‘Destructive’ mountain bike riders are blamed for the extinction of endangered plants in parks

‘Destructive’ mountain bikers are blamed for the extinction of endangered plants in parks

  • Rogue mountain bike riding in Yarra Bend Park is putting the area’s plants at risk
  • The damage is so bad Parks Victoria have been asked to shut down illegal trails 
  • Chief ranger Brendan Sullivan said the impacts aren’t just visual and short term 
  • The park is home to thousands of endangered, vulnerable or rare plant species 
  • Mr Sullivan said there’s potential to damage significant sites if riding continues
  • Parks Victoria wants mountain bike riding in the park to be restricted to one trail 

An increase in rogue mountain bike riding in Victoria’s natural bushland has been blamed for the extinction of endangered, vulnerable and rare plants. 

People have been mountain bike riding at Yarra Bend Park for more than 20 years, but an increase in illegal bike jumps over the past year is endangering plants.

Parks Victoria’s area chief ranger Brendan Sullivan told The Age the increase in illegally built tracks is having a ‘significant impact’ of the viability of vegetation.

An increase in rogue mountain bike riding in Victoria’s natural bushland has been blamed for the extinction of endangered, vulnerable and rare plants

People have been mountain bike riding at Yarra Bend Park (pictured) for more than 20 years, but an increase in illegal bike jumps over the past year is endangering plants.

People have been mountain bike riding at Yarra Bend Park (pictured) for more than 20 years, but an increase in illegal bike jumps over the past year is endangering plants.

‘Some of the worst examples are trails built for downhill riding due to the vulnerability of the soil,’ Mr Sullivan said. 

The chief ranger said the devastating impact of bike riders isn’t just visual and short term, but rather it can have a long-lasting and damaging effect on biodiversity. 

Yarra River Keeper Andrew Kelly said he was shocked at the amount of erosion he has seen as a result of illegally constructed tracks and jumps. 

He said carving trails through the park often strips away vegetation and erodes the delicate fragile surface soil, which can lead to a range of issues in the park. 

Mr Kelly said he would like to see riders on illegally built tracks fined because, aside from the environmental damage, the erosion makes the park look quite ugly. 

The park is also home to seven of Victoria’s 1120 most rare and endangered plant species, including the Small Scurf-Pea, Gilgai Blown Grass and Short Water Starwort.

In addition, there are also almost 290 indigenous plants located in the park, which also contains some of the last remaining bushland in inner-Melbourne.

While the park has definitely taken a beating over the last twelve months, Mr Sullivan said luckily no culturally significant sites have been damaged – despite the risk.

In addition, there are also almost 290 indigenous plants located in the park (pictured), which also contains some of the last remaining bushland in inner-Melbourne

In addition, there are also almost 290 indigenous plants located in the park (pictured), which also contains some of the last remaining bushland in inner-Melbourne

While the park (pictured) has definitely taken a beating over the last twelve months, Mr Sullivan said luckily no culturally significant sites have been damaged - despite the risk

While the park (pictured) has definitely taken a beating over the last twelve months, Mr Sullivan said luckily no culturally significant sites have been damaged – despite the risk

He said it’s wonderful people want to use the park for leisure activities, and he suggested bike riding should be restricted to one trail or path. 

‘Whilst illegal trail building can damage sensitive ecosystems, Parks Victoria is managing the issue and its associated impacts in collaboration with the community while still providing a great recreational opportunity,’ Mr Sullivan said.

Currently, bike riders can be hit with fines of up to $178 for making and riding on illegal tracks, but Parks Victoria would prefer to avoid the ‘zero-tolerance- approach. 

Mr Kelly disagreed with that approach, saying he still wants to see riders fined because education and collaboration can only go so far. 

‘If you don’t enforce the laws then you’re saying those laws don’t matter,’ he said. 

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