Health & Fitness
Portsmouth Lady's Slipper Habitat Destruction
Constructive suggestions for action are welcome
This is a short blog post to further elaborate on yesterday's post about the threat to lady's slipper habitat from dirt bike motorcycles in Portsmouth. What the accompanying photo I've posted shows, besides the inset of a sprouting lady's slipper, is one of the jump obstacles the riders have made for their stunts. The jump presents two aspects: It shows the degree of risk and it shows the semi-permanent nature of the destruction.
I'm suspecting that it shows one other thing as well, which possibly is the theft of property. It looks like the jump has been partially constructed with railroad ties, which most likely were removed from the tracks that are next to this location.
I estimate that the gap between one ramp and the other is approximately twelve feet. That represents a significant degree of risk to riders.
There are other trails nearby where the riders have deliberately altered the terrain by installing banked turns of mounded earth fortified with fallen trees and similar things.
Any suggestions for whom to contact about the issue are welcome. Please feel free to comment below.