Rio Grande Valley Bicycle Riders - ALERT!
As many of you know, Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge was a popular bicycle ride for many years. In the last six or seven years, bicycles have been excluded from Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. I have tried repeatedly to get this policy changed. Recently I met a member of the staff, Alexa, and raised the issue with her. Alexa said that there was to be a staff meeting the following week and she would bring it up at that meeting.
I just received a message from Alexa that reported that bicycling at Santa Ana is up for reconsideration and that a public comment period is currently open. The deadline for comments is February 16, 2018 so we don't have long to get these comments submitted. Comments can be submitted via e-mail or written and mailed in a letter.
The link to the solicitation for comments is: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/santa_ana/draftcds.html
Now here is the strange part. There are seven policies up for review, the first one on the list is Bicycling and Scientific Research at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. I have read that part of the set of documents and can not find a single word in the document related to bicycling. The word bicycle is never mentioned in the document. I am puzzled by this as the remaining documents in the listing all mention the topic under consideration multiple times.
I don't know if this is good, they are trying to get bicycling approved under the same authorization as Scientific Research, hoping that the key person or persons won't notice this omission. Or is it bad because nothing in the document specifically mentions bicycling (beyond the title). Either way, I plan to submit my comments and hope the you will follow suit. Also, please pass along to any others you know who may be interested in changing the present policy at Santa Ana which excludes bicycles from the refuge.
A few points to mention:
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge Allows bicycling on any of the roads in the park including the scenic loop which is closed to automobile traffic but has a tram, just as Santa Ana has a tram.
Both Laguna Atascosa and Santa Ana National Wildlife Areas are under the same management entity, the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuges. Why should the policy of one allow and the other exclude bicycles?
Bicycling is a popular activity in any community. Young people are particularly enthusiastic about bicycle riding. Families with young children would benefit from a policy allowing bicycle riding in the refuge. Among the Winter Texan community in the Rio Grande Valley many people bring bicycles to the area and many Winter Texan groups have organized rides. Allowing bicycle riding in the refuge will substantially increase the public participation at the refuge as well as public support for the mission of the refuge.
For many years our bicycle ride group bicycled safely and without conflict with the tram operations or with wildlife in the park. If there were conflicts caused by other groups, we are unaware of that and we support the enforcement of all the National Wildlife Refuge rules and regulations. Action should be taken against any group that causes a problem by violating the refuge rules. Such action should be directed at the offending group, not in a general policy which excludes all similar groups.
Bicycle riding produces no air pollution, no noise pollution other than people talking (an activity of any other group in the park including the loudspeaker in the tram). Wildlife may be mildly disturbed by the occasional bicycle passing but we have never seen a physical conflict between a bicycle and wildlife.
We support bicycles being limited to use of established roadways within the park. We do not support and are not requesting bicycles on foot trails or on limited access roads (off road or trail bicycling).
Bicycling is good exercise. Bicycling in a natural setting is very peaceful, enjoyable and refreshing.
Exposing more people to the joys of being in a natural setting should be one of the goals of the National Wildlife Refuge system.
Thank you for taking the time to consider this request, submitting your comments to Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge and for passing the request on to other bicycle riders.
Thomas Butler
9800 N Seminary Road, Lot 44
Edinburg, TX 78541
314-374-5889
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