4×4 VERSUS THE ENDANGERED TURTLES

BIEPA is sending you a series of information and studies to ensure members, friends and affiliates are conversant with the sterilising impacts 4×4 recreational beach driving has on our once LIVING beach ecosystems.

Today we are sending you links to four scientific studies that demonstrate the damaging impacts 4×4 (ORV) beach driving has on our LIVING beach.

See attached photos taken by a BIEPA member on Woorim’s main beach – demonstrating the damage just one vehicle can do.  (This beach is NOT designated as a highway by the Queensland Government.  However, 4x4s have 24/7 access to Ocean Beach with ~ 3,000 on Australia Day 2019.)

Off-Road Vehicle use is arguably one of the most environmentally damaging human activities undertaken on sandy beaches worldwide.  Existing scientific studies focused on areas of high traffic volumes have demonstrated significantly lower abundance, diversity, and species richness of the fauna in zones where traffic is concentrated.

A Western Australian scientist concludes: ‘Given the choice between either reducing traffic volumes, or excluding ORV traffic from beaches, our results suggest that the latter would be more appropriate when the retention of ecological integrity is the objective.’ 

That is: Should 4×4 beach driving be allowed to continue to destroy and sterilise Bribie Island’s Internationally, Nationally and State protected Ocean Beach?

“There is a growing body of evidence on the nature and extent of environmental degradation caused by ORVs (Off-Road Vehicles) on beaches, including geomorphological changes; destruction of dune vegetation; and impacts on wildlife such as turtles, birds and invertebrates.” Schlacher et al.

(1).  https://serc.carleton.edu/vignettes/collection/35397.html   EFFECTS OF 4-WHEEL  DRIVE VEHICLES ON BEACH SEDIMENT TRANSPORT

(2).  http://research.usc.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/usc:2071/SOURCE2    PHYSICAL IMPACTS CAUSED BY OFF-ROAD VEHICLES TO SANDY BEACHES

(3) https://www.nature.com/articles/srep24899.   LOW-LEVEL OFF-ROAD VEHICLE  (ORV) TRAFFIC NEGATIVELY IMPACTS MACROINVERTEBRATE  ASSEMBLAGES AT SANDY BEACHES IN SOUITH-WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

(4).  https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/edu/learning/10_tides/activities/intertidal.html.

LIFE IN THE INTERTIDAL ZONE.

Attached you will find some interesting information from commentaries by 4×4 enthusiasts demonstrating how 4×4 beach driving is the antithesis of Nature-based recreational activities.

Also attached is the brochure: “Driving on Sand Safety Guide QPWS” (Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science, DES).  We have highlighted some points (on the two pages) in yellow and red.

We hope you will gain some insight into some of the reasons 4×4 beach driving is a contradiction to and incompatible with conserving and protecting a healthy beach ecology, beach ecosystems, and endangered wildlife – in particular nesting turtles and migratory shorebirds.

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19 June 2020

 4×4 PANDEMIC – DEATH TO BRIBIE ISLAND’S OCEAN BEACH

For more than 6 years BIEPA has been lobbying the Queensland Government to address the serious issues relating to the destruction 4×4 recreational beach driving has caused to Bribie Island’s environmental, social and economic health.

Attached is a poster and excerpt from a study and links to assist you in understanding our concerns.  We hope you find the information informative.

from your BIEPA Management Committee

Excerpt_ORVs on Beaches_Impacts_Australia_Discussion

4x4s vs turtle hatchlings