Effects of Mountain Biking on Wildlife

I am a keen hillwalker and I do a lot of solo walking in the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland. The semi-arctic environment there is unique in the UK and is home to wildlife seldom seen elsewhere in these islands. A couple of years ago I stood only about 10ft from 3 ptarmigan that were feeding close to the path, Their camouflage was a perfect match for the surrounding rocks, so I was able to stay very still and photgraph them without disturbing them.  A few years earlier, at Easter time, I was able to sit quietly and watch a Snowy Owl sitting on a rock only about 50 yds away, a wonderful experience.

  In recent years I have noticed that some mountain bike forums are advocating that their members take their mountain bikes up onto the high ground of the Cairngorms and they talk about how much fun they have travelling at speed over the moutains.  I am very concerned that this type of sport will disturb wildlife. Most forums on this subject only talk about the erosion of the ground, but I think that it will ultimately scare away any wildlife there. I have e-mailed the Cairngorms National Park and they really don't seem to see it as a problem that they can deal with. It appears that income from leisure tourism will always win over the needs of the environment.

What I'd like to ask here is;- Am I right to be concerned? Will brightly coloured bikes and riders travelling at speed through the mountains scare away ground-nesting birds, or  will the wildlife just adapt?

Stand Where The Peaks Meet The Sky

  • Anonymous
    0 Anonymous 08/11/2010 16:38

    most certainly it will distrurbed the wildlife, and i am suprised the rangers are even

    considering the thought, the cairngorms is a very unique place, it is having problems of

    its own without adding to them. Many years ago near us motor bikes started to go

    over the hills,i may add illigaly, it was not long before problems started, by the time the authorities

    had stoped them, the local perigrines had left the area, and to this day have not returned, i would

    say if everyone who feels strongly, to email the rangers office at cairngorm with their concerns, dont wait

    until it happens. best regards mac

  • Hiya,

    Well I would say yes,

    Its not only the prospect of Mountainbikers that concerns me.  Its also the fact the anyone can go up in Funicular and then continue up.  I thought that this was mever going to be allowed. When we were up last year at Easter time therre was lots and lots of people setting off up the mountain after getting off the mountain train.  I know it all brings tourists and money. but at what cost really.  Maybe it is fenced off again at nesting/breeding season??? It certainly concerned us when we visited.

     

    Susan

    All I ask is the chance to prove that money can't make me happy.
    Spike Milligan

  • Anonymous
    0 Anonymous 08/11/2010 16:47 in reply to Soosin

    hi soosin, i thought you were not allowed out onto the top from the funicular.

    or you wernt when we went to the cairngorms. best regards mac

    Soosin said:

    Hiya,

    Well I would say yes,

    Its not only the prospect of Mountainbikers that concerns me.  Its also the fact the anyone can go up in Funicular and then continue up.  I thought that this was mever going to be allowed. When we were up last year at Easter time therre was lots and lots of people setting off up the mountain after getting off the mountain train.  I know it all brings tourists and money. but at what cost really.  Maybe it is fenced off again at nesting/breeding season??? It certainly concerned us when we visited.

     

    Susan

  • Thanks Mac, That's what I suspected. It would be a shame if rare birds were scared off for good, I feel priviledged to have seen a snowy owl in the wild and would hate to think that they wouldn't feel safe in the Cairngorms.  The ranger did reply, but the response was that the mountain biking problem was not widespread and would be monitored. I get the impression that bikes are considered to be "an aid to pedestrianism" in Scotland and therefore can be taken pretty well anywhere you can legally walk, so it would need a change in legislation to prevent their use in the mountains.  My question to the National Park about whether tourism is more important than the environment remains unanswered.

    Stand Where The Peaks Meet The Sky

  • Thanks Susan. My undersatnding is that walkers will be allowed out during the skiing season only, unless on a guided walk. Certainly, the Northern Cairngorms are much, much quiter now than when the chairlift took visitors up. Ben McDhui used to be like Piccadilly Circus on a fine day, but now you could walk much of the way there and back without seeing anyone and that is good, Even the wide, eroded paths are starting to narrow and heal.

    Angus

    Stand Where The Peaks Meet The Sky

  • Anonymous
    0 Anonymous 08/11/2010 17:15 in reply to Border Reiver

    i have email as well, same responce, we stay at rothimurchas, every year, we are lucky that

    my wifes firm rents to its managers a large building half way down a track from the main cairngorm

    road and loch-an-eilien, brilliant place, we have met some very careing people up there, over the years

    one guy was saying the cairngorm mountain complex is owned and run by a company from sweden,

    and we need to keep an eye on things ourselfs, i have walked so far up the right hand path, seen snow buntings, ptarmigan, and last year a pair of ring ouzel, i would hate it if it was all ruined, must have been

    amazing to see the snowy, take care. best regards mac

     

  • Oh good, We did wonder about it.  Glad to hear the paths are healing.  Nature sorts itself out WHEN allowed to. 

    All I ask is the chance to prove that money can't make me happy.
    Spike Milligan

  •  

    Hi-

    Buzzard will correct me if I'm wrong here  BUT  if a mountain biker disturbs a schedule 1 breeding bird he is committing an offence and may be fined etc.  I wonder if the rangers failure to keep the breeding birds secure is in breach of guidelines as well.

     

    S

    For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides,  binoculars, scopes, tripods,  etc - put 'Birding Tips'   into the search box

  • Anonymous
    0 Anonymous 09/11/2010 01:43 in reply to seymouraves

    they have in the past been tackled regarding this, some of the local bird club members, but

    all they are interested in is the money making aspects. best regards mac

    seymouraves said:

     

    Hi-

    Buzzard will correct me if I'm wrong here  BUT  if a mountain biker disturbs a schedule 1 breeding bird he is committing an offence and may be fined etc.  I wonder if the rangers failure to keep the breeding birds secure is in breach of guidelines as well.

     

    S

     

  • Scottish National Parks legislation is half a century newer that England's and quite a bit different. It provides four "aims" of designation these being:

    (a) to conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area,(b) to promote sustainable use of the natural resources of the area,(c) to promote understanding and enjoyment (including enjoyment in the form of recreation) of the special qualities of the area by the public, and(d) to promote sustainable economic and social development of the area’s communities.

    There is a conflict resolution provision which gives conservation priority over all of the other aims. This makes it, in some ways, more powerful than the English equivalent, known as the Sandford Principle, which prioritises conservation over recreation alone.

    It seems that the Cairngorms National Park authority does not perceive a conflict between recreational cycling and the conservation purpose. They would need evidence of a real threat to landscape, wildlife or cultural heritage before imposing restrictions over a comparitively sustainable form of recreation.

    Every day a little more irate about bird of prey persecution, and I have a cat - Got a problem with that?