ATV riders have been literally "tearing it up" in Shrewsbury, making one resident worry about the vehicles' effect on the environment.
A Facebook video by Ken Bell shows visible damage to a neighbour's property and the nearby wetlands, which he claims was caused by ATVs. Using a tape measure, Bell estimates the ATV tracks appeared to be 48" wide.
Bell claims this type of damage could increase the chance of an invasive species, like phragmites, to grow. While he won't speculate if this is the result of the new ATV bylaw, he has noticed an increase in ridership.
"I've witnessed and filmed a number of incidents, where gangs of people, maybe 10-15 on ATVs, are basically tearing up Carolinian forests with their machines," says Bell.
He hopes ATV riders will be more considerate going forward.
"It's easy to see there's a network of ATV trails that go through these wetlands. If people could just stick to the hardened pathways, that would be great," says Bell.
Shrewsbury residents have notified police about the damage, but Bell adds they didn't want officers investigating or being at the scene.
