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Volume 6, Wednesday August 12th, 2009
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Bikes are damaging dunes R
By Celeste Lustosa
oxby Downs Environment Forum alerts “motor bikers are causing serious damage in our landscape.”
The Environment Forum representatives in Roxby Downs are concerned about the damage motorbikes our causing in the region. “First they scare the birds, which are fundamental to the vegetation as they distribute seeds and if they don’t do that it affects the vegetation growth,” said Kristina Meredith, the co-chairperson of the Forum. Kristina told The Monitor that the motorbike activities have been worrying the Forum for a while
and that people are not fully aware of the harm they’re causing to the environment. “We understand people want to ride their motorbikes, but they need to stick to the tracks and designated areas to do so and respect the natural environment.” “Just because we live in an arid area, it doesn’t mean there’s no wild and plant life worth saving. What we have in this region is not only sand and trees; we have a great range of living species, such as lizards and many birds you can only find here.” The Environment Forum also wants to bring awareness that this is now breeding season for the birds and with all the noise and movement they might stop reproducing because they are scared. “If we don’t control the noise and all the motorcycle riders in the middle of our sand dunes and
around the trees, the birds are just going to be too scared to reproduce and that is a major problem for the environment.” According to Kristina, the birds are only one of the environment concerns of the Forum. “These motorcycle riders along our countryside are also changing our landscape and the course of the sand dunes. We don’t think people really comprehend what they are causing to our natural environment. “We as Forum members can’t really do much to stop those people, except try to supply as much information as possible about what is happening and appeal for them to only ride their motorcycle on the tracks that were made for it.” People driving their four wheel drive
Kristina Meredith looking at the sand dune damage
cars across the sand dunes are also a concern. “People with 4x4 cars that think just because their cars can go across the sand dunes and out tracks they should do it, are also a concern.” Forum representatives say “we just want everyone to understand and respect the great natural environment we have here in our region.” The Environment forum is a subcommittee of the Roxby Downs Community Board. The forum’s made up of representatives from council, BHP Billiton and interested businesses and members of the community. The group works together to develop strategies and projects that progress the community vision.