The article last week titled “Floating above it all” indeed signals broader bike toughness pedaling into serene Idaho wilderness while the bicycle shops recruit new riders for sales of fat bikes to go anywhere and in every condition.

First off, the fat bike demo day planned by the local area bike shops is advertised to be held at the Blue Creek trail system; there is no such name! The name is the Wallace L. Forest Conservation Area. The Bureau of Land Management acquisitions and donations were clear on its naming and how the area is to be maintained and managed in its natural wilderness state.

With the growing popularity of bikes for all seasons and reasons, it appears there are no boundaries and no land areas off limits. How do local bike shop owners comfortably advertise a sanctioned event promoting bike sales, demos, and new revelation rides in BLM Conservation wilderness in this part of North Idaho?

From a Freedom of Information Act, the Advisory Committee for the WLFCA discovered that BLM employees have been heavily involved and organizing for a long time with local bike shop owners, specific trail builder association individuals and Row Adventures to alter, construct, and develop almost all the existing trail landscapes of this particular Conservation Area for commercial biking interest. In fact, the decision had all but been concluded except for one major detail: The community had to be told. When the BLM proposal was finally made public, it was evident there had been no local community involvement, no consideration to the overwhelming impacts to area residents, infrastructure, wildlife habitat, compromise to wetland and surrounding Lake Coeur d’Alene tributaries. The local community had no knowledge or information of any personal invitations to commercial bike shop owners to work hand in hand with the BLM staff on the comprehensive proposal of the Conservation Area.

Clearly, the BLM staff is redefining the Department of the Interior’s mission and vision statement for Conservation Lands: “to conserve, protect, and restore these nationally significant landscapes that have outstanding cultural, ecological and scientific values for benefit of current and future generations.” The people of North Idaho must become aware that since there are no limitations to the type of bikes or bikers’ places, it is important that the BLM be held accountable to all the public when staff employees take it upon themselves to organize with commercially advertised businesses. According to the Department of Interior handbook, the BLM is in violation of Department Policy. Public lands are not for private business concourses. Mike Gaertner, Kent Eggleston. Shane Myr, Alex Castagno, some of the bicycle shop owners quoted in last Saturday’s article confidently promote the demo day event in the Wallace L. Forest Conservation Area.

The Wallace L. Forest Conservation Area at Blue Creek Bay comprises a unique, “protected wet-land,” ancient elk trails, bald eagles, osprey, elk, moose, mule and white tailed deer, black bear, a variety of birds and natural habitat plus so much more; this is a magnificent wildlife corridor. The WLFCA holds untold opportunities for educating our youth and inspiring the greater public to explore and become involved in conserving the intrinsic public lands that define North Idaho’s special areas.

The original intentions of the Forest family, whose name the land bears, are to keep it natural wilderness and lightly managed. Because of their generosity and foresight, this area exists, safe from development. So for the local bike shop owners viewing the WLFCA as simply a “trail system,” convenient for a fat bike demo day rally, as well as the BLM office to support the venture is completely inappropriate.

December is the month bald eagles arrive to Higgens Point and Blue Creek Bay; they feed and rest in the WLFCA at Blue Creek Bay. Winter is also the time the wildlife feel unobstructed in this sanctuary. Where in this bicycle trend building faster, wider, fatter bikes that can do anything, travel anywhere, is the moral worth of intrusion for sanctity of wildlife, wilderness, wetlands and the neighboring communities? “Conservation” in and of itself is worth shielding, especially in these fast-moving times.

All outdoor interests at every age of the people visiting the WLFCA deserve to behold and partake in North Idaho’s natural beauty and depart better for the experience.

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Loretta Zabka is a Coeur d’Alene resident.