A great day at Mount Washington!
Lars, Matt, Mike, and Lorien shredding our local island mountain.

A big shout out to Current Swell for the wonderful vibe.
If you like the song be sure to check them out.

Loriens take on trails in our community which was printed in the July 2011 Rural Observer

Trails are universal.  They are the foundation on which we rely to convey ourselves through a natural environment.  Regardless of mode, be it on a mountain bike, in the saddle, on foot or via internal combustion, trails are our only conduit into the Wild World.

Having been involved in mountain biking for so long, and so fundamentally reliant on trails to access the forest which I love so much, I have gained a deep understanding of what is involved in fighting for the legitimacy of my chosen mode, (mountain biking) for experiencing the natural environment.  I have also learned what it takes to build a trail which lasts, which is enjoyable to use, and how to maintain existing trails to ensure their sustainability.  I’ve attended and presented at trail building conferences, chaired mountain bike volunteer organizations, engaged in countless hours of volunteer trail building and maintenance, and through it all, shared as much as I could of what I’ve learned with others, and strive to be a recipient of knowledge pertaining to it all.  Through all this, one thing has become crystal clear to me; building trails builds community.

Trails need proponents.  Too often, people who use trails do not understand that the trail did not just appear on its own.  A trail is the result of countless hours of hard work, and requires countless hours of maintenance over time.  If only more people took an interest in what a trail is, what it provides and how to take care of it, then our region would be chock full of trails.  That’s not to say that we don’t have enough trails, but for this trail user, I don’t think there can ever be enough.  Many hands make light work, if you’re a trail user, consider carrying a folding saw or loppers when you’re out there.  It feels amazingly good to see where your work made a trail more enjoyable and easier to navigate.

Trails build constituents for nature.  By identifying and preserving trails, natural landscapes can also be preserved.  If people are denied access to natural areas, then folks don’t know what they could be losing to a poorly planned development or clearcut.  Once a trail is in, natural areas now have people in them, who are willing to champion their preservation.

Regardless of how one chooses to access natural areas, we all require trails to get there.  We are all on the same page in that regard, even though at times various user groups get caught up in politics.  The important thing to keep in mind is that we can all share natural areas, and that is the essence of what a trail is.  Through mindful management of trail systems, all trail users can enjoy the outdoors together, and protect our natural areas with a unified voice.  I believe this is attainable.  Although politics will always be part of the equation, true natural area trail users can band together.  This is a fact.  One need only look so far as the Juan de Fuca Community Trails Society to see this.  Speaking of which, their AGM is coming up in June and if you really care about your trails you’ll strongly consider attending and becoming a member.

In this day and age of rampant urban development, trail users are going to have to step up their game if trails and natural areas are to be preserved.  We need to show developers and tree harvesters that natural land has intrinsic value, and the only way for us to appreciate that value- and I mean REALLY, specifically appreciate that value- is to become familiar with these areas.  The only way for most of us to become familiar with these areas is through the trails which access them.  Land development and tree harvesting is big money, and the most compelling reason to keep trails and natural areas to those who’d otherwise develop or clearcut them is to show the economy which is, or can be, generated by trails.  I will leave it to your imaginations on how to show the value, but leave with you the thought that if these values aren’t made evident by those who care, then why would anyone think that those who stand to profit from developing or logging would care, or look into it themselves?

It all comes back to community though.  We’re not just talking about dollars and cents here, although an understanding of that is a mighty weapon in the arsenal of preservation.  Without community involvement in trail systems, we lose sight of the importance of trails, we lose the trails, and we lose their ability to provide us a conduit into nature.  When we gain more trails, the community benefits, as does our environment.  It’s up to us to show that we care, because nobody can advocate for community trails like a community can.

Lorien Arnold