Thursday, March 27, 2003
Patrols Upped for ATV Riders
By Chris Dornin - DERRY NEWS STAFF
Londonderry has received a $5,400 grant from New Hampshire Fish and Game to patrol the Musquash Conservation area and nab people using dirt motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles. They're banned in this large and environmentally sensitive network of trails, ponds, streams and marshes.
According to Police Chief Joe Ryan, the funding approval came after a meeting of state officials, local police, the conservation commission and the Londonderry Trailways program.
"It'll pay for our officers to put in overtime enforcing the regulation," Police Chief Joe Ryan said. "The first phase runs from April 1 to June. We've applied for a second grant to cover the summer. We should have a good chance of getting one at roughly the same amount. It'll give us a couple of shifts out there a week with Fish and Game."
Trailways president Sandra Lagueux refused to take any credit for getting the grant, but strongly welcomed it.
"Motorized, wheeled vehicles are banned from all conservation land in town," she said. "But snowmobiles are allowed." The Trailways official said many of the violators are from out of town and out of state.
"They cause damage to trails, wetlands, and sensitive species," Lagueux said. "The ordinance has been in place for years, but the traffic was increasing."
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