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June 11, 2007
BEC Angels
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| The latest edition of the Butte Environmental Council's
(BEC) Environmental News has a couple of interesting , and welcome, letters
to the editor. Chairman of their board, and disc golfer, Peter Hollingsworth
writes a reasonable letter seeking compromise on disc golf. Jennifer Oman,
BEC's education and outreach coordinator, also makes a number of solid
points on behalf of disc golf. Both Oman and Hollingsworth deserve a lot of credit for being environmentalists willing to speak out in support of this valuable, low cost, recreational opportunity. It's not unusual that they support disc golf and are environmentalists, that happens all the time. It's unusual that they stepped forward so publicly when disc golfers are sometimes portrayed as uncaring, earth wrecking, thugs. All park users are artists, engineers, teachers, construction workers, journalists, democrats, republicans, independants, moms, dads, kids, and a whole bunch of dogs. That's true whether you're a disc golf park user, or some other kind of park user. Since there are now two self described environmentalists at BEC who support disc golf I thought I'd give their letters a wider audience, and have reposted them below. NOTE: The letters shouldn't be construed as a position held by the organization BEC, just opinions from some members |
BEC Environmental News letter - Peter Hollingsworth As the discussion of disc golf in Chico begins again, I hope that cooler heads will prevail and that some kind of compromise can be reached. The fact that there are now 2,348 disc golf courses in the U.S. (111 in California) suggests to me that 1) it is a very popular form of recreation and 2) a lot of communities have found a way to include disc golf in their park systems. Here in Chico, hundreds of people play disc golf regularly on the undeveloped course off of Highway 32 in Upper Park. For many it is the primary way that they enjoy the park and most players are very conscientious. But some park users argue that the course should be removed because the soil there is too fragile and the plant life too vulnerable. Others don’t want a disc course anywhere in the park. But surely, in one of the largest municipal parks in the country at 3,618 acres, we should be able to accommodate a 30-acre disc golf course somewhere in Bidwell Park. Like most disc golfers, I consider myself an environmentalist. One of the reasons I play is because it is a form of recreation that utilizes the land as it is—no bulldozers, irrigation systems, pesticides, or herbicides. The terrain is altered as minimally as possible. The people that are opposed to disc golf in Upper Park should come forward with support for another site. Disc golfers should also be open to compromises. (I personally think a disc golf course on the north side of 5 Mile, in the part of the park where most of the recreation facilities already exist, would be a great choice.) In any case, let’s come to some kind of agreement and move on. We should be allies working together on the many other important environmental issues that confront us here in Chico. Peter Hollingsworth |
| BEC Environmental News letter -
Jennifer Oman As a former classroom teacher, and now an environmental outreach and education coordinator, as well as the Aunt of two young nephews, I approach the disc golf course issue in Bidwell Park as an excellent opportunity to provide outreach on the concept of environmental stewardship through recreation. There are groups that exist who work toward conservation of natural resources, and also see disc golf as a means toward that end (The Save Our Canyons group in Utah has seen the wisdom and benefit of this combination.) Many people do not experience nature unless it is through sports or other outdoor activities. Our City park is an amazing place that we can share and enjoy in our many different ways. It’s important to remember that Bidwell Park is a park, and not a preserve, or a reserve. It’s an amazing gift for the City, and is the place where we do need to compromise and share. We are lucky to have 2,724 acres preserved through the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve, as well as 750 acres of Bidwell Ranch land. I was the curator of the museum exhibit on the Bidwell Park Centennial, which was an honor. While researching the history of Bidwell Park, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the various ways over the years that Chicoans “played” in the park: water skiing, archery, Boy Scout camps, etc. The chance to give people who play disc golf (or ride mountain bikes, or ride horses, or do exercise courses, or swim, or take nature hikes , or play on playground equipment, or play baseball, etc.) the experience to enjoy nature and be out in it, is something that can and does benefit our community. Protecting nature while people enjoy it, so that future generations can do the same, is important. People who take up that cause in a balanced and inclusive manner, are exceptional, and deserve our thanks. Following through with the viable compromise for both sides of the disc golf issue is important and needed. Much public money has been spent, and extensive planning has occurred to try to allow a permanent disc golf course at its current location. The ideal would be to go ahead with the plan, providing all of the mitigations are consistently followed, and we can make our disc golf course one of the best examples of environmental respect and beauty. However, if it turns out that there is a better location in our park, or an additional location that would help lessen the impact on the current location, then we need to identify it in an expedient manner and make it happen. We can’t discriminate against one group of recreators and not others. That makes for low public moral, and a feeling of unfairness in the community. We owe it to each other to accommodate one another’s needs in the most intelligent and fair manner possible. Out of 3,600 acres we can find a good spot for disc golfers to enjoy the park too. Here are positive opportunities to keep in mind: • Help create a positive model for other public lands, of recreational and environmental planning working together. • Provide an example of a project that environmentalist ideology can use as a model for other outdoor sports projects. • Generate increased mainstream interest in ecological issues, by exposing citizens to nature in way that they can connect to it. • Develop better social habits, sportsmanship and etiquette with those who may most need them. • Expose youth to more mature influences. “Pack it in, pack it out.” “ Leave only footprints.” •Promote healthy lifestyle habits with low income and at risk groups. • Offer relatively lower impact recreation alternative to other outdoor sports; hunting, dirt biking, four wheeling, etc. • Give an incentive for more community inclusion and stewardship of public lands. •Encourage more civic participation and voice in the public process. •Support the efforts and expense of years of hard work by progressive citizens, volunteers, councilors and commissioners. •Invite environmental group oversight with project maintenance and improvements. • Work with environmentalist players to insure City plans are followed properly. Thanks to all who care about promoting better ecological awareness, Jennifer Oman |
Posted by Lon at June 11, 2007 10:20 PM
Comments
Peter and Jennifer are writing on their own behalf as individuals. I do work for BEC too, but I only speak for myself. There's a range of diverse philosophies within their membership and I don't agree with them all, but I do believe in the ones I help out with. One thing I like about BEC is how they stick to bigger more important regional issues that are real threats to ecology and our quality of life. Frizbee golf is not one of these threats.
Let's all keep in mind that at this point in the process, we are just talking about comments concerning the draft EIR.
Everyone already seems to agree that disc golf is a great activity for our community.
Over the years, the City Council, Park Commission and now the Citizen's Advisory Committee have already expressed their support for both courses at the existing site in many ways.
The botanists, biologists, arborists, archeologists, landscape architects, soil scientists, legal advisors, and a very expensive team of environmental consultants have already studied and deliberated all of the relevant issues at great length in open public meetings. Many environmentalists have brought up good suggestions that have been included and have helped create a better plan. Many more compromises above and beyond those required by CEQA were made as gestures of good will. The Park Commission worked for months fine tuning this Master Management Plan before the EIR was written, in more public meetings where everyone had many opportunities to be heard.
They have already planned and recommended many great options to manage, maintain and mitigate for the impacts of this activity at this site in particular with this EIR.
This is now what we are making comments about. We should appreciate everyone involved for all of their interest and hard work and support it.
Posted by: Gregg Payne at June 12, 2007 02:40 PM
Gregg,
Thanks for the post. I've added a note to the blog to clarify that the letters to the editor published in the recent edition of BEC's Environmental News are letters from members and not a stance taken by BEC as an organization.
When news reports promote the "environmentalist vs. disc golfer" angle in relation to this issue I think letters like those printed in BEC's newsletter go a long way towards dispelling that myth.
Lon
Posted by: Lon at June 12, 2007 02:49 PM