforestation effort, the City is assessing the user-generated trails, most often referred to as single-track, around the reservoir and plans to close an undetermined number of them. The mountain bike community has been in ongoing discussions with the City and the City has asked us for a trail proposal. However, we will not be the only user group affected by the pending changes.
Runners, equestrians, hikers, fishermen, geocachers, mountain bikers, nature photographers, and other trail users often attend one another’s trail work days, see one another frequently on the trail, and quite frankly get along well. If another trail group was given the opportunity to submit a proposal to the City, the mountain bike community would appreciate the ability to participate and we gladly want to reciprocate.
The City may decide to create an inclusive master plan affecting all users of the reservoir lands. In light of their request of us to submit a trail plan for the City’s review, we want to provide a proposal with your feedback. To that end, please share your thoughts, suggestions, concerns, and desires by replying below.
If there is interest in a public meeting, we are happy to facilitate and look forward to hearing from the trail user community.
In the end, we want to present a well-reasoned plan that is inclusive of all trail users such that we can both maintain sustainable recreational trail use at this natural treasure in Baltimore, while actively mitigating any detrimental environmental impact to the reservoir and the protective forest buffer.
We look forward to hearing your thoughts and concerns.
Best,
MORE – Mid Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts