Last update - 00:00 16/07/2007
Bikers brave uphill battle against closures
By Danit Nitzan
Mountain bikers, who view their sport as the most environmentally friendly and closest to nature, have recently felt threatened by the Israel Nature and National Parks Protection Authority (INNPPA), which is trying to restrict access to marked trails in various parks and reserves throughout the country.
Israel's nature trails have been marked by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) and were never defined as hiking or cycling paths, but were open to all. With the steady increase in the number of mountain bikers, use of the marked trails has increased as well.
"Before our access to the trails and beautiful places is blocked, and before we are unjustly prevented from cycling in special, out-of-the-way, charming and challenging places, we have decided to join forces and take responsibility for ourselves," says Eli Sat, 68, of Gadot, author of bicycle tour books, who worked for the SPNI 17 years ago and founded its environmental awareness unit.
Sat, along with other devoted cyclists, has drafted a petition calling on mountain bikers to adopt behavior regulations on the trails - regulations that will protect the trails and stop cyclists from deviating from the trails. The petition can be viewed on the Shvoong sports Web site.
"The idea," says Sat, "is to put pressure on politicians who consider themselves champions of the environment and promoters of a healthy life style, so they will halt the closure of the trails to bicycles."
So far, very few trails have actually been closed to cyclists and practically no fines have been levied by INNPPA inspectors on cyclists using improperly marked trails.
Sat and his friends, however, want to "set their own house in order" first and "prevent a situation in which sanctions really are imposed against cyclists who damage the environment." According to the petition, cyclists "will be fully aware of the terrain they are entering, fit and trained in the type of cycling required and capable of overcoming problems and extricating themselves on their own. They will cycle only on permitted trails, or for which they have obtained permission, or on trails approved for hikers and not specifically forbidden to cyclists; only in declared nature reserves, on legally permitted, marked trails, during permitted hours. They will preserve the surrounding landscape, nature and sites with historical and cultural value, and will certainly not damage them. They will not leave anything in the area that was not there beforehand and will, whenever possible, remove pollutants left by others. They will be considerate of others using the trails, will respect them and will give the right of way to users at a relative disadvantage, such as hikers and cyclists riding uphill."
Sat explained that there are trails with sections that must be traversed on foot, carrying the bicycle on one's back, as some uphill and downhill stretches are too narrow for cycling. However, if throngs of cyclists use these trails, hiking with their bicycles on their backs, the sides of the trail will get damaged and bicycle access could later be blocked. One such trail is in the lower section of Nahal Ein Eikev, which includes a cliff face. Still a few such isolated cases should not lead to the redesignation of trails as "hiking trails only."
INNPPA spokesman Omri Gal says the authority views the cyclists as very welcome guests. "Bicycles are great for nature trips," he says. "We want as many people as possible to visit the [nature] reserves, to enjoy the landscape and nature and to get to know the land. The issue is that a bicycle is defined as a vehicle, so cyclists are not supposed to use paths that are not permitted for vehicular travel."
Even so, Sat feels that narrow trails wide enough for just one hiker or cyclist (who walk or ride single file when touring in pairs or groups), are ideal for mountain biking.
"It is the 'single file trails' that make cycling interesting, challenging and beautiful," says Sat, "and there is no reason we should not use them."
INNPPA's spokesperson told Haaretz that the authority is currently reexamining its policy toward cyclists in areas that are INNPPA's responsibility.
"The current policy is to allow mountain biking only on vehicular trails and not on 'single file' trails. This policy is based on Transportation Ministry regulations and INNPPA realizes there is room for change. INNPPA's new policy will establish rules and practices concerning cycling in the 'single file' trails - how, where and under what conditions to allow cycling in nature reserves and national parks; where cycling is likely to cause damage and must be avoided - while maintaining a uniform policy, public transparency and preserving the authority's goals and the state laws that govern the authority.
"INNPPA is also promoting a treaty between the various organizations that represent the cyclists and the managers of the open spaces, nature reserves and national parks," said Gal.