The illegal use of ATVs on our public lands is the biggest threat we have to the future of Long Island’s hiking trails.  Every year many miles of trail tread on sanctioned trails is destroyed along with much of the surrounding environment, damaging a major component of our tourist industry.

On June 21 2007, representatives from several hiking, environmental, and land management groups implemented an experimental program designed to protect our public lands.  A little more than a year ago the Central Pine Barrens Commission’s (CPBC) Protected Lands Council (PLC) initiated a pilot 2000-acre project in Southampton, with the goal of mitigating the damage to natural, cultural, and recreational resources caused by illegal use of all terrain vehicles (ATVs) on our public land. Charles Hamilton, Regional Natural Resource Director for the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation volunteered to head the PLC subcommittee.  He engaged the participation of representatives from Suffolk County Parks, the Nature Conservancy, the towns of Brookhaven and Southampton, both the Long Island Greenbelt and Southampton Trails Preservation Society, the CPBC,  the Long Island Power Authority, Suffolk County Water Authority, Brookhaven Laboratory, and the CPBC Law Enforcement Council (LEC).  We developed a strategy, during meetings in the field, documented the areas of concern, developed solutions, and submitted the detailed project description to the Commission.  A multi-agency task force then implemented the approved plan in a single day.  This project is authorized under the 1993 Long Island Pine Barrens Protection Act and the Central Pine Barrens Comprehensive Land Use Plan (2004).

One of the most successful functions of the LEC is its multi-agency ATV task force details.  Usually three or more agencies pool their resources to form teams of officers on quads and 4-wheel drive vehicles.  These teams patrol areas that have recently generated multiple complaints from the public about illegal ATV use or other environmental violations.  Call 911 if you are witnessing abuse of public land, or 1-877-BARRENS to report ongoing dumping or destruction in the Pine Barrens.  Last year 256 ATVs were impounded.  There is a $500.00 impound redemption fee on each ATV impounded, plus usually a few summons for a wide range of infractions, such as; carrying excessive persons, not having a helmet, insurance, license, registration, or if a parent allows a minor to operate an ATV in violation of local law.

Over the last few years, the LEC has been having a lot more successful multi-agency “sting operations” and the rate of destruction on the trails and natural open space has been decreasing.  The damage is still advancing, but at a slower rate than five years ago.  The entire resource is being negatively impacted.  If this continues, the environmental integrity of the aquifer and ecology that we have “protected” will be irreparably compromised.  Perhaps the more successful sting operations in conjunction with this new project will turn the tide on the mounting damage.

The area we decided to protect has a segment of the Paumanok Path (PP) running through it, a DEC trail and a boundary trail.  Six weeks after erecting the barriers and signs, I decided to look at this area.  If you are interested in hiking this area, purchase the Eastern Pine Barrens map from the Long Island Greenbelt Trail Conference (Phone 631-360-0753).

The first trail I walked was the Paumanok Path.  I parked at the NYS DEC trailhead on CR 104, two miles south of the Riverhead roundabout.  The DEC yellow trail and the Paumanok Path are not maintained, so the trails are closed in.  Until the PP is re-cut, I suggest that you walk north along CR 104 for 100 yards and cross the road onto what looks like a “boulevard into the woods”.  This is the PP widened to 15’ for use as a fire control line.  Ignore the sign saying Trail Closed and walk around the fence.  Along the boulevard are 3 kiosks that describe wildfires and controlled burns, one has been vandalized.  The first major left turn after a straight walk of a half-mile is the yellow trail.  The trees with blazes were cut down when this was also widened as a fire control line.  I followed this trail to the blue loop a large segment of this trail was also widened, making this walk a low tick adventure until you reach the half mile of trail that runs through the wetlands where the trail needs to be cut back.  There were no ATV tracks here.  The other unmarked trail that I will describe in a future article had been a hotbed of ATV activity.  On this day I was able to sit at a crossroads and listen to the birds and some other animal I couldn’t identify.