Feasibility Management Study of Off Road Vehicle Trails in ...

Feasibility Management Study of Off Road Vehicle Trails
in Highlands East, Haliburton County Ontario
Paul Nopper Chris Balenovich
2/24/2011
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Abstract
This research project was provided by the OFTR to identify if it is feasible to manage an
off road vehicle trail network in Highlands East, Haliburton County, Ontario. Two 4 th year Trent
University students in the Geography Program were enlisted to complete this project. The use of
literature reviews, secondary source surveys, in person interviews, and phone interviews were
used to identify the feasibility of developing the trail network. The researchers investigated the
environmental impacts, social impacts, and economical impacts that could influence the creation
of a trail network. The results of the investigation found that there would be an economic
increase within the community and for the OFTR. If regulations are put into place, then the
environmental impacts can be mitigated and will have little impact on the environment. The
social impacts can be reduced if all stakeholder groups are included in the development process.
Based on the recommendations, it is feasible to manage an off road vehicle trail network in
Highlands East, Haliburton County.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Prof. Mark Skinner and Prof. Heather Nichol from Trent
University for their hard work and guidance in the development of this project. Their input and
assistance was invaluable for the projects success. We would also like to thank Heather Reid and
Jenny Smith from U-Links for their help and contributions to this project. We would also like to
thank our Host, Ken Hoeverman of the Ontario Federation of Trail Riders for the opportunity to
conduct this research and hope that it can be put to good use.
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Table of Contents
Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………........1
Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………………..2
List of Abbreviations…………………………………………………………………................6
List of Figures and Tables………………………………………………………………………7, 8
Chapter 1: Introduction……………………………………………………………………………9
Context………………………………………………………………………………...9, 10
Research Questions…………………………………………………………………..10
Goals and Objectives…………………………………………………………………….11
Structure of Report……………………………………………………………………….11
Chapter 2: Literature Review…………………………………………………………………….12
Environmental Impacts………………………………………………………………12, 13
Social Impacts………………………………………………………………………..13, 14
Economic Impacts……………………………………………………………………14, 15
Health Impacts…………………………………………………………………………...15
Land Use Impacts……………………………………………………………………15, 16
Chapter 3: Methodology…………………………………………………………………………17
Study Site Profile…………………………………………………………………………17
Research Design…………………………………………………………………………..25
Secondary Source Surveys
Interviews
Chapter 4: Results………………………………………………………………………………..28
Interviews………………………………………………………………………………...28
Environmental Impacts………………………………………………………………28, 29
Economic Impacts…………………………………………………………………..30, 31
Social Impacts……………………………………………………………………….31, 32
Land Use Impacts……………………………………………………………………32, 33
Secondary Source Survey…………………………………………………………….34-39
Chapter 5: Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………40
Limitations………………………………………………………………………………..40
Goals and Objectives………………………………………………………………...……40
Recommendations…………………………………………………………………….41, 42
Next Steps………………………………………………………………….……………..42
References……………………………………………………………………….……….43, 44, 45
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Appendix…………………………………………………………………………..…………46-77
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List of Abbreviations
ATV: All-Terrain Vehicles
DFO: Department of Oceans and Fisheries Canada
OFTR: Ontario Federation of Trail Riders
OHTN: Off Highway Trail Networks
ORV: Off Road Vehicles
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List of Figures and Tables
Table 1. This is a representation of some of the questions that were proposed and used
throughout the interview process………………………………………………………………..26
Table 2..This is a representation of some of the questions that were presented within the
questionnaire of 2010 by the OFTR……………………………………………………………..27
Figure1. This map is a representation of Haliburton County, Ontario with all municipalities
present…………………………………………………………………………………………....18
Figure 2. This is a representation of Highlands East municipality, which is south of the town of
Haliburton Ontario. Municipality of Highlands East, Map of Highlands East Area…………….19
http://www.highlandseast.ca/discover/map
Figure 3. Municipality of Highlands East, Ontario Abandoned Mines sites. Official Plan
Schedule Abandoned Mine Sites, Municipality of Highlands East……………………………..20
http://www.highlandseast.ca/files/official-plan_schedule-d_abandoned-mine-sites_large-pdf.pdf
Figure 4. This is a map of Highlands East, Ontario with the environmental features represented
within the municipality. Official Plan Schedule: Environmental Features, Municipality of
Highlands East………………………………………..................................................................21
http://www.highlandseast.ca/files/official-plan_schedule-b_environmental-features_large-pdf.pdf
Figure 5. This map is a representation of Highlands East Ontario and routes of transportation that
are located within the municipality. Official Plan Schedule: Transportation, Municipality of
Highlands East…………………………………………………………………………………..22
http://www.highlandseast.ca/files/official-plan_schedule-c_transportation_large-pdf.pdf
Figure 6. This map is a representation of Highlands East, Ontario Land Use within the
municipality. Official Plan Schedule: Land Use, Municipality of Highlands East……..………23
http://www.highlandseast.ca/files/official-plan_schedule-a_land-use_large-pdf.pdf.
Figure 7. Current trail map of Highlands East, Haliburton County. OFTR GPS trail map provided
by the OFTR 2011................…………………………………………………………………….24
Figure 8. Response to where members ride. OFTR Member Survey 2009…………………….34
Figure 9. Response to where members ride. OFTR Member Survey 2010……………………..34
Figure 10. Response to frequency of rides. OFTR Member Survey 2000………………………34
Figure 11. Response to frequency of rides. OFTR Member Survey 2010………………………35
Figure 12. Response to how bike(s) are transported to trail heads. OFTR Member Survey
2009………………………………………………………………………………………………35
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Figure 13. Response to how bike(s) are transported to trail heads. OFTR Member Survey
2010………………………………………………………………………………………………35
Figure 14. Response to rider profiles. OFTR Member Survey 2009…………………………….36
Figure 15. Response to rider profiles. OFTR Member Survey 2010…………………………….36
Figure 16. Response to what other activities riders like to participate in. OFTR Member Survey
2009………………………………………………………………………………………………37
Figure 17. Response to what other activities riders like to participate in. OFTR Member Survey
2010………………………………………………………………………………………………37
Figure 18. Response to gender of members. OFTR Member Survey 2009……………………...37
Figure 19. Response to gender of members. OFTR Member Survey 2010……………………...38
Figure 20. Response to age of members. OFTR Member Survey 2009…………………………38
Figure 21. Response to age of members. OFTR Member Survey 2010…………………………38
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Chapter 1: Introduction
The purpose of this research is to identify the feasibility of managing and operating an off road
trail network for the Ontario Federation of Trail Riders in Highlands East, Haliburton County for
the use of off road motorized vehicles.
The Ontario Federation of Trail Riders (OFTR) has expressed the interest in the
feasibility of developing an Off Highway Trail Networks (OHTN) in Highlands East, Haliburton
County, Ontario. Particular interest is directed towards the development of dirt bike trails, with
possible expansion for all-terrain vehicles (ATV) and 4x4 truck and jeep trails. The development
of a paid use or not for profit off road network; will hope to create the image of the place for Off
Road Vehicles (ORV) to ride in Ontario. This will influence multiple positive aspects for the
community such as job creation, economic stimulus, increase in tourism and social status. This
report will provide the OFTR with an overview of the feasibility to develop a trail network
system.
This chapter introduces the research and discusses the main components of the project. It
will also put context and backing into why this research is being conducted. As well, it will give
information into key research questions, goals, and objectives of this project.
Context
In order to develop a sustainable trail network, multiple models of trail networks need to
be considered. There are several of different models for trails to be developed upon. Styles can
range from trails developed by governmental funding that anyone can use for free at any time.
This can be seen with trail networks developed on crown land all across Canada or throughout
the provincial and federal park systems. Another form of trail development is the pay per use
trail networks. One example of a pay per use trail system is the Hatfield McCoy Trail Network in
West Virginia, USA. There trial network was originally based around resource extraction. When
the industry declined, the economy of the community suffered along with the citizens. At one
point, this area had the lowest average income in the United States. In the early 1990`s the
community boosted their tourism and economy through the development of an OHTN. The trail
system opened in 2000 and has over 300 miles of ORV trails and another 200 miles were added
by 2004. An economic impact assessment was conducted in 2005 of West Virginia They were
able to determine with the addition of the Hatfield McCoy Trail System, economic activity
increased with an output of $8 million. The assessment also showed an income growth of $13
million which helped to generated 146 new jobs. This had a return of 125% of appropriated
money for the network development. Rock Run Trail Network in Pennsylvania, USA is a multiuse
motorized recreation area that provides over 50 miles of trails with terrain suited to match all
skill levels Paiute ATV Trail Network in South central Utah, USA, provides over 900 miles of
trails, making it the largest in the United States. Highwood Mountains, located in Montana,
USA, has 29 miles of multi-use trails, 9 miles of equestrian/hiking trails, and 2 miles of hiking
trails only.
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Demographic information is critical to this research because it shows the current
economic state of a community and how it is being sustained without a trail network in place.
This gives general information as to how a trail network may influence a community with an
influx of economic stimulus that may be potentially brought to an area. From the 2006 Censuses
results, Haliburton County individuals 15 and over, participating in the work force made up
54.5% of the residents within the county. In comparison to Ontario`s overall average of workers
15 and over was 67.1%. This represents a significant loss of tax base of people that could be
working in Haliburton County. Also of that 54.5% of workers, only 26.7% of them work full
time. Those working full time, their average income was $32258. This is well below the average
of all Ontario full time workers at $47299. There was, however a population increase in
Haliburton County of 7% taken in the 2006 Census. However, there was a decrease of 2% in
individuals between the ages of 20-44. This information shows that there is a migration of young
workers leaving Haliburton County to find steady work. In order to improve the status of the
Highlands East, and Haliburton County, more job development and economic stimulation must
be placed into the area and should be a main concern for the further development of the county.
Haliburton County is similar to Hatfield McCoy region in that its economic base has
dwindled substantially, resulting in significant economic hardship. Highlands East is in a similar
situation to what Hatfield McCoy was during the early 1990`s. Both areas have residual trail
systems from natural resource extraction activities. The regions are also similar because they are
located close to highly populated areas that can be travelled within a day`s drive that have
limited amounts or a shortage of motorized use trails. This gives the opportunity for expansion of
trail systems based on demand. They also share large areas of privately owned land where wellmanaged
trail facilities could exist. Trails can be built around or in conjunction with private
landowners. One large difference between the two areas is that Haliburton County has a
significant percentage (30%) of its land is crown land and has more non-corporate private
landowners. In addition, Haliburton County has large number of part time residents, such as
cottagers, who contribute heavily to the tax base. As many as 50,000 residents own lakeside
property in Haliburton County.
Research Questions
The key research questions derived for this project are based on social issues, economic
development, environmental protection, and feasibility of developing an OHTN. The first
research question is to identify the primary target market for the use of an OHTN. The second
research question is to identify the costs associated with establishing a trail park. The third
research question is to find what the potential economic impacts would be associated with the
trail network. The fourth research question is what types of design features are necessary to
keeping the trail network interesting while challenging the rider‟s skills. The final research
question is to find what environmental impacts are associated with off road trail use. These
questions were designed to focus the research areas to ensure that the feasibility of an off road
trail network can be established in Highlands East, Haliburton County.
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Goals and Objectives
The main goal of this paper is to show that it is feasible to establish an off road trail
network within Highlands East, Haliburton County. Objectives for this are based on economic
development, environmental protection, and social issues within the community and on the trail
networks. Objectives for economic development would be to establish new jobs in the tourism
industry, increase tourism dollars from increased trail use, and the construction of facilities and
parking areas within the community. Objectives for environmental protection are to used or
developed strategies to help mitigate the impact of motorized use on natural areas. Finally,
objectives for social issues will be designed based on a code of conduct for safe and proper
riding for both the riders and the community involved.
Structure of Report
The format of this report will be divided into separate chapters for easier identification
and reading purposes. The first chapter will give an overview of the entire research project
including context of the project, goals, objectives, and the structure of the report. Chapter 2 will
give background information through a literature review of the goals of the research project
which include Economic Impacts, Social Impacts, Environmental Impacts, Health Impacts, and
Land Use Impacts. Chapter 3 will provide information on the methodology used to complete this
project. It will introduce a profile of the study area in question and outline the research design
used to conduct the project. The research design will include information on secondary source
surveys, in person interviews, and phone interviews. Chapter 4 will show the results of the
objectives in question through the use of secondary source interview, literature reviews, and
interviews. Results will encompass Economic Impacts, Social Impacts, Environmental Impacts,
Health Impacts, and Land Use Impacts. Chapter 5 will be used to conclude the findings of the
research project. This chapter will also provide information on recommendations and the next
steps necessary to carry on this project. At the end of this project there will be a section for
references and a section for the appendix which will include raw date, interview, and other
experiences that the researchers had during the project.
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Chapter 2: Literature Review
In this chapter, a review of literature on the topics of environment, social, economics, and health
will be examined on the basis of off road vehicles (ORV). Drawing on the fields of recreation
geography, environmental studies, physical geography, tourism studies and economic studies
will give background information into what has already been studied and to give base line
information for further explanation within this project.
Environmental Impact
When determining the feasibility of an off-road vehicle (ORV) park, one of the most
important questions is, how is this type of recreation going to harm the environment? We live in
a world where environmental sustainability is extremely important, as resources are key to our
livelihood and our well-being as humans. If we are going to be taking part in activities that may
have a negative impact on the environment, how can we minimize these effects? First, we need
to be aware of the problems in order to better them and form solutions around them. When it
comes to ORV use such as dirt biking and ATVing, communities, planners, citizens and users
want to be sure they are doing their best to have as minimal an impact on the environment as
possible. This is conducted through the Tread Lightly (2011) strategy for sustainable ways of
living, will have numerous long-term positive effects on natural areas, and will cut down on
costs and save money if preformed properly. ORV trail use seems to have negative
environmental impacts in two main areas: soil and vegetation. Other impacts include wildlife
endangerment and air quality Buckley (2004).
Olive et al. (2009) and Buckley (2004) talk about how soil degradation from recreational
use of ORV‟s on trails depends on factors like soil texture, climate, topography, trail design and
maintenance. Griggs et al. (1981) shows how the main soil problem within ORV trails is erosion,
and the severity of this depends upon level of usage. This erosion of trail soil is a big problem for
trail management because it is often times irreversible if the correct actions are not taken and
these actions are usually costly and may even lead to further impact on the soil. The erosion of
soil can lead to unsafe riding or use conditions and can have negative impacts on visitor
experience as well says Olive et al. (2009). Another form of erosion by ORV use is wind erosion
where pesticides can be dispersed into agricultural soils or asbestos from mineral soils Buckley
(2004) says. Bellamy et al. (1971) claims erosion is more common in wet areas, where soil grain
is fine and on steep slopes.
Nakata et al. (1978) and Buckley (2004) show how vegetation is affected as vehicles can
crush plants, seedlings and root systems. The uprooting of small plants and disruption of root
systems of longer plants due to stress induced in the soil is another main concern. Plants and
stems are susceptible to being damaged or uprooted by the structure of vehicles so that the actual
damage done to plants may occur over an area that is much larger than the trail or track width.
Boyle (1985) says this loss and destruction of vegetation has direct effects on the wildlife in the
area that uses the plants as food. Off-Road vehicle use can also affect wildlife through direct
mortality, increase in noise, and habitat destruction. Berning et al. (1999) brings up another
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concern with ORV use, which is air quality and the gases the vehicles emit. Nineteen percent of
ATV‟s have two stroke engines, which deposit nearly thirty percent of their unburned fuel into
the environment. California Air Resources Board has also found that two stroke and four stroke
ATV‟s and motorcycles release over one hundred times as much smog-forming pollutants into
the air as cars.
This paints a pretty grim picture for ORV users and ORV parks but these are worse case
scenarios. There are now specific laws requiring proper maintenance of vehicles, appropriate
permits and laws pertaining to retrofitting vehicles up to the proper environmental standards.
Crimmins (2006) introduced the concept of decibel levels on trails in the Management
Guidelines for Off Highway Vehicle use. ORV‟s must maintain a level of 94db or less to be
permitted on trails. When trying to determine whether a location will be feasible in establishing
and ORV network of trails, the environmental impacts very well could be one of the most
important aspects. Understanding what the problems are and how they can be properly mitigated
to ensure maximum rider enjoyment and environmental sustainability is crucial.
Social Impacts
A social stigma seems to be attached to ORV riders these days and tied specifically to dirt
bike and ATV riders. They are seen as young hooligans riding around in the forests tearing up
the environment, acting reckless with no regard for their own safety or their surroundings. They
are seen as noisy, dirty and unwanted by small communities. This stereotype has been glorified
through media and popular culture over the years and by the small number of irresponsible riders
out there who ruin it for the rest of their community. On the most recent Ontario Federation of
Trail Riders member survey, there are specific questions geared towards this stigma, which
shows how important it is to ORV riders. The truth is that this stereotype is wrong, the age of
riders spans from children to seniors, laws are established to reduce noise levels and
environmental concerns of ORV‟s and riders are extremely respectful and their recreation is very
profitable for all communities engaged.
The primary concern with regards to this social stigma is the conflicts that arise between
ORV and non-ORV users. There is a potential for the disruption of neighbours and noise
pollution conflicts. This boils down to a person‟s “quality of life”. There is going to be conflicts
as soon as someone feels their quality of life is affected in a negative manner. Kirkbride (2010)
shows that when conflicts occur between these two user groups (ORV and non-ORV), the
greater negative social impacts are felt by the non-ORV user groups. This could be because ATV
and dirt bikes are more physically dominating than hikers for example and this leads to stress and
an increase in this social stigma around ORV users. Badaracco (1976) brings up the idea that a
non-ORV user‟s enjoyment level decreases on multi-use trails or when ORV‟s are nearby either
because they feel unsafe or are upset with the noise level. This can lead to a decrease in
participation among non-ORV users, which is never a good thing. Non-ORV users often
consider ORV use as inefficient on multi-use trails. This is based on their noise level, dust
accumulation, and the excessive speed conducted around other train users from the area says
Kockleman (1983). One aspect of ORV recreation that goes unnoticed is the health benefits of it.
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A study of exercise intensity showed that fourteen percent of ATV riders and thirty-eight percent
of an ORM ride are within the intensity range required to achieve changes in aerobic fitness.
Riding led to muscular fatigue, especially in the upper body claims Burr et al. (2009). This form
of recreation has numerous health benefits and this could help lessen the stigma attached to it if it
were more widely known.
These conflicts can be reduced with proper trail management techniques and through the
planning process. ORV‟s are going to make noise just as cars and buses make noise but there are
rules put in place to limit certain negative aspects of ORV‟s. For example, a noise reduction rate
is in place where dirt bikes and ATV‟s have to be under a certain decibel rate in order to be
ridden. The OFTR, for example, has a campaign raising awareness about reducing noise.
Kockleman (1983) puts ORV users into three categories: work-related users (management and
utility workers), recreation users (casual and endurance riders) and „bad apples‟. Things are
being done to diminish the social stigma attached to ORV users but as long as a few „bad apples‟
keep the stereotype alive, there will always be conflicts between ORV users and non-ORV users.
Economic Impacts
Over the past 30 years, there has been a significant rise in the popularity of ORV usage
throughout North America Becker and Wilson (2010). Through the use of off road trail
networks, small rural towns have been able to establish an increasing amount of tourism dollars
through the development and establishment of off road trail parks and networks. These tourism
dollars have regenerated once popular rural North American towns to become a frontier staple
for ORV use. When establishing trail parks, the economic costs and benefits to a town become
the focal point in which the establishment of the park is based on. The main question that comes
into focus when discussing economics of ORV‟s is how much revenue will be generated per day
per person on the trail network and within the community? This is not the only aspect that
economics is a part of; it is also associated with cost to health and environment.
When developing a trail network, it is essential to ensure that there is going to be an
increase in the economic tourism revenue for a town. Few economic based studies have been
conducted on Canadian trail networks and the affects of tourism dollars on a particular town.
MicKittrick (2009) conducted an economic benefit assessment of motorcycle trail riding
activates for Ontario. It showed that there is benefit to motorcycle trail use for both the rider and
the local economy. However, this is not the case in the United States. Two studies conducted by
Englin (2006) and Englin and Holmes (2005) observed multi-use trail networks in North
Carolina. They evaluated the use of three pay per use trail areas using a travel cost model to
estimate the per person day consumer consumption. This allowed for the development of a
demand curve based on consumer usage and consumption during their stay. They were able to
establish that consumers, as an accumulation of the three trails, were spending between $25 -
$1000 within the community and on the trail network. Another study conducted by Bowker
(1997) used a similar travel cost model for Croom Recreation area based out of Florida. Bowker
was able to estimate that tourist were spending $12 - $66 dollars a day per person within the
town and trail network. Similar to the previous studies, From Arizona, Silberman and Andereck
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(2006) were able to identify a consumer surplus of $54-$96 spent depending on the type of ORV
used. Each area that was studied, have different attributes and accessibilities that would change
the expected benefits to be generated through the association of off road trail users.
Health Impacts
Health costs are generally associated with economic dollars in treatment and the
educational nature of health and safety. Helm-Kamp and Aitken (2009) show a need for
economic costs to be associated with safety education for ORV users. Thousands of deaths
(5204) were associated with ATV use during 2000-2005 (Helm-Kemp and Aitken, 2009). It was
insisted that money be put towards the cost of educating riders in safe riding procedures,
enforcement of speed limits on trails, and informing the riders of the benefits to wearing helmets
to save lives. A similar study was conducted by Lawrence (2007) discussed the economic burden
associated with paediatric deaths caused by ATVs. The economic burden costs were associated
with medical expenses, work loss, and quality of life. It was also determined that increasing the
economic dollars towards education of riders would slow the rise of deaths caused by ORV use.
When observing the environmental health costs associated with economics, there is very
little research established. Most research is entailing what the impact on the environment is
associated with the use of ORV‟s. These usually include how trails degrade over time through
trail use, environmental damage caused by fuel or oil spills, air pollution, and noise pollution
(Jacob and Schryeyer 1980). This may tell us about how the environment is affected but it does
not inform on the cost of repairs to the environment. There needs to be more studies conducted
as to the economic costs associated with environmental damage caused by ORV trail use.
Land Use Impacts
The creation of an off road trail park or network involves the delegation of land for the
use of participation. The land must be delegated and negotiated with private landowners, the
Ministry of Natural Resources, Crown Land, provincial and federal governments. These
stakeholders hold the key to the development and implementation of trail networks for the use of
mixed-use trails. Land use planning must follow the guidelines of development that have been
put in place by governing bodies over the land that has been selected. This can be through
permits, by-laws, and legislation that have been implemented on the land. Issues that arise from
the creation of trails for use by ORV‟s are linked back to laws that have been established by
these stakeholders in order to keep the preservation of the environment and to ensure safety of
the rider (Off Road Vehicles Act, 2009).
One step in the development of trail networks is to incorporate social issues and natural
resource information to get a better understanding of where people like to rise and what their
concerns are. Albritton and Stein (2011) combined geographical information about the natural
resources affected by ORV‟s and the social dynamics that are associated with them. This is the
first time the combination has occurred, which helps to get a better understanding of the
interaction between people and the environment in which they participate. Similar studies
include Laitos and Reiss (2004), Walterback (2004), and Kahn (2009), who looked into
15

environmental land management laws and how they are influenced by multi-use trails. They tried
to find a common ground between all users of the trails, non-motorized and motorized users, and
what disputes have arisen over land use. Most of these issues have been resolved in the courts
and by the implementation of new laws on natural resources. There have been papers based on
land management and off road vehicle management. Adams and McCool (2009) observed how
land management and ORV management can combine to identify better site specific areas for
environmental protection against ORV‟s. Carver and Laitos (2004) produced a similar paper
discussing the shift of paradigms in resource management in favour of allocating land from the
new recreation of off road trail use.
The impacts discussed above are essential to understanding and developing a proper
management study for ORV‟s in Highlands East. These impacts allow for a more in depth
investigation into how people react to ORV‟s around their community and in their natural areas.
It also allows for the investigation of economic impacts and how they can influence both the
community and the tourism industry. Social impacts can be assessed to determine strategies that
can be implemented to ensure that all concerns are noted. Land use information is needed to
follow proper procedure to develop trails following stakeholder‟s legislation, laws and
understand the procedure behind the development. Health impacts are investigated for how
ORV‟s can affect people and what benefits they can bring. This literature review helps to get an
understanding and background information into how people react to ORV‟s, what economic
benefits they can bring, what health benefits people can get from riding, what land use
considerations need to be reviewed, and how to prevent or minimize environmental impacts on
the land.
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Chapter 3: Methodology
In this chapter, the description of the site area under observation will be given in detail. Research
design will be discussed as well as the approach taken, data collection, and a profile of the
process and analysis of the information.
Profile of Study Site
Haliburton County was split into four municipalities: Highlands East, Minden Hills,
Algonquin Highlands, and Dysart. They were created through the amalgamation of nine separate
municipalities in 2001. For this study, we will be observing the Highlands East municipality. The
municipality of Highlands East was incorporated in 2001 after it was amalgamated with former
townships of Bincroft, Cardiff, Glamorgan, and Monmouth. It is located 1.5 hours north of
Peterborough at 75 km. It has a population of roughly 3000 people and covers approximately 600
square km. The following maps are important for representing the area of study. They also show
points of interest that people may want to investigate. There are maps to show environmentally
sensitive areas that may want to be avoided when constructing trails. There is a transportation
routes map that might be used to show areas for potential entrees for trailhead access points.
There is a map that shows the current land use designations for the area of Highlands East. This
can be used to identify private land, crown land, and areas to avoid construction on. The final
map represented shows the current trails that have been mapped out by the OFTR. These maps
offer great details of the area of Highlands East that will be used to development, designing, and
ensuring the optimal riding experience for all levels of riders.
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Figure1: This map is a representation of Haliburton County, Ontario with all municipalities
present. The County of Haliburton Municipal Map.
http://www.haliburtoncounty.ca/main.asp?function=municipal&subfunction=municipal&section
=Planning&subsection=OfficialPlan.
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Figure 2: This is a representation of Highlands East municipality, which is south of the town of
Haliburton Ontario. Municipality of Highlands East, Map of Highlands East Area.
http://www.highlandseast.ca/discover/map.
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Figure 3: Municipality of Highlands East, Ontario Abandoned Mines sites. Official Plan
Schedule Abandoned Mine Sites, Municipality of Highlands East.
http://www.highlandseast.ca/files/official-plan_schedule-d_abandoned-mine-sites_large-pdf.pdf.
20

Figure 4: This is a map of Highlands East, Ontario with the environmental features represented
within the municipality. Official Plan Schedule: Environmental Features, Municipality of
Highlands East http://www.highlandseast.ca/files/official-plan_schedule-b_environmentalfeatures_large-pdf.pdf.
21

Figure 5: This map is a representation of Highlands East Ontario and routes of transportation
that are located within the municipality. Official Plan Schedule: Transportation, Municipality of
Highlands East. http://www.highlandseast.ca/files/official-plan_schedule-c_transportation_largepdf.pdf.
22

Figure 6: This map is a representation of Highlands East, Ontario Land Use within the
municipality. Official Plan Schedule: Land Use, Municipality of Highlands East.
http://www.highlandseast.ca/files/official-plan_schedule-a_land-use_large-pdf.pdf.
23

Figure 7: Current trail map of Highlands East, Haliburton County. OFTR GPS trail map
provided by the OFTR 2011.
24

Research Design
The research design of this project was started with the creation of an ethics application.
This application allowed the researchers to ensure that their questions would have established
rigour prior to moving forward. This also ensured the safety of all parties involved in the project.
The ethics application was created for the purpose of one on one interview. The interviews were
created as such to allow for further questions to be added later on during the interview that may
have not been thought of by the researchers. Hay (2005) describes this form of interview as semi
structured. In this form, the interview is somewhat predetermined, however it still allows for
flexibility in the way issues can be addressed by the researchers to the interviewee. The interview
was designed with both primary and secondary questions. Hay (2005) describes primary
questions as opening questions that initiate discussion on a new topic or theme. Secondary
questions prompt the interviewee to follow up on or expand on a previous question. Interviews
were selected for the following purposes; to fill in gaps of knowledge that other methods may
have left out, to investigate the complex behaviours and motivations between people,
stakeholders, and community members, it allows for the collection of diverse experiences,
meanings and opinions but can also lead to consensus, and this method can empower or show
respect to those who have conducted the research. It also gives experience and opportunity to
those that are conducting the research and to those who are a part of the dissemination process.
Interviews were digitally recorded with permission from the interviewee for the purpose of
analysis at a later time.
25

Table 1: This is a representation of some of the questions that were proposed and used
throughout the interview process.
Do you think it is economically feasible to establish an ORV network in Highlands East?
What Points of Interest do users want to come in contact with?
Who are the stakeholders involved in a project like this and how are they involved?
What amenities (signs, maps) need to be established in a network such as this?
What evidence or background information do you have that could be useful when looking at an area like Highlands
East? Examples from other similar areas?
What land use considerations are important?
How do you approach property owners?
Key design features?
How can you avoid environmental impacts?
What do you believe are the most important aspects in creating an economically viable trail system?
Strategies to minimize conflicts on trails?
Do you have any suggestions for increasing economic stability based on trail use?
There are abundance roads/trails from resource extraction processes in the area. Is this a beneficial aspect of the area
when incorporating a trail system? Based on your previous experience?
How do you regulate a trail system? (passes, monitoring permits etc)
What steps did you take to construct you‟re network?
Did you encounter any barriers from stakeholders, MNR etc? How did you get around this?
How could how you created you‟re network, translate to an ORV network in Highlands East?
What stakeholders played major roles in your plan?
What advice would you give for someone trying to set up a ORV network in HE?
How did you attract people to your trail network and to the area? (POI‟s)
What amenities are present in your area/water network?
How has this network proven economically viable for the area?
How long did it take you to establish? Timeline
What rules did you put in place for your trails network?
What steps were involved in getting a use permit from the MNR?
What are your current responsibilities with the MNR?
How do you fund your operations? Did you receive any start up grants?
What is the economic impact of managed water trails in Algonquin Highlands?
How many jobs and businesses have can you attribute to HHWT.
Do you have reference letters as to the success of HHWT?
Do you think that OHVs can follow that same model as HHWT and be successful?
What barriers do you foresee for managed recreation in Highlands East?
Is there need for managed 4x4 recreation areas in Ontario?
How much land/trails do 4x4s need for a quality experience?
Are obstacles and challenged important?
Would OF4WD members pay to use a managed recreation area.
Is your municipality willing to invest in managed OHV recreation
Does the municipality have lands available
what is your experience with organized OHV events in highlands east?
How much resistance did you get when you first proposed your project and how did you overcome it?
Do you have reference letters from landowners and government agencies? (get copies)
May we have a copy of your original feasibility study and proposal letters?
What does your land use agreement look like?
How were able to increase tourism and funds through your ORV network in a devastated economic community?
What amenities needed to be present to ensure your successful trail network?
What Points of Interest did you use to base your trails around and to increase visitors? Ex. Geo-caching, historical sites,
community events
What were the challenges when dealing with a community that was economically overcome?
What strategies did you use to mitigate trail conflicts?
How did you incorporate the existing resource extraction road networks into your trail system?
What strategies did you use to increase or decrease the difficulty of trails for beginners, intermediate and advanced
riders?
26

Following the completion of the interviews, the researchers then transcribed the digital voice
recorded interviews. The transcriptions can be found within the appendix at the end of this
project report. Upon completion of the transcription of the interviews, analysis of the interview
data collected was preformed. Manifest content analysis and latent content analysis were
preformed upon the data following collection. Hay (2005) describes manifest content analysis as
a visual or surface content of an interview transcript. An example of this is tallying the number
of times that ORV is brought up during the interview, or the number of time that conflict
appears. This gives a broader understanding of the position of the interviewee and their thoughts
on the topic. Hay (2005) describes latent content analysis as searching the documentation for
themes that appear through the interviews. An example of this is how mixed trail use is portrayed
in a conflictive or passive fashion. The interview data will be presented later in the results
section of this report.
To supplement the interviews, the researchers were supplied with secondary source
questionnaires that were conducted by the OFTR from 2008 – 2010. They supplied a mixed
method questionnaire that provided both qualitative and quantitative information from those that
participate in ORV recreation. The questionnaire was prepared and given to the researchers in
the forms of histograms and charts. This allowed for an easier analysis of the data.
Table 2:.This is a representation of some of the questions that were presented within the
questionnaire of 2010 by the OFTR.
How long have you been an OFTR member
How frequently do you ride during the ride season
How many people in your household ride an off road motorcycle
The number of female OFTR riders has increased in recent years to 12.9% How many of
the riders from question 3 are female
Do you ride outside of Ontario
Off Road Ontario is a group of OFTR affiliated clubs that created a new competition
series for Cross Country and Enduros Competitions in 2010. Did you participate in any of
these events
How do you get your bikes to the trails
Do you have a motorcycle licence
We are seeing more toy hauler RVs and tailors at our events. We may approach RV
manufacturers for special OFTR discounts based on your response. Please select a
sentence below
What other trails do you enjoy
How do you rate the level of satisfaction with the OFTR
27

Chapter 4: Results
In this chapter, the results of the questionnaires and the interviews will be presented. It will also
highlight the objectives that were previously presented in this report, as well as recommendations
for further development.
Interview Results
Environmental Impact
In this section of the results, environmental impacts will be observed from the interview
process. These results shed light into what problems are out there and the potential to ensure that
the problems do not occur.
Interview 1 discussed the idea of implementing a time restriction on when riders would be
allowed to traverse the trail network. The thought was to hold people from riding before June 1 st .
This would ensure that the ground would be sufficiently stable to support riders without causing
environmental damage. This concept would be nice to have in place to ensure that spring runoff
has enough time to work its way through the system and allow for grounds to recover before
riders take to the path. The suggestion was also put forward about putting a stop date for riding
in the fall. The thought was of October 31, to allow the ground to prepare for the winter months
as more rain fall and snow starts to appear. The hope is to preserve the ground for the next
season. Also to ensure the area is viable for riding and tail development, an environmental
assessment or atlas should be developed to identify key areas to avoid riding in. These areas
could be shorelines, hazardous areas, and environmentally sensitive locations in crown land.
Educating people is another critical point that must be established. If people know the rules and
areas to ride they generally will stay to those confines.
Interview 2 suggested a similar approach to environmental protection by instituting a date in
which people would be restricted to ride. He suggested that the date be May 1 st and the close date
be close to the end of October. The hope again is to ensure that the trial network would be dry
enough to ride on and not cause serious environmental damage to the area. He also mentioned
that there is a plan already being put into place with the MNR, the OFTR, and the Haliburton
ATV Association to make sure that people stay off the trails till they have been classified or
deemed open to ride on. Also mentioned was the proper use of signage on the trail system. The
use of signs would help trail riders identify the trails that they are allowed to ride on. This should
help to prevent people travelling off the trail network and making new trails. This would reduce
mass environmental impacts that are associated with new trails carved out be people that should
not be making trails. Education is also a critical aspect for environmental protection to take
place. If people know the rules and regulations, people usually abide by them.
Interview 3 brought up the idea of integrating all groups that would be associated in the tail
development under one committee. For Hatfield McCoy, they were able to establish a group that
consisted of members of the Hatfield McCoy Recreation Authority, the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Forestry.
28

With these groups included, they were able to establish regulations, policies, conduct research,
and legislation in West Virginia to support an environmentally safe trail network. This took place
from 1997 – 2000 and the trail system opened in 2001. With these groups under one roof, they
were able to mitigate many of the conflicts that may have arisen during the development of the
trail network. It was also critical to educate the incoming riders on the rules and regulations of
the new trail system to ensure that environmental impacts would be kept to a minimum. For trail
construction, they followed the 4 E‟s, Engineering, Education, Enforcement, and Evaluation.
Each of these steps ensured that the environment would be taken into account and
environmentally sensitive areas would be protected under this mandate.
Interview 4 discussed the issues with people on camp sites and using the Haliburton Highlands
Water Trail Network. Originally, when the area was unmanned and not managed, people visiting
would destroy areas of environmental sensitivity. People would leave garbage, other waste,
destroy camp areas, overpopulate an area for camping, cut trees down, and overall just create
problems and environmental impacts on the area. So to stop this from happening, a committee
was put together to lobby all levels of government for support and funding to manage the
recreational area. Once the funding was acquired in 2003, an environmental assessment of the
camp sites, trail areas, and trail heads was conducted. They also teamed up with the MNR to
ensure enforcement practices were in place to protect the environment. This allowed for the
designation of areas where people could camp, the amount of people that could stay on one site,
the amount of days they could occupy one sight, and what they could and could not do as
recreation on the trails and camp sites. This drastically reduced the number of incidences that
occurred and that put stress on environmentally sensitive areas. Now it is a pristine environment
which many people enjoy year in and year out.
Interview 5 discussed the legislation involved with the environment and the development of
crown land. The select key pieces of legislation that are involved in a trail network are Crown
Land Forest Sustainability, Crown Land Use Act, and Lake and River Shoreline Protection Act.
Any trail system or groups of camp site located on crown land must fall under the criteria stated
in these pieces of legislation. These acts protect shoreline construction, trail network
construction, building construction on crown land, and protect environmentally sensitive areas.
When a trail network is implemented, it is reviewed by the MNR. The MNR has biologists from
the forestry department, the Department of Oceans and Fisheries (DFO), and species at risk
biologist to look over the application to ensure that the environment will not be compromised
through construction. If the area is going to affect a particularly sensitive area, then the
application will be denied with comments on possible movement of the trial network to a new
location to prevent irreparable damage. The MNR is in control of the crown land protection and
will use conservation officers to patrol the areas. If the area is mismanaged and damaged, then
the MNR will use its full force to protect it under the federal legislation presented.
29

Economic Impact
The economic impacts are critical to both the developer of the trail network and the
community that it will reside within. For the trail network to be feasible, economic stimulus must
benefit all parties involved. The interview results give concepts and ideas to how this can be
attained.
Interview 1 discussed that amenities would have to be developed or offered to the riders for
economic stimulus to begin. To ensure economic stimulus on the trial and for the trail network
washrooms and running water must be accessible. These must be located at central points along
the trail network. Parking areas and camp grounds may need to be expanded to ensure there is
enough space for riders to park and stay close to the network. The cost of these places can be
added to the trail permit passes issued for riders. This might start off as basic amenities, but has
the potential to grow over time. It would also be good to include the community in this situation.
They have hotels, gas stations, grocery stores, and other amenities that could be used to help
attract riders to the area. If a business plan could be established between the OFTR and the
community, this might help generate revenue for both groups. Co-operation is mandatory for the
increase in economic stimulus to the area.
Interview 2 agreed that there was a definite opportunity to look further into putting a business
plan together that would incorporate an economic stimulus to the area. The main factor that
would determine the increase in funds to the area would be how good of a trail infrastructure is
offered. If it is a rich infrastructure, there would be a good chance that large groups of people
would come to the area and purchase trail passes. These passes can range anywhere from $50.00
to $200.00 if the area is well developed with trails. With people coming to the area to buy trail
permits and staying a few days in the area, more then likely they will be in need of purchasing
supplies. These supplies could be purchased through the local businesses in the community. Gas
stations, general stores, and diners may see the biggest increase in revenue from trail users. This
deserves further study but the community must be part of the business plan, either through the
chamber of commerce or going to the local businesses and seeing what they would offer.
Interview 3 emphasized that having the support from the community is 100% necessary. The
community must be able to see the economic benefit to them before they will approve any trail
building in the area. In order to get the information to the community you must hold town
meetings, put information in the local newspapers or form of dissemination, and keep the
community involved. If you do not build the trust and support from the community, it will be an
uphill battle. Unfortunately you will always face opposition on this topic. It is a touchy subject
for some people, but you must show them the economic benefit that it will bring to the
community. You must show how the amenities that the community provides will be affected
positively in order for them to agree on your project.
Interview 4 discussed that there was a dramatic economic surge after the development of the
Haliburton Highlands Water Trail Network. He also discussed that the impact is more prominent
now then it ever has been. Since this area has become a provincial destination, there has been a
30

dramatic influx of people migrating to the area every summer. 25% of the people that come to
the area come from the Greater Toronto Area. The rest of Ontario supplies about 5% of the
visitors from other towns and cities. We also receive some visitors from other countries such as
Germany and the United States that come and use the facilities. The people that come here are
now paying to camp and spending longer visits. This results in more money to pay for staff, but
also translates into money for the local businesses. People are buying fuel, supplies, and using
local restaurants when they stay at the camp sites or use the trail network. This has become a
beneficial working experience for both the trail network and the community. We are also seeing
repeat customers and new customers giving us positive results which only helps to benefit the
economic status in the area.
Social Impacts
In Interview 1, a common theme throughout the interviews regarding the social side of things
was trail design features and difficulty levels. The idea is to keep riders happy and constantly
having fun. A repetitive trail system where all the trails are the same difficulty and the landscape
never changes will not create a lasting memory for riders and they may choose not to return. The
interviewee made it clear that having an evolving landscape as you ride through trails will
increase the level of enjoyment dramatically. Whether that means going through different types
of forests and trees to riding over little creeks to riding up and down hills and drumlins. In terms
of difficulty, the interviewee stressed having a multitude of trail difficulties so that all types of
riders from beginners to advanced have the opportunity to ride on this specific network. This was
reiterated through the OFTR survey results as well and it a very important aspect when creating a
trail system. Ensuring riders can ride up to their skill level allows them to feel safe and secure
while riding which goes a long way in increasing the fun and amusement of the riding
experience.
In Interview 2, the interviewee used trail difficulty as a step to ensuring a successful trail system.
He talked about a system of 1-5, which is already in place in a lot of areas. 1 being an easy trail
ride and 5 being advanced, single track trails. Having these clearly laid out on maps and signage
throughout the park is a must. Everyone wants a different experience from riding. Some people
want to just sort of take their time going through the trails, stop here and there to check things
out and be on their way. Others want to be challenged, they want to go up and over things and
ride on twisting and turning narrow trails. The interviewee touches on looped trails as a main
priority. People want to be able to unload their gear at trailheads and be able to return back to
where they started once their riding is over. Having looped trails also means having all different
difficulty trails connected so riders can jump one difficulty to the next if they so choose. All
these things again just add to the riding experience and will keep the riders coming back week
after week because there is always more for them to explore.
The Interview 3 interviewee who helped get the Hatfield-McCoy trail network running, talked
about how their original plan was to just have the trails in somewhat of a linear line so people
can get from community to community in West Virginia. Over time their philosophy changed
because they realized this is not what the people wanted. They have since implemented a range
31

of different difficulty levels and have been very successful in this manner. To ensure the quality
of experience for the riders, the Hatfield-McCoy committee worked closely with different
organizations and departments to create policies for their network. These policies were created
to make sure the environment was sustained and to develop rules and regulations for the network
to ensure safety, fun and a quality experience. The proposed network in Highlands East would
have to do something similar to this and work closely with the community and organizations like
the Ministry of Natural Resources in order to have a successful trail system that generates a
sustained profit.
The Interview 4 interviewee from the Haliburton Highlands Water Trail Network talked about
how positive the community has been to his network, noting a number of innovation and various
awards the network has received. Community involvement is huge when establishing a project
like this because these are the people who are using it, the people who are living beside it and the
people who are benefiting or not benefiting from the profits the network generates. If you do not
have the backing of the community it will be very hard to get something like this off he ground,
which is why keeping the community constantly aware of what is going on and relaying to them
the positives that a project like this can create is very important.
In Interview 5, to go along with the importance of a range of difficulty for the trails, the main
thing this interviewee expressed in terms of social aspects of trail systems was proximity to
urban centers. Urban centers are where the majority of people live and being surrounded by
concrete and walls these people need a place to escape and ride around on their ORV‟s in
beautiful forests and rural areas. Highlands East has access to these urban centers in
Peterborough and Toronto. People in these areas will not have to drive far to escape city life to
experience the beautiful scenery and terrific trails in Highlands East and Haliburton County.
Land Use Impacts
In Interview 1, one of the main points the interviewee talked about was the aspect of crown land
and private land. There is an abundance of crown land up in Highlands East and Haliburton
County and with crown land comes a bunch of restrictions and the need for different permits so
being on the same level with the Mineral of Natural Resources is very important. There are
currently a couple private landowners in the area who are willing to allow trails to be built across
their property, which is a positive sign and a good step going forward. The major thing in terms
of land use that was stressed during this interview was the idea of mixed or multi use trails. If
mixed use trails are going to be implemented where some trails are designed for ORV‟s and
other for different activities like hiking and biking the these trails need to remain separate
because conflicts will occur. Motorized trails must always be kept separate from non-motorized
trails to ensure safety and to avoid inevitable conflicts that will arise. What also can be added
here is again the idea of different difficulty level trails. One more important aspect is making
good use out of the existing old mining and resource exploitation roads. These are roads that are
already built and are usually of good quality that can be turned into trails as part of the trail
network. This saves a lot of time to allow for other matters to be tended too. Land use is very
important on many different levels including the environment, safety and quality of experience.
32

In Interview 2, this interviewee was primarily concerned with the Ministry of Natural Resources
and their ownership over the land as well as the existing resource roads. He was concerned about
the grasp the MNR had on the area and whether or not they would pose a problem with a trail
network like this. I talked about this a little before. It would be very important for the OFTR and
MNR to work together if this project is going to get off the ground and become successful which
it definite possibility. In terms of the old resource roads, the interviewee said these roads could
form the backbone of the trail system because they are already available and are usually solid,
quality trails. He went on to say making sure they don‟t classify existing trails and roads around
new roads is important because they could be eligible for closure. This could be a problem if
there is a movement to close these existing old resource roads especially if they could become
the backbone of the proposed trail network.
In Interview 3, the interviewee touched upon the existing roads that could be used as trails or
arteries to other trails. In fact this is one of the first things he did when proposing and mapping
out the Hatfield-McCoy trail network. It is important to understand the area where you want to
create the trail network and knowing the area means making use of everything it has to offer.
Having roads already built that can easily be transformed into trails and then using that as your
basis for the rest of your network can go a long way in planning an envisioning the whole
system. Policies for safety, land use, and multi-use trails were established once again like what
was created by a previous interviewee. This was a crucial step in mitigating many of the
problems that can occur when creating a trail network like environmental problems, mixed use
problems and safety problems.
Interview 4 did not touch on any land use aspects.
In Interview 5, the interviewee from the MNR touched on land use issues with respect to the
environment. He was just concerned with how well the environment would be protected and
whether all the proper permits would be in order to ensure the protection of wildlife and natural
resources. Interviewee also touched on the MNR‟s preference of using existing roads as part of
the trail network. If new trails were to be created, they would be done in the most
environmentally friendly manner with the least amount of impact as the OFTR is in the business
of protecting its resources and ensuring the best riding experience, not damaging the very
environment they rely on to participate in this type of recreation.
33

Secondary Source Survey Results
Figure 8: Response to where members ride. OFTR Member Survey 2009.
Figure 9: Response to where members ride. OFTR Member Survey 2010
These figures show that a large majority of OFTR members ride in province, which is
very beneficial because Highlands East could be a major recipient of these riders and their
income, creating economic increases into the community. A large number also ride in the U.S.
but with a new trail network in Highlands East, the area could definitely “steal” some of those
riders who leave the country, keeping them and their money in Canada.
Figure 10: Response to frequency of rides. OFTR Member Survey 2009.
34

Figure 11: Response to frequency of rides. OFTR Member Survey 2010.
Over 75% of riders ride 2-4 times a month, which is pretty regularly and these riders
want to experience different trails, different challenges, and different experiences which lends to
a new trail system in Highlands East and would definitely bring money into the area. The more
active the riders are, the more likely they are to try new trails and experience new areas.
Figure 12: Response to how bike(s) are transported to trail heads. OFTR Member Survey 2009.
Figure 13: Response to how bike(s) are transported to trail heads. OFTR Member Survey 2010.
Most of the members use a motorcycle trailer or pickup truck when transporting their
vehicles to the trails, which means there will need to be a sufficient amount of space to park
these vehicles. Parking lots may need to be enlarged or created to ensure parking availability.
Private land owners could be key in loaning space to create these parking lots.
35

Figure 14: Response to rider profiles. OFTR Member Survey 2009.
Figure 15: Response to rider profiles. OFTR Member Survey 2010.
These figures show you that more than half of the OFTR members want to ride
something they feel give them a challenge and is exciting. Riding the same trails week after
week will become less challenging over time and coming to a new trail system could be the
answer for these riders. Large numbers of riders are also shown to want to ride easy trails and
ride very difficult trails. It would be very important to have these different levels of difficulty
incorporated into the trail system so as to satisfy all skill levels and this would be a main
component of the trail system in Highlands East.
Figure 16: Response to what other activities riders like to participate in. OFTR Member Survey
2009.
36

Figure 17: Response to what other activities riders like to participate in. OFTR Member Survey
2010.
Multi-use trails are a very important aspect of trail systems because ORV users want to
participate in other forms of trail recreation other than their primary focus. This is evident with
the results from this question. More than half of the respondents pointed to hiking and bicycling
on the trails as the main activities they like to participate in.
Figure 18: Response to gender of members. OFTR Member Survey 2009.
Figure 19: Response to gender of members. OFTR Member Survey 2010.
Clearly, most of the OFTR members are male so in order to maximize membership and
profits, things may need to be done to reach out to the female demographic, who incidentally has
been growing in numbers in recent years. Some examples could include holding all-female riding
events or offering deals on memberships or riding passes for females. If males are going to be the
main area of concern in generating profit, then areas and establishments in the community will
need to be geared toward this demographic.
37

Figure 20: Response to age of members. OFTR Member Survey 2009.
Figure 21: Response to age of members. OFTR Member Survey 2010.
The majority of OFTR riders are aged 35-54, so again the community of Highlands East and the
surrounding area will need to provide activities that are geared toward this demographic. There
are a lot of interesting things to do in the area in the way of Point of Interest, which would be
instrumental in luring riders to the area and keep then coming back week after week and year
after year.
So what do these survey results tell us? ORV users are primarily staying within Ontario to
participate in this type of recreation, which means more users and more frequent visits for a trail
system such as the one proposed in Highlands East, Haliburton County. Riders are getting out
every week or every couple weeks to ride. This is pretty frequent and coupled with the fact that
most of them are staying in Ontario, the economic gains could be very large in a place like
Highlands East. Space may be an issue because many ORV riders are hauling large trailers or
pickup trucks to the trailheads, so an ample amount of space will need to be provided in the area
to ensure a quality experience. An important issue with trail systems is having trails that are
suited to all types of riders. This is a family recreation with many different age groups, which
usually means different skill sets. So having designated difficulty trails mapped out and properly
signed like novice, intermediate, advanced for example, will go a long way in ensuring each
family member enjoys themselves and their experience and is able to do it safely. ORV riders for
38

the most part, are not completely consumed with just riding ORV‟s, they like some change every
now and again. A large proportion enjoyed hiking and bicycling, which can be incorporated into
the trail system as a form of mixed use trails. Highlands East and the surrounding area have a
great number of Points of Interest for riders to take part in when they are not riding such as geocaching
or mineral tours. Providing an educational aspect to the riding experience greatly
enhances the product especially among children.
39

Chapter 5: Conclusion
In this chapter, the limitations of the project will be examined, the recommendations will
be stated based on the results from the interview and the secondary source surveys, and the next
steps in the process of this project will be presented.
Limitations
This project posed some limitations to the researchers when trying to complete this
project. The first limitation was during the contact stage of the interview process. When
conducting the interview process, the original number of people that were to be interviewed was
8. During the contact process, 5 people responded to the emails sent out. The three people that
did not return the emails for contacts, the researchers attempted to phone the individuals. When
this did not work, time constraints prevented further trials to get these people to join in on the
interview process. The second limitation that was discovered was the health impacts. Most of the
people interviewed had little knowledge on the health impacts of trail riding on people. Health
impacts on riders have the potential to become an interesting topic of study, but in this instance
little was discovered. The third limitation that was encountered was setting meetings with
people. The researchers wanted to conduct sit down interview with people, unfortunately due to
scheduling and distance; it was difficult to achieve this. This lead to phone interviews becoming
the more predominant way of communication between interviewer and the interviewee.
Goals and Objectives
The main goal of this paper was to show that it is feasible to establish an off road trail
network within Highlands East, Haliburton County. It can be concluded from the evidence
gathered in literature reviews, secondary source surveys, and interviews that it is feasible to
manage an off road trail network in Highlands East, Haliburton County. The sub goals for this
project were based on economic development, environmental protection, and social issues within
the community and on the trail networks. Through the investigation, the goals of the project can
be assumed feasible as well. The trial network would development new jobs in the tourism
industry, increase tourism dollars from increased trail use, and the construction of facilities and
parking areas within the community would also stimulate the economy. The goals for
environmental protection have been found viable. They will have to use previous guidelines or
developed new ones to help mitigate the impact of motorized use on natural areas. Finally, the
goals for social issues have also been covered. Designing a code of conduct for safe and proper
riding is essential for both the community and the trail riders. The most important aspect is to
include the community in all steps of the project.
Recommendations
Based on the information gathered from the interview process, the secondary source
surveys, and the literature review, it has been determined that it is feasible to manage an off road
vehicle trail network in Highlands East, Haliburton County. The following are the
recommendations that have been established from the results section.
40

The first recommendation that can be established from the results is that the community
must be involved in every step of the development process. The community is a vital part in the
establishment of a trail network. If they are not included in the development process, they may
present a large amount of resistance. It is better to include the community and be on good terms.
This will help to mitigate large problems in the future.
The second recommendation that can be drawn from the results is that an environmental
assessment or atlas must be constructed. This assessment will show the areas in which the trail
network can and can not be developed on. The assessment will show areas of environmental
sensitivity, hazardous areas that can not support a trail network, development near shorelines,
and places where buildings can be put up along the trail network. This assessment must be
completed in order for the MNR to access the area and approve the construction of the trail
network on crown land.
The third recommendation is that a committee should be established to overview the
development and construction of the trail network. This group should have community members,
members of the OFTR, members from the MNR, members from the Chamber of Commerce, and
members from the municipal government. Having this committee together would generate good
standing between the groups. It would also help to mitigate problems that might occur between
the groups and give an basis for civil conversation and mediation to occur. The goal is to have
this project succeed; it can only do so with everyone on the same page.
The fourth recommendation is that the area should be mapped out for all trails, road
ways, and networks that are currently in the area. The OFTR currently has places mapped out
some of the trial network. However a complete trail map needs to be established to develop and
integrate already existing trails and roadways into the trail network. Using already developed
trails would cut costs and speed up the process of network development.
The fifth recommendation is to develop or use a code of conduct for riders who are using
the trail network. One code of conduct that has been used throughout the United States in state
parks, national parks, and even Hatfield McCoy is the Tread Lightly code. This code covers
camping, trail riding, dirt biking, ATVing, 4x4 riding, fishing, hunting, and non motorized trail
use. If used properly the trail network, the environment, and the users can participate safely
without irreparably damaging the area.
The sixth recommendation is the use of the 4 E‟s strategy for trail building. Keep in
mind, the trail network must incorporate looped trails with multiple difficulties to allow for the
best rider experience. The 4 E‟s are Engineering, Education, Enforcement, and Evaluation. If
engineering is done properly, the trails developed should last many years with little maintenance
and not be an environmental impact. Educating the users of the trail is essential. In order for
people to know how to act and use the network properly, they must know the rules and
regulations. The development of brochures and maps is essential to give to riders to participate
safely. Enforcement comes from the MNR though conservation officers, members of the OFTR,
and the users themselves. The trails should maintain a status quo and if anything happens against
41

the regulations, enforcement needs to take affect. Evaluation of the trial network must be done
constantly. This can show where trails need to be repaired, expanded, and also allows people to
evaluate the staff of the network. This feedback allows for change to occur to better the network
for future riders and users.
Next Steps
The following are suggested as the next steps in the progression of the development of
the tail network system in Highlands East, Haliburton County.
1. Develop an oversight committee to overview the development and construction of the
trail network.
2. Establish where the trail network will be located along crown land including multiple
levels of difficulty and looped trails are developed.
3. Complete the environmental assessment or atlas that will determine if the areas
selected for trail development are sufficient to withstand trail use.
4. Submit an application to the MNR with the request to construct a trail network in the
Highlands East area.
5. Upon approval from the MNR, take the information to the community through a
municipal government meeting to address the benefits of a trail development.
6. Once approved, start construction of the trial network.
7. Disseminate information through newspapers, websites, tourism industry, and other
means of sending information out to people wanting a place to ride in Ontario.
42

References
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32-35, 68-75.
Bellamy, D. Radforth, J. Radforth, N. 1971. Terrain, Traffic, and Tundra. Nature. Pg 429-
432.
Berning, C. Gallagher, S. Lang, R. Smith, S. 1999. Off the Track: America’s National Park’s
Under Siege. Bluewater Network. Pg 1-41.
Bowker, J.M., Miles, M.P., Randall, E.J., 1997. A demand analysis of off-road motorized
recreation, in: Proceedings of Association of Marketing Theory and Practice. Expanding
Marketing Horizons into the 21st Century, pp. 387–391.
Boyle, S. 1985. Effects of Non-Consumptive Recreation on Wildlife: A Review. Wildlife
Society Bullentin. Vol 13. No 2. Pg 110-116.
Buckley, R. 2004. Environmental Impacts of Motorized Off-highway Vehicles.
Environmental Impacts of Ecotourism. Pg 83-98.
Burr, J., Gledhill, N., Jamnik, V. 2010. Physiological Demands of Off-Road Vehicle Riding.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. Vol 42. Issue 7. Pg 1345 – 1354.
Burr, J. Jamnik, V. Gledhill, N. Shaw, J. 2009. ATV and ORM Health Benefit Study Fact
Sheet. Canadian Off Highway Vehicle Distributors Council. Pg 1-3.
Deisenroth, D. Loomis, J. Bond, C. 2009. Non-Market Valuatition of off-highway vehicle
recreation in Larimer County, Colorado: Implications of Trail Closures. Journal of
Environmental Management. Vol 90. Pg 3490-3497.
Englin, J., Holmes, T., 2005. User fees and the demand of OHV recreation from benefits and
costs of resource policies affecting public and private land. Papers from the Annual Meeting.
Utah, Salt Lake City. February 14–15.
Englin, J., Holmes, T., Niell, R., 2006. Alternative models of recreational off-highway vehicle
site demand. Environmental & Resource Economics 35, 327–338.
Griggs, G. Walsh, B. 1981. The Impact, Control and Mitigation of Off-Road Vehicle
Activity in hungry Valley, California. Environmental Geology. Pg. 229-243.
Helmkamp, J.C. Aitken, M.E. Lawrence, B.A. 2009. ATV and Bicycle Deaths and Associated
Costs in the United States: 2000-2005. Journal of Public Health. Vol 124. No 3. pg 409-418.
Kirkbride, S. 2010. ATVing Trends and Economic Examining Benefits. Municipality of
Dysart, Haliburton Ontario. U-Links Centre for Community Based Research. Pg 1-48.
http://www.haliburtoncooperative.on.ca/literature/pdf/PD_673_Examining_ATVing_Trends_and
_Economic_Benefit_2010.pdf.
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Kockelman, W.J. 1983. Environmental Effects of Off- Road Vehicles: Impacts and
Management in Arid Regions . Edited by R.H. Webb and H.G. Wilshire. New York, NY:
Springer-Verlag. Pg 399-446.
Lawrence, B.A. 2007. The Economic Burden of All-Terrain Vehicle-Related Pediatric
Deaths in the United States. Pediatrics. Vol 119. No 1. Pg 223-225.
Nakata, J. Shipley, S. Wilshire, H. 1978. Impacts of Off-Road Vehicles on Vegetation.
Transactions of the 43 rd North American. Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference. 131-
139.
Official Map. 2011. Map of Highlands East Area. Municipality of Highlands East.
http://www.highlandseast.ca/discover/map
Official Plan Schedule. 2011. Abandoned Mine Sites Map. Municipality of Highlands East.
http://www.highlandseast.ca/files/official-plan_schedule-d_abandoned-mine-sites_large-pdf.pdf
Official Plan Schedule. 2011 Environmental Features Map. Municipality of Highlands East
http://www.highlandseast.ca/files/official-plan_schedule-b_environmental-features_large-pdf.pdf
Official Plan Schedule. 2011. Land Use Map. Municipality of Highlands East.
http://www.highlandseast.ca/files/official-plan_schedule-a_land-use_large-pdf.pdf
Official Plan Schedule. 2011. Transportation Map. Municipality of Highlands East.
http://www.highlandseast.ca/files/official-plan_schedule-c_transportation_large-pdf.pdf
OFTR. 2009. Ontario Federation of Trail Riders Member Survey.
OFTR. 2010. Ontario Federation of Trail Riders Member Survey.
OFTR. 2011. GPS Trail Map. Ontario Federation of Trail Riders.
http://www.oftr.ca/page.php?id=581.
Olive, N. D., and Marion, J. L. 2008. The influence of use-related, environmental, and
managerial factors on soil loss from recreational trails. Journal of Environmental
Management. Vol 90. Pg 1483-1493.
Silberman, J., Andereck, K.L., 2006. The economic value of off-highway vehicle recreation.
Journal of Leisure Research 18, 208–223.
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http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/home/index.cfm.
Statistics Canada. 2006. Results of Statistics Canada Census of Haliburton Country.
http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/rt-td/inc-rev-eng.cfm.
The County of Haliburton. 2011. The County of Haliburton Municipal Map.
http://www.haliburtoncounty.ca/main.asp?function=municipal&subfunction=municipal&section
=Planning&subsection=OfficialPlan.
44

The Tourism Company. 2009. Economic Benefits Assessment of Motorcycle Trail Riding
Activities of Ontario Household in 2008. Prepared for the Ontario Federation of Trail Riders.
http://www.nabernet.com//mainfiles/files/3081.pdf.
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County. Prepared for the Haliburton Highlands Trails and tours Network.
http://www.nabernet.com/mainfiles/files/1238.pdf
45

Appendix
Interviews
Interview 1
Interviewer: You are primarily more of trails and hiking not necessarily motorized use though or
do you know a fair amount about that?
Interviewee: Yes, I do know a fair amount about motorized use. I do consider myself a trails
person which is both but probably I find myself much more knowledgeable in the non motorized
sector but does not mean I have not studied the other.
Interviewer: Knowing, Highlands East, do you think it is feasible to have an off road vehicle
network there based on the amenities that are already there?
Interviewee: Certainly as you know being good geographers, or going to be, that location is
pretty critical. So, the Canadian Shield is there, I would really be concerned with the
environmental side of it first, ok so you need to check that out. Second in terms of that area, it is
probably is mostly land ownership is mainly crown land I would think and because it is crown
land there are a whole bunch of restrictions I‟m sure you are aware of and then there is the public
land acts, permits to go with it, it is isolated somewhat so it would not be bothering people so
much, there are some roads there that might cause some issues. So the location wise would be far
enough removed that it would lend itself well to motorized. Location seems to be alright I guess I
would be concerned to make sure the environment could hold it. There are shallow soils in some
of those areas and it would be terrible thing to happen.
Interviewer: What strategies could there be to avoid environmental impacts or minimize
impacts?
Interviewee: There are a few, certainly time of the year spatial and temporal aspect meaning
maybe June 1 st before you could use the area and shut down on October 31 st only because of the
wet time, that would be important. I would look at timing. I would look at surfacing; you know
in terms of trail location, I would certainly be looking at a lot of rock outcrops, and a lot of
gravel areas and maybe in some cases you will have to bring in material to be able to couching
the area, I would certainly look at location as critical and modify when need to. Another strategy
to look at two areas, one for youth to learn to ride properly to test out their skills and knowledge,
another area a little more advanced so that you are not putting the risk up so high and minimize
impacts, and the third you need a real communication plan because even though you have a good
location, people may have a negative feeling about dirt bikes off the road into the forest, I think
the communication plan has to educate them about the impacts. If planning is done properly then
you will have all the information. If planning is done properly be prepared that it may not be the
right place and don‟t be afraid to say that. We are not trying to make something fit; we are trying
to assess it to see if it will fit.
46

Interviewer: There are an abundance of roads and trails since they used to be big on resource
expansion in Haliburton, that defiantly must be an advantage, what experience do you have with
old mining roads in terms of trails?
Interviewee: Usually they are built pretty well, they usually have a base, they have brought in
gravel and they have compact it and certainly the logging trucks have run on it. So the base is
usually not too bad, ok there are probably river crossings to look at, I would think those would be
your network. However I would put a little bit of caviont onto that because is that the
experiences the dirt biker wants the road or does he want the hills, the rivers, the valleys, and the
turns? So that experience that what they are trying to develop might be good for the novice but
not but it may not be good for the experienced.
Interviewer: So these roads are probably be like long straight a-ways?
Interviewee: Ya, a lot of them would probably be straight but not challenging, so I think it is
important to look at the three different levels and three different experiences that you are trying
to create and that dictate that environment as well. But it might satisfy levels one and two, but
the third one, the more experienced one I don‟t think roads would work.
Interviewer: Would you use these roads like arteries to link to other trails and areas?
Interviewee: Yep I would and loop them back. The loops are what you want. The length of the
loop and location are important. One of the strategies would be the parking area. If you limit the
size of the parking area, it would regulate the amount of use and they probably would not have
people taking tickets. But if you could only park 10 cars, you will only get 10 dirt bikes, possibly
20 but we will go with 10. If you have a big parking lot you know that could have 30 or 40, then
your impact would be significant. You can literally use a strategy in terms of how much space
there is to park to self regulate use. You guys must be extremely concerned with dirt bikes in
terms with their impact on the environment if you could keep them on the trails.
Interviewer: That is what they are finding is their big issue up there is that people are driving off
the trails and there are no signs to direct people.
Interviewee: Good, did you do, or maybe this is something you want to put in your report, I‟m
involved with John Marsh with the Northumberland forest and we did the trails plan there. That
is how I know Ken. He was not happy with what happened there. They were on the Oakridge
Moraine, but what they did was an environmental atlas, and what they did was take the area and
look at everything from surface water, underground water, the soil types and vegetation and did
like a GIS layering but called it an environmental atlas. Really you may want to talk about that
because it formed the basis for where the trails should be put. More importantly, in Ken‟s case,
which is really what we had and I was in meetings where they were very upset, where they
should not be. We did agree that the environmental atlas provided where the trails should be. It is
not that dirt bikes should not be in the forest, they should be. They are a recreational use and a
legitimate use, but they should not be here and here but they could be here and that was what
they did not want.
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Interviewer: That could have been a sensitive area.
Interviewee: Absolutely, and we were able to show that, but they still did not like that since that
was not the experience they were looking for. Maybe you should be looking at the environmental
atlas aspect of things, Northumberland atlas is online is a good example, and you guys should
look at that and see how they did it. It may be very basic up there, I know the area generally what
it is like, and there may not be any big problem there. But again back to what I said about the
communication plan, if you did that, you will stop the criticism. Cause someone is going to ask
you about an environmental assessment and how did you come up with these trails, cause Ken
wanted them? That type of thing.
Interviewer: In terms of points of interest, what are some key ones would be for those
participating in off road networks?
Interviewee: Form a design point of view, two thoughts come to mind, one is to define what the
profile of the inter-biker is and the different levels, if you have nailed down that profile that will
help. Assuming that you do, the water has to be some part of it either from a visual side or going
through water. The river beds must be designed to withstand the impacts, so they are looking for
that. Going back to the profile, they would want to go through it. They are looking at the vistas
and view that type of thing. What they are looking for is not repeating trails, or stacking loop
trails, not linear from a design type of view. Think of different landscapes from forest coniferous
to deciduous and mix them up together. Sometimes you have no choice but if you can mix them
it would be better.
Interviewer: So Highlands East, Gooderham, there is not a lot going on like a couple of diners,
maybe one or two motels, garage. Do you know what is being done to bring in tourists such as
festivals?
Interviewee: Geocaching is one way. Algonquin Park has access point in the southern part of the
park. It is probably new in the last 5 years. They don‟t allow dirt bikes in Algonquin Park, but in
terms of an attraction, it‟s great for canoes, kayaks, and hiking. The Drag River is another point.
It is great in the spring for white water rafting and kayaking. So there is a bit of diversity in
recreation in that manner. In terms of accommodations, Bark Lake would probably be happy to
fill some of their cottages up, lodges; the diversity of other things will help. If you build it they
will come. One person you want to talk to is a private dirt bike place outside of Kinmount. It is
worth talking to them. They do it for a profit. What you are asking for is us as tax payers is to
give you free public land to use throughout a permit, it may cost you a buck, but I am not saying
this is right or wrong but it probably be interesting to look at the private sector who makes a
living off of what you are trying to provide on public lands. Kinmount had a lot of regulations to
go through and a lot of hassle from the town on noise and anything they could throw at them
such as insurance. I think they are well worth a visit because you would define from a private
sector point of view and why the private sector picked this up and provide this opportunity and
why would the public sector pick this up. It might be because of jobs and such.
Interviewer: Ken said he had a few private land owners that would give up their land for trails.
48

Interviewee: Well I think it would be beneficial to talk to someone who makes money.
Interviewer: They would know the insides and outs of the system.
Interviewee: Well my first question to you would if you are building this close to the private
group would you want to put them out of business. I think it is worth a phone call, it is an
interesting business.
Interviewer: Do you have any key design features, such as loop trails, what else would ORV
users be looking for
Interviewee: Again I would go back to understanding the profile, well I am sure that Ken has
information of a profile on dirt bikers, I think you need to put them into categories such as
beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Each one of those categories needs different designs, so
some from very basic to advanced. From the advanced point of view they want jumps, sharp
turns, speed, and adrenalin. I would say complete the profile to see what you would really need.
The intermediate types, family groups would probably be happy with the road networks verses
the more advanced. I think you also need to think about who is going to come, your target
markets. Who are going to be and the liability that goes along with it.
Interviewer: I don‟t know if you have heard of Hatfield McCoy, the trail system over there, it is
funny cause it is almost exactly the same as Highlands East, like where economically they are
deprived and then they built this trail system and now they are thriving. That is what Ken wants
is something just like that. They are very similar situation and topography is similar. Amenities,
what amenities need to be established in a network like this, maps, signs?
Interviewee: Washrooms, defiantly, toilets. I think you need to look at all of those, parking lots
like I was saying, signage, not only in the run but how to get to locations. Good maps need to be
on site since I don‟t think there will be facilities in terms of a building. Drinking water if there is
a way to have water, not necessarily has be to there, people will bring it. If there is a way it
would be nice. If you get a washroom it would give them toilets. You might start off small with
the basics and as demand comes you can start to expand. Those are the basics.
Interviewer: We talked a bit about strategies about minimizing environmental impacts, how
about some strategies for trail conflicts in terms of dirt bikes and horseback riders.
Interviewee: Don`t do it. Keep motorized on their own trails and keep non-motorized on their
own trails, since you have the space to do it. You will never be able to resolve this. I have spent
the last 20 years on this and you will never be able to stop the conflicts. You will get your
mountain bikers and dirt bikers on one and it is a disaster. You talk to the motorized sector and
they say everyone can be accommodated and multi used. There is multi-use in terms of I call it
mixed –use, I think it is a better term and when you mix-use what are you going to get. Ok mix
use, not multi use, gives you the idea that everyone can work together and use it together. But if
you use mixed use, it gives you the context that you are mixing motorized enema and when you
do mixed use like this you are going to run into problems. If you can separate them you will not
49

have problems. If not you need enforcement, signs, insurance. I don‟t knows who is going to
cover the insurance on this whole area, and if the dirt bike association is going to carry the
insurance they are going to be paying a big premium as is, and if they put mixed use in there the
risk factor goes up and they will never be able to afford the insurance. There is also the
displacement factor which is when one on a dirt bike comes into contact with the mountain
bikers, the mountain bikers will not come back. They become displaced from the trails. You may
market it as a mountain bike dirt bike area, but they will be displaced from it because they do not
want to be mixed up with motorized use because of the risk factor and the trails themselves will
not be kept up in a nice fashion. That is what happens so often. That is why when you have a
motorized trail that all can use, but people don‟t use it even though you said they can because
they do not want to be displaced. They will not come. That is why they call it the displacement
factor. In this case, make a beautiful dirt bike trail, don‟t make it complicated or you will be
dealing with personalities.
Interviewer: Stakeholders in a project like this, who is involved. The MNR has got to be a big
player in this.
Interviewee: they are number one player they are huge. They have everything from the public
lands act, crown sustainability act, they have like 20 legislations under the forest act and you
name it, permit systems, they are number one. The other is the municipality, and probably a huge
area, any local residents; you would have to draw a circle around it like 5 km. The other
stakeholders would be Algonquin Park, depending on where you draw your line. The southern
part would be close so you may have to put a buffer between the park and area make sure it is a
good size since the park would be uptight about that, so that would be the provincial government.
Cottagers, residents that live there year round, resorts, like Bark Lake, the local community, they
probably won‟t have a BIA.
Interviewer: What is BIA
Interviewee: Business Improvement Association is always looking to improve the business area
but I don‟t think Gooderham has that. Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Industry although it
might be a larger area, you might want to look at this as four seasons. What happens in the
winter time, if you are just looking at it as a dirt bike trail it might be a better sell calling it a
snowshoe trail loop in the winter time, it will not hurt anything in the winter. They can park there
and walk, that would cover your non-motorized side. It might help you sell the product.
Interviewer: Have you ever heard of Tread Lightly
Interviewee: Yes, you probably checked the website. It is a great program, good ethical one to
have. I would put it in your report. It is usually not used in Ontario or in Canada but it is a good
program. I was involved in the Ganaraska trail system and I only got involved because there was
a huge issue with enduros. Enduros are a huge race and they wanted to ban them out of the
forest. I chaired this committee and that was in the early 1990`s and we didn‟t but we got a lot of
pressure from adjacent land owners and so on. I guess what I am trying to say is that this could
develop into special events such as enduros that would create economic impact by having special
50

aces and funds. The enduros are a good example. Look at the Ganaraska has done, they have
developed one trail for the dirt bikes and they have a motorized section as long as they stay on
the trails. But that was the compromise. The main part was a designated trail within the forest.
Interviewer: Do you know any other systems like Tread Lightly that are used in trail systems that
are Canadian.
Interviewee: No I do not know any that come to mind. The tread lightly is a real good one for the
motorized sector. There are trail ethics such as sounding the bell, staying to the right, but tread
lightly is mainly used and likely one to be implemented.
Interviewer: Since there is a lot of crown land in Highlands East, through your experiences do
you find that people who camp there abuse the area
Interviewee: That is a good question, if there is any traditional use you would be able to see
where they are coming in where they are setting up their lean tues with unauthorized use. The
short answer is that if there is activity by locals either they have a permit from the MNR to have
a hunting camp there and that might be a good point to if you are running dirt bikes during the
fall you might want to make sure that hunting season is not impacting because the MNR puts
permits for hunting camps. That will have impact on your use. They have these lean tues that
take place that are looked after by locals. So in short not really if it is off the road it is usually not
an issue, but if it is closer to the road some dumping may occur by campers and cottagers that
make a pretty good misuse of the land. In general it is an area that has been forgotten by people.
That access that I was telling you about in Algonquin is relative and recent because they were
trying to divert people to the bottom half to canoe. Instead of coming right off highway 60 and
loading up the canoe lakes area, they were trying to disperse the use and come in the bottom half.
That is why it became developed in the last 5 years. Trying to get the use going on in the south.
Saying that, that is why it is getting more attention because it is a little more pristine.
Interviewer: Like driving up there, the area is all hills, drum lands, rivers, and lakes. It is all
pristine. It is kind of nice, it is like the secrete getaway.
Interviewee: Ya that is right. Kevin Crowland wrote all these canoe books and it was always my
criticism to him and he did not like it. After you write these books people go out and canoe these
areas and makes a mess of these areas, let them find it themselves you don‟t have to make it so
easy for them. All they do is dump their garbage hahaha.
Interview 2
Interviewer: Just to give you a rundown of our project we are conducting a feasibility
management study of off road trail networks in Haliburton County more prevalent to Highlands
East. We are going to ask you some questions based on this so do we have your permission.
Interviewee: Yes
51

Interviewer: Can you explain a bit about what you do and what your organization does, OF4WD,
please
Interviewee: The OF4WD is an umbrella group for four wheel drive clubs and individuals, what
our view is that individual clubs typically have a minimum of 5 people up to 100 users in the
club. We try to represent the four wheel drive community to government and other trail users and
essentially represent the interests of the four wheel drive recreation. That is what we are about.
Our primary concern is with keeping trails open and the four wheel drive community respond
behaviour with a reasonable way and the operation of trails, we are partly education and partly a
lobby group.
Interviewer: Are you familiar with the area of Highlands east Haliburton County
Interviewee: Yes
Interviewer: Do you think there is a need for managed 4x4 recreation areas in Ontario
Interviewee: There is certainly a market out there for it. The four wheel drive community can be
split into two groups. The adventure aspect of it, with the navigation, running the trails and there
are others who want to take their jeeps out there without a lot of planning or preparation and like
to operate their equipment where they do not need to operate GPS or maps. There is certainly a
market for this type of recreation.
Interviewer: how much land do 4x4`s need for a quality experience
Interviewee: Ideally, you need to have a low volume use on a particular trail. Ideally, because of
the nature of some of the trails they cannot handle a lot of traffic. A lot of the tails have been
used for decades and have been quite sustainable without a lot of direct maintenance on them
because they are not overused. If they are used at the right times of the year it‟s not a problem. A
lot of the trails are quite dry in the summer and can seem to stand up to the use. So when you got
more intensified use that is where you start to potentially run into problems. This is the same for
atv`s, motorcycles, and motorized and non-motorized use as well. There have been problems
with hiking trails over in the UK. The problems are not confined to motorized use.
Interviewer: Would OF4WD members pay to use a managed recreation area
Interviewee: Yes, they would. One addition I would want to add to that is that some people who
like the more remote type of trails that are low volume and low use, these trails you could not
justify direct management on. This is what a lot of our membership is seeking out the remote
trail experiences. As you can imagine, we have quite a diverse group from the vehicles they drive
to the desires that they have for the sport.
Interviewer: You said you were familiar with the highlands area, do you think it is economically
feasible to establish an off road network in this community
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Interviewee: I think there is defiantly an opportunity to look at this further, possibly putting a
business case together. It would be dependent on what trail infrastructure was offered and the
price it was offered at. If it is a rich infrastructure there would be a good opportunity for it. If it
could carry a lot of traffic I think it is something that could be viable. But if the cost was too
high, for example if there were 3 or 4 trails available and you are charging $140, then I don‟t
think you would have a big demand for it. I am sure you are familiar with the Haliburton ATV
association, now a lot of their trails are crown land trails and there are some issues with trying to
charge to use them and they have some private land trails in their as well. But their maps, they
have an interesting trail structure mapped out so they do offer a service to their members. If there
was a significant infrastructure for trails in there, I think there would be interest in it.
Interviewer: In terms of points of interest, what types of features do users want to come in
contact with? Also what can riders do in the area when they come to ride in the area?
Interviewee: I don‟t know if you are aware, but there are rated trails from 1-5. There are people
that have stop vehicles that are out to be like Sunday enhanced drivers. Typically they are
looking for a level 1 or 2 trail to be able to stop out on the trail. There are in just about all cases,
people are looking for a wilderness experiences of some sort. They are not wanting a paid venue,
basically they are looking for an off road park which is essentially a small geographical area
there is a demand for that, but typically they are looking for a more extreme trail experience.
Interviewer: They are not necessarily looking for trails, but a larger area to drive on. Do you find
that people are looking to make their own trails or are it like a 50/50 split?
Interviewee: There is quite a range of membership. There are people looking for that wilderness
experience but there are people looking for those challenging trails to run them in very
challenging conduitions. As I mentioned, there are different rated trails from 1-5 and there is a
portion of our members that are after the 3-5 level of trails. These people have highly modified
vehicles such as rock crawlers. Those sorts of events should be getting closer to those types of
trails. There is the range of desire out there for it.
Interviewer: Do you have any suggestions for increasing economic stability based on trail use.
For example how can the community increase income in the area based around this recreation
Interviewee: I think one way of doing it is if they did support trail infrastructure but it is a
difficult discussion with regard to what, Highlands East, the MNR has a lot of jurisdiction up
there, and Highlands East is just a municipality. So I think Highlands East might want to utilize
that resource for a better word for it for economic gain. The MNR have a variety of drivers for
their operation and they are very concerned with environmental protection and the forestry is a
big concern for the MNR. Also they have the cottages up there, so there are a lot of issues
associated with putting in a motorized trail infrastructure. I could defiantly see a business case
for it and just beyond selling permits that could stimulate the economic activity in the area. If it
was seen as a motorized friendly area, you could attract a sizeable population to the area. But
there again you have to balance out the residence and cottagers desires in the area. It becomes a
very difficult business to get into. There would be some challenges to that.
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Interviewer: So talking about the environment, what are some strategies for minimizing
environmental conflicts on trails?
Interviewee: Actually this week, our organization, Haliburton ATV association, OFTR, in
conjunction with the MNR and Haliburton Highlands Stewardship Council are putting together a
program to encourage people to stay off the trails till May 1 st . They find that most of the damage
occurs during the spring runoff. That is one program we are all working together to support. Also
volume of use can be a concern. Also education of people about the trails is critical, the idea of
keeping on the trials. People like obstacles on trails, such as water, some users try to avoid that.
So you end up creating bypassed, so you have to be careful on what obstacles you put in place
and if it is a difficult obstacle, then there should be some information on the trails about the
obstacles. There should be some trail maps with the obstacles on them so that people would not
go on trails that they could not handle.
Interviewer: We talked about the difficulty levels, what other key design features riders want.
They obviously want looped trails right.
Interviewee: Loop trails are not really important with Jeeps, but more important for motorcycles
and ATVs. They typically trailer their vehicles to the trail head. There has been the idea and
some implemented of opening and allowing ATV users to use the road systems. This would
allow for easier movement around the county. Even though they have done that, I think there is
still a demand for loop type systems then for our vehicles. Typically people drive there off road
vehicles to the trails since they are usually street legal. Some people do trailer their vehicles there
but those are usually the more extreme large wheel jeeps. I want to touch on this that large wheel
vehicles have been eyed as more damaging to trails. This is not necessarily true. These vehicles
usually tackle level 3 trails and above so they have higher flotation on the tires for start. So
typically you get less scrabble on the trails with lower pressure in tires. Some people have a
particular view point on these vehicles, but I have ridden in them and seen them in action and
they can be driven in an environmentally responsible way.
Interviewer: I know there are an abundance of roads and trails in the area from resource
extraction, how beneficial are it to include these trails into the system.
Interviewee: That is ideal. That forms the backbone of a trail network. It is essential. That is part
of our forestry planning exercise. They have a mandate to try and close down operation roads
they have put in but I have been watching that carefully to make sure that they don‟t classify
existing trails and roads around new roads because then they could be eligible for closure. You
can potentially be losing trail networks through this.
Interviewer: Who are the stakeholders involved in creating a trail network
Interviewee: I mentioned the OFTR, the Haliburton ATV group, they are very active in the area.
The snowmobile club has a lot of support from the OOFT and have quite a comparative budget
with dealing with trail maintenance. They do have the capability of trail building. Those are the
stakeholders of motorized user groups. Beyond that you have hunters, fisherman, and cottagers.
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There must be a careful line drawn there in terms of how you present this and how public they
want to go with this.
Interviewer: When looking at a project like this, private land owners would be essential to this.
How would you go about approaching private land owners?
Interviewee: Well if there is a fee associated with these trails, then maybe some compensation
may be able to be given. I know that is really not the case, a lot of the trails that run across
private land usually are not compensated. You have to remember that would be an additional
cost. You also have to remember those who wish to participate are usually involved in that type
of recreation. You could even say that they are stakeholders as well.
Interviewer: Do you use multi use trails or do you share trails with hikers, how do you mitigate
trail issues.
Interviewee: We don‟t actually try to take over a trail. We don‟t try and manage it as a 4x4 single
use trail. We consider them to be crown land trails that are open to everyone. Under the public
lands act they are open to everyone and we try to respect that. The key to a successful model is
having a harmonious model. If you start out of the gate with protectionism and single use trail
suggestion, it is an argument that can go on very fast. I think multi use should be open and
available. There is a group in Northern Ontario that has just been operation for a few years and
they have had trouble with the MNR closing off certain public land access areas and they are not
tourism operated. Essentially it is public land and they are putting restrictions on it. This has
stirred up a hornet‟s nest of problems. There is a lot of local opposition and it has become a
political problem. It has even been in the media. You do not want this, especially in recreation;
you are trying to avoid conflicts at all costs. We have a respect policy, which is guidelines for
our riders, and it says to consider everyone on the trails and to be a model citizen. An example of
this is shutting off the vehicles when in contact with horses, but that doesn‟t seem to be a big
problem in Haliburton. You create less opportunity for problems.
Interviewer: Thanks for participating in our project and we will keep you informed of the status
and when there is something to present we will let you know.
Interviewee: I was glad to help and thanks for contacting me.
Interview 3
Interviewer: We are conducting a feasibility management study of Haliburton Highlands East for
the development of off road trail networks, would you be interested in participating in our
interviews.
Interviewee: Yes, that is fine.
Interviewer: Can you explain a little bit about Hatfield McCoy and the trail network that is
established there.
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Interviewee: Ok well the Hatfield McCoy trails is a common term for what`s actually called the
Hatfield McCoy Regional Recreational Authority that is the operating entity that is Hatfield
McCoy. We are a 9 county project area where a statutory corporation of public corporation of the
state created by the state legislature in West Virginia, for the purpose of creating economic
development in Southern West Virginia. But to the public we are known as a place to come and
ride ATV‟s, dirt bikes and side by sides. We have trails currently in 6 of our 9 counties with a
plan to open trails in each of the 9 counties.
Interviewer: How much resistance did you get when you first proposed your project and how did
you overcome this.
Interviewee: We actually started conceptualizing the project in 1991. The gentlemen that came
up with the idea were three gentlemen, Leftmore who was a West Virginia State lobiest, Dawn
English who was an attorney for the motorcycle industry council, and Mike Whitt who was
Damingo County Redevelopment Authority Director. They came up with the idea to develop
trails in an area in Southern West Virginia to benefit each of their interest. Leftmore was looking
for a way to create economic development in the southern part of the state, Dawn`s interest was
looking to find areas to open up trails. At the time, and even today public land trails are still
being shut down left and right. Initially they met with some resistance but it was quite a while
ago and what they did initially was pretty smart. They went around to several communities in
Southern West Virginia. I would say more than opposition, they met more with disbelief that it
would ever come to be. They would go to Lions Club meetings, chamber of commerce meetings,
town council meetings, pretty much anyone that would listen and put forth the idea. They would
show videos of the Pyutt trails and how ATV riding benefited the community of Richfield Utah
and used it as an example of what could happen initially and Mike Whitt played an important
role early on. He set up a series of meetings with key land owners. In West Virginia, we have a
great deal of land that is owned by public corporations and their purpose is to lease this land for
mining operations, timber operations, and natural gas operations. That‟s the makeup of Southern
West Virginia. You have every few land owners that own a great deal of land that would make
this possible. So they set up meetings with these key land owners and brought the idea. The land
owners stated what their pluses and minuses would be. Several good things came out of those
meetings.
Interviewer: So I understand that Hatfield McCoy and communities around went through a rough
patch after the resource exploitation went down. This is similar to the area we are looking at
now. How were you able to increase tourism and funds through your trail network in a
devastated economic community?
Interviewee: Initially we did a feasibility study, we did it with the core of engineers, they came
in and did an economic feasibility study and focused on the revenue that could be brought to
Southern West Virginia through tourism. Once they got all there ducks in line with the land
owners, and felt like they could make this happen, they presented legislation to help get funding
from the State of West Virginia for funding. It was sold as not a tourism destination but more of
an economic impact destination with the idea that they would provide funds to manage the trail
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system but all the amenities such as fuel, convenience stores, residence would be provided by
private businesses. That has been the case over the years. Whereas then, back in the 1990`s no
one came to Southern West Virginia for travel and tourism. Now we sold 32000 permits to ride
Hatfield McCoy trails. They were sold to people all over the United States, almost every state
and to people from foreign countries.
Interviewer: in terms of points of interest, what points of interest did you base your trails around
to bring people in other than to ride the trails?
Interviewee: Interestingly enough we did not focus a lot on the other aspects of the area.
Southern West Virginia is mainly coal fields, so we were filling the void for people needing
places to ride. We do have some nice state parks that are in the area of the coal fields such as
Twin Falls State Park and Chief Logan State Park, but what is really attractive to people coming
to visit the Hatfield McCoy trials their are very few and limiting things they can do outside of the
trails. It is a problem we still have after 10 years of being open, well now 11 year. After we
opened up the trails in 2000, this is still one of our greatest challenges is to provide other things
in the area for trail riders to take advantage of when they come off the trails.
Interviewer: What were some of the key design features when you were developing trail
systems? For example hills, turns. Do you have an integrated system of beginner, intermediate
and advanced trail systems or is it a pretty standardized trail network.
Interviewee: When conceptualizing what Hatfield McCoy would be, it was originally thought up
to be destination trails that would take you to community to community in a line or pretty much
the straightest line to get you there. That was how it was originally thought up. Since then we
have developed and actually in 2000 put into the ground was a trail network. We have 6 trail
network systems and each has its own similar identity with easiest trails, more difficult trails,
most difficult trails. Then we have extreme difficult trails that are for A class experienced riders
only. We also have single track trails. They are all colour coated like a ski hill with blue, orange,
red, green and so on all on a looping network meaning that everything is based off of our easiest
trails since this meets the needs of the majority of our riders. Then the trail systems has green
trails throughout all the systems in a looping network, more difficult, most difficult, extreme
trails, and single track come off of those easiest trails. Every one of them loops back to a trail
head or a trail head community connector.
Interviewer: We are looking in Highlands East area and they have old mining trails still
available. Did you guys use these roads as arteries or did you design your own easiest trail
networks.
Interviewee: Yes we did, that is a good question. To this day when we look at going into an area
to develop a trail system, the first thing we do is look at the original trail system that is currently
there. I would say in terms of percentages, and it is not always the case, but around 60% of the
trails that we have to open were existing trails. We go out and do an inventory of the area and
map what is there. Whether it is a dead end trail, or off the beat of the path, or a gravel coal haul
road or gas haul road and what we do is go back and try to build those looping networks and
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creating fair percentages of easiest trails, more difficult trails, and most difficult trails. The key
being wherever we build our trail heads, they must be accessible to the majority of our riders.
Interviewer: What strategies did you use to mitigate trail conflicts whether that would be
environmental or in terms of mixed use.
Interviewee: We spent a great deal of time before we opened the trails, they conceptualized the
trails in 1991, but we did not open till 2000, but from 1997 – 2000 most of that time was spent
researching and developing policies on what we were going to be allowing and how it was all
going to function. We worked very closely with the department of highways, the EPA, the Forest
services. We contacted all those people and brought them in on the forefront in order to develop
policies. We actually used a lot of the policies that they use in their operations such as the state
parks and wildlife‟s. We still work closely with them today. One important thing we did was
contract employees with the US Forest Service and the Land Management to come in and help us
develop a trail system. We were working hand in hand before we opened up our trails from
1997-2000 and helping us to develop our policies. This helped to mitigate a lot of those problems
that you might run into. They were part of the team.
Interviewer: If you had to give one or two suggestions for increasing the economic stability just
based around trail use what would those suggestions be.
Interviewee: What you are doing on the front end is key. Community involvement is 100%
critical, hold town meetings and keep the community informed and involved. That will help
tremendously. Building the support of the community is absolutely a must because if the
community is against it you will be facing an uphill battle. Using examples of Hatfield McCoy
and other places showing the economic benefit, whether it is to government officials or to the
communities, that is key to show the economic benefits to the area. You will face opposition no
matter what. We still face opposition today. Just recently I got an email that said we heard a
rumour that you were coming to this area and just wanted to let you know we have ridden this
area all our lives and we are willing to stand up against you from coming into this area and
developing it and charging a fee for it and forcing us to wear helmets. You will get this
opposition. For the most part the business community will be for it, but general trail riders that
have ridden the trails for most of their lives will be against it.
Interviewer: Do you have a copy of the original feasibility report you guys did.
Interviewee: Yes I do but I do not have a lot of copies available. It has been a while since it was
developed and like I said it was developed with the Army core of engineers and the US Forest
Service, the numbers in it I can tell you are really, and the initial feasibility study, are really high.
I guess they were trying to present the most economic benefit would help to get the doors open.
Since then we are going with a more realistic approach to this. We did an updated economic
study in 2005 and the number are baseline numbers with no multipliers, whereas the original had
a lot of multipliers. If you sat down and compared the two side by side you would say wow it is
different from what they said it would be to what it is now. But in all actuality I think they knew
what they were doing.
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Interviewer: Can we get the second one off your website
Interviewee: Yes you can the one off the website. I am actually looking for the printed copy. If
you need the one from 2005, but if you need the original copy I only have one and its hard
copied. But you can the 2005 one off the website.
Interviewer: The 2005 one should be good.
Interviewee: I can tell you where to go on our website to get those numbers. Like I said those
number are very true, and if you are trying to present numbers to a government agency, it‟s
probably do way to go with the number s with the multipliers and everything in it, instead of all
true actual numbers. It does not matter what you are trying to accomplish. Let me tell you where
to find it on the website. It‟s at Trailsheaven.com and it is under the second tab on the left about
the trails, about the 5 th tab down economic impact.
Interviewer: Again I know this was a long time ago, but would you have any reference letters
from land owners or government agencies.
Interviewee: I would not have them but our executive director would have them. His name is Jeff
Freelusk and you can reach him at 304 752 3255 and he can possibly if he has any of that
information. He was part of the team way back when. I am part of the marketing team so I really
don‟t have that info, but he should be able to help.
Interviewer: Ok I think that is everything, you have been awesome and a great resource for our
project.
Interviewee: Oh hey no problem, glad we could make it happen. Hatfield McCoy trails is kind of
unique in that we don‟t try to hold onto all of our trade secrets and we don‟t want to be the only
game in town. We understand that there is a need for people to ride all over the country and that
does nothing but build the sport. We try to be as helpful as possible and helping them gets
started. If you have any other questions don‟t hesitate to call back, I am always glad to help.
Interviewer: Awesome you did a great job and you guys are doing great things down there keep
it up.
Interviewee: Thanks glad I could help.
Interview 4
Interviewer: We are conducting a feasibility management study of Haliburton Highlands East for
the development of off road trail networks, would you be interested in participating in our
interviews.
Interviewee: Yes, that is fine.
Interviewer: Can you tell me a little bit about your participation in the Haliburton Highlands
Water Trails, and what your association is?
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Interviewee: Sure, the Haliburton Highlands Water Trails is just a program of the trails
department for the township as a whole. The program is a larger partnership between two
municipalities and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. The other two partner
municipalities are the township of Lake of Hayes and Minden Hills. Our municipality of
Algonquin Highlands which provides the staff, equipment, and leadership and basically runs the
entire program on behalf of the other partners. Our program expands beyond the managed areas
of Algonquin Highlands, we have management areas within Lake of Hayes and Minden Hills.
Our management model is endorsed at the county of Haliburton level, so in the future if there are
other lake and river areas with canoeing and camping are associated with that our model could be
applied to those areas throughout the county.
Interviewer: Can you explain some of the steps it took to constructing the trail network.
Interviewee: It started with public input. If you go back 20 years, the MNR had its funding cut
for managing crown land recreation and a lot of Haliburton County is crown land. However
visitation usage and recreational usage was increasing even though it was unmanaged use. The
usage was becoming more intensive and widespread. Competition between different groups was
resulting in growing management issues, i.e. complaints around garbage, overcrowding,
destruction of landscape, water quality, human waste management, noise, any other competing
sensitivity issues with other local residence in proximity to recreational sites. Then the
uncontrolled expansion of camp sites when all the camp sites were full, people would cut and
slash and make uncontrolled camp sites. Parking and overcrowding at access points throughout
the area was a big problem.
Interviewer: When you encountered these barriers, what did you do to overcome them? Did you
implement or designate more areas, develop more areas, create a group to watch over the people?
Interviewee: Well it all got started with various individuals associated with stakeholders such as
MNR, the Frost Center Facility, youth camps, local businesses, cottage associations, started
meeting to discuss these issues and formed a committee. They lobbied all levels of government
for funding. They got their start up funding from the MNR. They hired staff to develop work
plans, inventories, bylaws, regulations in partnership with the municipal council. Equipment and
summer staff was bought and hired to clean up, do education, improvements, signage and that
start up money facilitated a lot of that. It started with the Frost Center area and then eventually
progressed to the Poker Lakes area. It just went from there to being ok and the start up money
got us to there but it was not going to be the final solution or the controlled management of
recreation users. A business plan was created around a camper permit fee user system,
reservation system to facilitate revenue generation as well as control management of users
specific to camping. Prior to this system, there was no control limits to prevent people into the
area, who they are, where they are staying. With the reservation system you are one, generating
revenue which helps build a sustainable base for ongoing management and second, you know
who people are, where they are staying, how long they are staying, you can direct them
accordingly, and so on. Are original objectives and plans helped the program with site specific
date restrictions. This helped develop the reservation permit system since every site could be
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identified and classified specifically to every area. Vegetation covers, soil depth, shape, size,
geography, the sustainability of each site was evaluated for 4 people, 6 people, 10 people, or a
group site or day use only for swimming or lunches. All those different things were originally
implemented and carried forward nicely into the user permit registration system.
Interviewer: What is the average cost of a family of 4 if they are staying for a weekend?
Interviewee: So an average group size of 4 people, 2 adults and 2 youths, you are looking at
$11.50 for adults and $5 dollars for youth.
Interviewer: What other points of interest are associated with your network, do you have planned
community areas or geo-caching?
Interviewee: There are other organizations that promote geo caching. There are other trail groups
such as ATV groups, snowmobile clubs, so all of their trails and activities link with trails that we
specifically manage. They are all potentially stakeholders in trail management activities
throughout the area.
Interviewer: How long did it take to get established to where you are at today and was it difficult
to achieve?
Interviewee: It was around 2001 – 2002 when all the community complaints and initiatives
committees started. In 2003, funding was acquired. By 2006, we had the reservation seeds put
into place. Then we expanded that to the Poker Lakes for 2008.
Interviewer: So have you noticed any environmental impacts associated with your campers, and
what is the education behind that?
Interviewee: A huge part of that aspect is public relations and education. We promote leave no
trace, Tread Lightly, recreational use and that is enforced by by-laws, signage, brochures,
website, going to community events and putting up information, just in our day to day
interactions with the public between staff and the public with messages and communications.
Everything is much more family oriented, and the creation of new unauthorized campsites has
virtually stopped and people are staying on designated areas. Sites are defiantly maintained and
cleaned on a regular basis. People are commenting on the positive feedback on the sites and
improvements to the area and experiences on a regular basis. I would say sites that were
designated as high impact have not grown in numbers; it has maintained at the same level or
slightly decreased. Youth camps that were sighted as a large part of the problem because they
would have 20-30 people on one campsite, are reducing their sized of groups on one area instead
of putting everyone on one campsite and using multiple campsites instead.
Interviewer: What rules do you have in place when campers come into your place?
Interviewee: Well one they have to get a permit or reserve in advance, a lot of the rules are
similar to provincial parks, no cutting of live trees or plants, pack in and out all garbage,
maintain a safe fire pit, no fireworks, only building a fire in designated areas, limiting their stay
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on an individual area for up to 6 days, only camping on designated sights, limiting their noise,
and all those environmental rules and regulations.
Interviewer: Have you noticed an economic increase in the towns around you and how many
jobs have you created?
Interviewee: well there are no specific economic numbers but I would suggest the impact was
significant prior to you system and is more significant now. When people that come here visit
here since we are a provincial destination. Our staffs show customers the addresses for the users
from all over the province. The GTA represents about 25% of our visitors to the area. But every
other corner or region such as Niagara and Ottawa represent 5% of our visitors on average. We
have some minor foreign visitation from the US and Germany. The people that are coming here
are now paying to camp which is supporting the jobs that manage the program and support the
supplies and service costs that we buy from the community or the county as a whole. People are
having a better experience and coming more often or staying longer as our stats show which in
turn is using local services such as gas and groceries or other amenities that are needed. It is
putting the community in a positive light. Half of the hits on the municipal community website
have to do with the trail use and camping. We present a positive image for the community within
Ontario and because a small part of the population is permanent, a larger part of the community
is seasonal. So people may be considering becoming a permanent resident because they are
retiring and selling their place in the city, they may consider turning their seasonal homes into
permanent residences because of the positive perception within the community.
Interviewer: How do you disseminate your information to people around the world?
Interviewee: One is the internet, so our website, two is our advertizing with other major
promoters of recreation tourism such as canoeing and paddling, partnering with tourism and
travel, partnering with the community tourism initiative, being a part of the new tourism region
supported by the province.
Interviewer: What is your relationship with the MNR?
Interviewee: we do have various land use permits with MNR that identify parcels or portions of
crown land that surround access points. These determine specific management area on our part
and our authority or jurisdiction on those parts of crown land based on out bylaws and
regulations. As well as annual funding agreements with MNR to provide management services
on crown land. They do concede to provide some form of funding but it has been decreasing over
time and I expect that this funding will end because one they don‟t have the money and two our
management effort would become self sustaining.
Interviewer: What is the community view on your trail network and campsites, and do you see
any barriers with the community?
Interviewee: Community is very positive very supporting with a high compliance rate. Whether
it is the local community of the Ontario community. We have been recognized by different
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groups or associations within Ontario for innovation awards, environmental awards, and receive
daily from people on how wonderful the recreation opportunities and facilities that we provide
are so wonderful. I have worked in the government all my life and this is the only place where
we get so much positive feedback. This is usually not typical for government.
Interviewer: I understand, the government usually does not get good information from
communities. That is all I wanted to ask so thank you for your time.
Interview 5
Interviewer: We are conducting a feasibility management study of Haliburton Highlands East for
the development of off road trail networks, would you be interested in participating in our
interviews.
Interviewee: Yes, that is fine.
Interviewer: What are the responsibilities of the MNR in Haliburton County, an overview would
be good?
Interviewee: The general responsibilities of the MNR in Haliburton County are managers of
crown land, crown land resources, crown water ways, fisheries, hunting resources, we look at
shore line development, crown land camps, crown land trails, aggregates in the area and forestry
operations.
Interviewer: How do you enforce crown land and how do you protect it?
Interviewee: Crown land is managed by several different pieces of legislation. Forestry
operations are done under crown force sustainability act. Most crown land activities such as trail
use, trail construction, building construction, shoreline construction, are done through work
permitting process under several different pieces of legislation such as public lands act and lakes
and rivers improvement act that we use and enforced by conservation officers hired by the
Ministry of Natural Resources.
Interviewer: When developing a trail, what are some sensitive areas would we have to be
cautious of and how would we get around them?
Interviewee: There are mitigated measures that works in and around any that we deem sensitive
such as water area, swamp, areas of species at risk, all that is taken into account in an application
process for any new works on crown land such as a new trail. Species at risk are taken into
account and looked at a specific biologist at the MNR. Fisheries management for any creaks or
water crossings we work with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. As far as habitat
protection goes we want to prevent sediment rutting, destruction to vegetation, destruction to
areas close to waterways. Trails are also kept away from areas that will be used by the forestry
industry in the future, they have cut blocks prescribed over the next 5 years, for areas that have
been developed into parks or deemed as hazard areas or deemed under the protection of the
MNR.
63

Interviewer: What kinds of permits are necessary to develop a trail network?
Interviewee: There is a specific application for road trail and water crossing that can be applied
for.
Interviewer: Can you tell me some of the steps to getting a permit?.
Interviewee: You must be an eligible applicant for one, secondly anyone can submit a new
application for a trail or water crossing. It does go through a review process in our office where
staff from all over different department leads, forestry, fishery and hunting, lands and waters,
species at risk biologist, will look at these applications and they would write down their concerns
that they may have with a new trail, road or water crossing in a particular location. If it affects
fish habitats, it is shipped to the DFO for their review solely looking at fish habitats. A public
consultation may be necessary. So immediate affects to adjacent property owners must be
contacted and notices to the community if it affects crown land resource and notices are usually
posted in local papers that would be affected by the community in question. These are all
regulations that must be followed under the environmental assessment act that we are required to
follow. At the end of this process, we make recommendations on whether to allow or refuse the
application.
Interviewer: How long does it take to process these applications?
Interviewee: It depends on the complexity of the application. Shoreline applications can be
processed within 4 – 12 weeks. If you are looking at a new trail network, it could be 6 months up
to years depending on what hurdles you would have to navigate thought the environmental
assessment.
Interviewer: What are some of the environmental features that people would be attracted to in
Haliburton County?
Interviewee: Currently it is close to major urban areas, we are not as far away as some places in
Ontario. Our trail networks are substantial in this area with a major ATV association that
operates here as well as other off road vehicle groups that are attracted to the diversity in riding
that the trails within the community seem to offer to different rider groups. Probably the main
draw for that type of use is that there are so many existing trails in use.
Interviewer: How do you find that people use the crown land, are they messy users or
conservative?
Interviewee: Given what we have seen in the past, people on crown land do respect the area, but
there are enough out there that don‟t and damage to the resource is evident.
Interviewer: Can you give me a definition of crown land and the uses that are allowed on it.
64

Interviewee: Crown land generally is allowed for free use by the public. If there is existing trails,
campsites, that type of thing the general public can use crown land for recreational purposes,
hunting, fishing, camping, horseback riding, riding, any use unless posted otherwise.
Interviewer: What stakeholders have a role in the development of trial networks.
Interviewee: On crown land we are the main stewards, but the DFO may have an impact when
developing an area with sensitive fish habitats. We usually involve as many stakeholders that we
see necessary, in that being local municipalities, known and established trail groups, cottage
associations, any group that would be affected by the trial network.
Interviewer: Do you think, using existing extraction roads and trails in the system, do you think
that would be a good idea to use?
Interviewee: It would be far preferable to use existing trails that have already been developed.
Interviewer: What are some of the main points when developing trails and how to ensure
environmental safety?
Interviewee: That depends, if you are establishing new trails and cutting down trees, you need to
get a forest resource licence. You would need to get in contact with Saint Level Force Licence
Company who may have these sites on crown land scheduled for cutting in the next 5 years. This
is timber that they would be losing as a result of the trial network, so they would be looking for
compensation for timber that they are going to lose. It is pretty brad in nature, and the trail
developer would need to know what they want in a trial network. We do not do the work for the
group, they must bring a proposal to us as to what they want to do and we will make
recommendations as to whether it is acceptable or if there practices will be acceptable.
Interviewer: Have you noticed any challenges with the community and what they say about the
trail networks? Do they like them or are they opposed to them?
Interviewee: It is split. There is obviously the user groups who do trail rides as their hobbies, but
then you have the other side of the spectrum with those who are bird watchers, hikers, cross
country skiers in the winter time, mountain bike groups, some that conflict with motorized users.
So we do deal with that on a regular basis and those who have a stake in crown land or own
crown land camps and are having trouble accessing these areas because of increased traffic and
destruction based on dirt bikes, atv‟s, and 4x4 users.
Interviewer: When constructing new trails, do you offer grants or operational funds to start up?
Interviewee: No, there are no grants or incentives for start up. There are no funds available.
Interviewer: Can you tell me any trails that are currently in use in Haliburton County.
Interviewee: basically anything you see on a typical snowmobile map, ideally to look at the
Haliburton snowmobile trail map, as well as the ATV association trail map. Those are ideal for
65

the current trails in use. They are great resources that show trails in use in the county. There are
just too many to list.
Interviewer: well those are all the questions I have, I would like to thank you for your
participation in this project.
66

Ethics Application
TRENT UNIVERSITY
Department of Geography
Peterborough, Ontario, K9J 7B8
Tel: (705) 748-1011 ext. 7686, FAX: (705) 748-1205, E-Mail: geography@trentu.ca
Nature of the Project:
HUMAN RESEARCH CONSENT FORM
Recreation geography is a sub-discipline of human geography and plays a very prominent role when looking at Off-
Road leisure activities and the economic dollars that it attracts. Trail networks dedicated to this leisure sport have
been created all over North America with many networks becoming extremely successful and producing an
economic boom in the region where the trails are located. Highlands East, Haliburton County is a region that does
not have a lot of economic dollars coming into their community from any facets of their economy, but has an
extensive network of Off-Road trails in and around the Highlands East area. The methodology that will be
implemented in the research is interviews, then transcribed for analysis. The aim of conducting interviews is to get
information based around questions such as what are the primary target market for this type of facility, what are
the costs associated with establishing a park, what land-use considerations are important, what are the potential
economic impact, what are some key design features and what are some of the environmental impacts associated
with Off-Road trail use? The interviews are designed to take no longer than 1 hour.
Researcher: Chris Balenovich, Paul Nopper
Researcher Contact Information: paulnopper@trentu.ca , phone number: 705 872 - 6379
As a participant in the above project, I understand the following:
1. I have been fully informed by the interviewer about the nature of the research and my participation in the
project;
2. My participation is entirely voluntary. I may refuse to answer any or all questions and end the interview at
any time;
3. The data resulting from the interview will not be used for any commercial purposes and will be strictly
used for the advancement of research and social policy applications;
4. The information supplied during the interview will be kept confidential and my identity will not be used in
any reports or other publications;
5. The information will be stored responsibly and my participation in the project will be known only to the
researchers;
67

6. Any risks to my participation in the project are unforeseen by the researcher;
7. I have been provided with a copy of this participant consent form for my own records; and
8. I understand that this project has been approved by Trent University’s Department of Geography’s
Research Ethics Committee.
Participant Name: _______ Participant Signature: _______________________
(please print)
Interviewer Name: ______ Interviewer Signature: ______________________
(please print)
Date: _____________________________
68

TRENT UNIVERSITY
Department of Geography Research Ethics Committee
STUDENT APPLICATION TO UNDERTAKE HUMAN RESEARCH
1. Submission Date of Application: Jan.13.2011
2. Name of student: Chris Balenovich, Paul Nopper
3. Student e-mail: paulnopper@trentu.ca Student Telephone No. 7058726379
4. Course for which human research is being undertaken:
GEOG 4700H
5. Name of instructor(s) in the course overseeing this research, or in the case of Geog 401/402, the
name of your thesis supervisor:
Prof. Mark Skinner
6. Title of the research project:
Feasibility Management Study of Off- Road Vehicles Trails in Highlands East, Haliburton County
7. Name of community/corporate/government research partner/host/placement organization (if any):
Ontario Federation of Trail Riders
8. Source of project funding (if any):
Travel Expenses: U-Links Center for Community Based Research, additional funding from
Ontario Federation of Trail Riders
9. When and where will the surveys and/or interviews are conducted:
Interviews will be conducted between January and February of 201. The location will be
determined by interviewee or conducted at Trent University.
10. Who is to be interviewed or surveyed in this project? :
Highlands East Council Member
Highlands East Ontario Municipal Personnel
Treasurer, Highlands East Ontario Municipal Personnel
Warden County of Haliburton Ontario
Ministry of the Environment Haliburton Ontario
Ministry of Natural Resources Minden Ontario
Director of Haliburton Tourism Commission
Expert on trail systems, Trent University

Expert on trail systems and tourism, Trent University
Haliburton Community Development Corp.
Manager, Haliburton Community Development Corp.
11. Are any of the research participants from vulnerable populations (e.g., intellectually disabled,
persons under 18 years of age, persons under institutional authority)?
Yes ____ No X Not sure _________ (explain: _______________________________________)
12. Are the risks to the participants’ physical or mental health, reputation in the community, financial
situation or personal privacy minimal?
Note: Minimal risks is defined by the REB as the reasonable expectation “to regard the
probability and magnitude of possible harms implied by participation in the research to be no
greater than those encountered by the participant in those aspects of his or her everyday life
that relate to the research”.
Yes X No ____ Not Sure ____ (explain: _________________________________________)
13. How is the informed consent of participants being obtained? (Check One)
Verbal explanation and signed consent form prior to participation
X Signed consent form prior to participation
Disclaimer on survey instrument implying consent
Verbal consent
Other _______________________________________________________________
14. Please indicate the level of anonymity/confidentiality/privacy guaranteed to research participants.
(Check One)
□Names and identifying information will not be used in any reports of findings, will not be stored with
the raw data, and will not be known to researchers.
X Names and identifying information will not be used in any reports of findings and will not be stored
with the raw data
□Names and identifying information will not be used in any reports of findings
□ None (i.e., actual names of participants will be used in any reports of findings).
15. How will the raw data be handled, stored, and/or disposed of in order to adhere to the above level
of confidentiality?
70

The raw data will be collected through the use of a digital voice recorder. It will then be transcribed into
a word document form. The research will be collected and placed within a password protected
computer. The transcriptions will be disposed of by deletion from the computer system. Once the paper
copies are of no further use, they will be shredded and recycled for environmental purposes. The raw
data in the computer will be kept safe for five years and then deleted from the computer.
16. Have you attached copies of the proposed project Consent Form (or statement of consent)?
Yes X No ____
17. Have you attached copies of the statement introducing the research?
Yes X No ____
18. Have you attached copies of the proposed project survey instrument (e.g., questionnaire)?
Yes __X__ No ____
19. If this is a resubmitted application, have you included a copy of the original application AND a brief
statement outlining how you have addressed the committee’s initial concerns?
Yes ____ No ____ N/A __X__
Student Name: _______________________________
Signature _____________________________
(please print)
*Supervisor/Course Instructor:____________________________ Signature ______________________
(please print)
* Faculty signature indicates that s/he has reviewed the application prior to submission.
71

TRENT UNIVERSITY
Department of Geography
Peterborough, Ontario, K9J 7B8
Tel: (705) 748-1011 ext. 7686, FAX: (705) 748-1205, E-Mail: geography@trentu.ca
HUMAN RESEARCH CONSENT FORM
Nature of the Project:
Recreation geography is a sub-discipline of human geography and plays a very prominent role when
looking at Off-Road leisure activities and the economic dollars that it attracts. Trail networks dedicated
to this leisure sport have been created all over North America with many networks becoming extremely
successful and producing an economic boom in the region where the trails are located. Highlands East,
Haliburton County is a region that does not have a lot of economic dollars coming into their community
from any facets of their economy, but has an extensive network of Off-Road trails in and around the
Highlands East area. The methodology that will be implemented in the research is interviews, then
transcribed for analysis. The aim of conducting interviews is to get information based around questions
such as what are the primary target market for this type of facility, what are the costs associated with
establishing a park, what land-use considerations are important, what are the potential economic
impact, what are some key design features and what are some of the environmental impacts associated
with Off-Road trail use? The interviews are designed to take no longer than 1 hour.
Questions to be looked at:
What are the primary target markets for off road trail parks?
What people are being targeted for off road use
What incentives can be established to draw in more tourists
What are the age groups that use tails on a regular basis
What are some of the primary concerns that are established with off road use
Do you believe there is a reputation or stereotype around motorized off road use? Explain.
What is the common sex that is most associated with motorized trail use
What is the length of time you will ride in one day, a weekend, week holiday?
Can you think of any events that can be integrated with the trail system?
72

What are the costs associated with establishing a park?
How much is it going to cost to generate trail networks
Who will be maintaining the trails
Are their government grants that can be acquired to cover costs
How long will it take to establish a park
What is the total estimated cost of construction of facilities
What amenities are associated with off road trail networks?
What amenities are currently in use within the town of Gooderham?
What roles will the community council, OFTR, community, and volunteer groups in the trail
system?
What land-use considerations are important?
What type of land is there around Gooderham or Highlands East
Are we allowed to use public land
Can trails be linked across private property? If so, what strategies are used to convince the
private owner to use their land?
Are there protected lands that can not be driven on or manipulated into trails
Are there environmental implications to the land, for example previous environmental damage
that should be avoided
What are the issues associated with trails?
Are multi-use trails, such as use by walkers, bicyclists, horse back riders, and motorized vehicles,
a good idea? Explain.
How long will it take to develop the trail network?
Are there pre-existing trails that can be used in the trail network?
Have the trails been previously mapped out with GPS? If so where can we find copies?
What are some of the challenges associated with trails and off road motorized vehicle use
What are the potential economic impacts?
How will the influx of economic dollars influence Highlands East
What are the estimated revenue that could be potentially made from ATV tourism
Will businesses within the community give discounts to off road users
What is the economic stability of the region of Highlands East?
Do you have any suggestions for increasing economic stability in Highlands east based on trail
use?
Who are the stakeholders involved in the development of a trail system?
What funding is available to develop trail systems?
What types of jobs will be created from the development of the trail system?
How much should be charged for the use of the trail network?
What are the pros and cons to trail networks?
What are some key design features?
What type of trails are used by dirt bikers
What type of trails are used by atv’s
73

What type of trails are used by 4x4 vehicles
Are there any physical features of the land that trails can be designed around
What is the topography of the land
Are there historical aspects to the land that can be designed around the trials
What types of symbols or signs are needed for trail use?
Do you believe there needs to be speed limits associated with the trails? If so, what are
reasonable regulated speeds?
What are the current resources available for trail development?
What trail models are currently in use and what are some of the pros and cons to them?
What are some of the potential hazards involved with off road riding?
How can we minimize hazards?
What did you find satisfying about your trail ride? What criticisms do you have about trails?
What are some of the environmental impacts associated with Off-Road trail use?
What are the environmental impacts on the soil and surrounding wildlife involving trails?
What are the potential environmental hazards that could change the environment
How can we minimize destruction of nature around the trail system
Have there been past environmental disasters associated with motorized trail use
What are some possible solutions to preventing or reducing environmental impacts
Does motorized trail use disturb natural wildlife
74

Final Presentation
Feasibility Management
Study of ORV Trails in
Highlands East,
Haliburton County
Chris Balenovich
Paul Nopper
Purpose
• To determine the feasibility of establishing an
Off-Road Vehicle Park as a mechanism for
attracting tourists and mitigating some of the
trail conflicts that currently occur. This project
would include things such as identifying
potential markets, land/environmental issues,
and projections for economic impacts.
Study Area
Key Research Questions
• What is the primary target market for this type
of facility?
• What are the costs associated with establishing
a park?
• What land-use considerations are important?
• What is the potential economic impact?
• What are some key design features?
• What are some of the environmental impacts
associated with Off-Road trail use?
Methods
• Literature Review
• Secondary Source Surveys
• Interviews/Content Analysis
– Representative from Hatfield McCoy Regional Trail Authority
– Trail expert from Trent University
– Representative from Ontario Federation Four Wheel Drive Recreationists
– Representative from Ministry of Natural Resources
– Representative from Haliburton Highlands Water Trails Network
Discussion of Findings
OFTR: Reasons for Development
– Majority of members ride in Ontario, central location for riders to get to, close to major
cities, common age between males 35 -50 with disposable income
– Stimulate economic growth in the community, amenities, local eateries, garages
– Mitigates conflicts on mixed use trails, gives riders their own place to ride peacefully
– Regulation of trails so that sensitive environmental areas are protected
– Trails must have multiple ratings for beginners, intermediate, advanced, and extreme
advanced riders to accommodate for full experience, looped trails
– We found that riders primarily want to ride trails but they also want to participate in
other activities that the municipality has to offer
– Land use agreements must be established between MNR and the OFTR
– Environmental impacts are critical in establishing trail networks, but there impacts can
be mitigated through following proper regulations
Why Highlands East?
• There are already existing trails available to build off of
• Old mining roads exist that can extend the trail network
• Highlands East has many points of interest
• The location is optimal for people to escape from the city life
• Natural area possesses beauties of lakes, rivers, hills, its cottage
country
Recommendations
• Ensure community is involved in all steps of
development
• Generate an environmental atlas or assessment of
the trail network area
• Continuation of mapping for future trails
• Establishment of regulations, code of conduct for trail
use i.e. Tread Lightly, signage, maps
• Looped trail network with multiple difficulty levels
following the 4 E’s Engineering, Education,
Enforcement, Evaluation
Thanks!
Thank you for your time and patience. We hope
this has been informative and hope this
information is useful for the future.
75

Tourism Conference Attended
Information Session
Ontario's Highlands Tourism Organization
(RTO 11)
Haliburton
Highlands Info
Sesion
DATE: Wednesday,
November 24
TIME: 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm
LOCATION: Pinestone
Resort & Conference
Centre
RSVP: Please RSVP to
Amy Brohm
or call 705-286-1777;
1-800-461-7677
Presented by:
Haliburton Highlands Tourism Partners
Be Informed ~ Get Involved ~ Attend
The Ministry of Tourism and Culture has funded Regional Tourism
Organizations (RTO) across the province to carry out destination
development initiatives. RTO 11, now known as Ontario's Highlands
Tourism Organization, encompasses the counties of Renfrew, Lanark,
Haliburton and parts of Hastings, Lennox and Addington and Frontenac.
A transition board composed of representatives from each named area has
been meeting over the past months to complete the incorporation process,
develop priority projects and strategic direction initiatives for the region.
Please join us at one of our information sessions in November.
During the session you will learn about:
How much funding is available to support tourism in your area.
How Ontario's Highland's Tourism Organization will be supporting the
tourism industry in your area.
The difference between Ontario Highland's Tourism Organization and
your local tourism destination marketing organizations
How you can get involved.
There will be opportunity for questions and answers.
Presentations will be made by Nicole Whiting, Co-ordinator of Ontario's
Highlands Tourism Organization (RTO 11) and Robert Smith, Director of
Economic Development, Tourism & Marketing for the County of
Haliburton.
There will also be a presentation from Richard Innes, a consultant hired by
Ontario Highland's Tourism Organization(RTO 11) to conduct a Premier
Ranked program for the region.
Haliburton Highlands Session:
DATE: Wednesday, November 24
TIME: 2:30pm - 4:30
LOCATION: Pinestone Resort & Conference Centre
RSVP: Please RSVP to abrohm@county.haliburton.on.ca or call 705-286-
1777; 1-800-461-7677
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Other Session dates include:
Nov 22nd, 2:30pm - 4:30pm in Pembroke at Best Western Hotel hosted by
Ottawa Valley Tourist Association
Nov 23rd, 9:30 am - 11:30 am in Perth at hosted by Lanark Tourism
Association
Nov 23rd 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm in Flinton at Addington Highlands Municipal
Offices hosted by Land O' Lakes Tourism Association
Nov 24th, 2:30pm - 4:30pm in Haliburton at hosted by Haliburton County's
Department of Economic Development, Tourism & Marketing
Nov 25th, 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm in Bancroft at the Fish & Game Club hosted by
Bancroft & District Chamber of Commerce and ComfortCountry.ca
For further information on these sessions, please contact Amy Brohm at 705-
286-1777 or Nicole Whiting at 613-732-4364 ext 456.
Hope to see you there!
Amy Brohm
Tourism & Marketing Co-ordinator
County of Haliburton
77

OFTR Conference Attended and Presented
2010 President’s Council Conference
Ganaraska Forest Centre
10585 Cold Springs Camp Road, Cambellcroft, Ontario L0A 1B0
Phone: (905) 797-2721
Friday, November 12th
Approx. 12pm
6:00pm – 7:00pm
7:00pm – 9:00pm
9:00pm – 11:00pm
Trail Ride – Follow Arrows
from Forest Centre
Inside Motorcycles
Welcome Reception
HONDA CANADA
DINNER
Meet and Greet Free Time
Saturday, November 13 th
Google Map 8:00 am – 8:30
am
Sunday, November 14th
CLIFFSHORE
ADVENTURES
BREAKFAST
8:30 am – 9:00 am Presidents Welcome
9:00 am – 9:15 am Executive Directors Report
9:15 am – 9:30 am Set Final Agenda
9:30 am – 10:30 am Working Session #1
Membership
10:30 am – 11:00 am KTM KOFFEE BREAK
11:00 am – 12:00 pm Working Session #2
Sustainability
12:00pm – 1:00pm
COHV/CVHR
LUNCH
1:00pm – 2:00pm Working Session #3
Product Development
2:00pm – 2:30pm
KTM KOFFEE BREAK
2:30pm – 4:00pm Working Session #4
Branding
5:00pm – 6:00pm
Inside Motorcycles
Refreshments
6:00pm – 8:00pm
YAMAHA CANADA
DINNER
BREAKFAST
8:00 am – 8:30 am
8:30am – 9:00am
Day One Summary/
Review Parking Lot
9:00am – 9:30am
Trent University
Managed OHV Recreation
Feasibility Study
9:30am – 10:30am Working Session #5
Research and Development
10:30am – 11:00am
KTM KOFFEE BREAK
11:00am – 12:00pm Working Session #6
Partnerships
12:00pm – 12:30pm
LUNCH
12:30pm – 2:00pm
Unfinished Business
78