Editorial: These boots are made for walking

Mountain biking is a relatively new phenomenon - so new that it did not figure in the drafting of the 1980 National Parks Act. The legislation's authors made clear their disinclination to accommodate people who might wish to use "vehicles" in these protected areas. But it is only now that conservation authorities are having to grapple with where mountain bikes fit into the scheme of things: whether their presence in national parks is an affront to the principle that underpinned the establishment of these areas, or whether parks should recognise their popularity and make them welcome.

The issue is coming to a crunch. This month, the Conservation Authority gave a provisional thumbs up to bikes on tracks deemed suitable for sharing with other park users. Similarly, the Department of Conservation has proposed that cyclists should be allowed on roads on Rangitoto and Motutapu islands.

The Conservation Minister talks of balancing the demands of traditional trampers and those of the increasing number of city-dwellers and tourists visiting such areas. Matters may be "out of kilter", he says.

That suggests a revised policy, due for adoption in December, will be friendly to mountain biking. If so, the National Parks Act will effectively have been bypassed. It states that the public should have freedom of entry to the parks subject to the act's provisions and to "the imposition of such conditions and restrictions as may be necessary for the preservation of the native plants and animals or for the welfare in general of the parks".

In other words, protecting flora and fauna take precedence over public access and activity.

Mountain biking is inimical to that. Forest and Bird has questioned how DoC will ensure that bikes are not ridden off the roads on the fragile ecosystem of Rangitoto. The same applies in national parks, where it is an offence to "wilfully dig, cut, excavate or damage the turf".

Even without damaging flora, the weight of mountain bikes is enough to carve deep ruts in tracks, especially in wet weather. If that represents a nuisance to walkers, it is the least of their worries.

The Athens Olympics showcased mountain biking's attraction - the buzz associated with negotiating steep and tortuous terrain at speed. For many, entry to a national park would not be about the leisurely appreciation of scenic splendour. Conflict with walkers would be inevitable, and occurred, DoC concedes, during trials of cycling tours on Rangitoto.

Other problems associated with mountain biking also warrant attention. Injuries are an integral part of the activity. That may not be a problem on Rangitoto but what if they occur in the more inaccessible national parks?

Ways around the many problems have been mooted - the creation of dedicated biking trails, for example. But building them would mean destroying native plants. Restrictions on bikers at certain times of the year, perhaps, seems closer to the mark, but even that does not appeal as a solution. In fact, this is not an issue requiring balance.

Quite simply, national parks should be maintained as intended by the 1980 act. They are a superb asset for those ready to take the time to enjoy them. Why spoil that for those not prepared to take the time?