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until retiring in November . “ It ’ s not like there ’ s any declared animosity between groups , just that occasionally individuals rub each other the wrong way . Our conflicts are more about the numbers of people who want to use the areas .
“ You ’ ve got cross-country teams that want to run , horseback riders , mountain bikers that want to hold events ,” she adds . “ Trying to cope in such a small and densely populated state with the multitude of demands , and balancing and having some fairness so we can in some way accommodate as many types of uses as possible , is challenging as a manager . When you have a lot of people , you ’ re going to have issues .”
Most of the user complaints to DEM about state lands are about the property ’ s deteriorating condition and about littering or illegal dumping of trash and construction debris , not about conflicts with other users . But conflicts occur , nonetheless .
“ We work hard to keep our Class A trout fishing streams as clean as possible , for instance , and we try to keep horses out of the rivers because they muck it up and disturb the bottom ,” Sparks says . “ But you ’ ve got some users — always just a few — who like to imagine they ’ re in Wyoming or some great big place and they want to walk their horse down the middle of the river . That ’ s not only a user conflict but also an impact to our natural resources .”
The biggest issue in recent years , according to Sparks , is the growing popularity of mountain biking . Their speed conflicts with hikers and others seeking to enjoy the tranquility of nature . Mountain bikers are an even greater concern to horseback riders , because the bikes can spook their horses , which may turn quickly , rear up or race away , possibly injuring themselves or the rider . It ’ s a problem that mountain bikers say they are generally aware of , but not all cyclists exhibit the proper trail etiquette necessary for a safe interaction .
“ If we ’ re going downhill and approaching them at speed and don ’ t know they ’ re there , then I can see them being startled , but those are kind of isolated instances ,” says Alan Winsor , the leader of the Rhode Island chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association . “ For the most part , what I ’ ve witnessed is that moun-
100 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l FEBRUARY 2021