Ours to Lose

Trail association questions whether NL coastline under threat by development

Written by Stephanie Porter of “The Independent”

East Coast Trail Association president Randy Murphy looks at a map of the Avalon Peninsula, the coastline dotted with small yellow circles. Each one represents a problem, or “case,” for the association — a development that blocks, or may block, the public’s access to both the coast and the trail that Murphy and thousands of other volunteers have built up over the past 13 years.

“There’s 46 of them right now, andthat number is growing,” says Murphy, running a finger along the outline of land. He refers to cases like the socalled “castle” in Logy Bay, which abruptly blocks 300 and 500 metres of traditional right-ofway; a possible rezoning of 80 acres of land near Pouch Cove for coastal estates; a proposal a couple of years ago for nearly 200 acres of large-lot houses and a golf course north of Bay Bulls; countless other examples of towns and private developers snapping up pieces of prime seaside property for homes or commercial endeavors.

In other words, Murphy says, the wilderness and unspoiled beauty of the province’s dramatic coastline — the very things that draw hikers, tourists, berry pickers and nature lovers — are under increasing pressure. The association is lobbying the province to enact legislation now to preserve that resource into the future.

“The challenge is very serious,” Murphy says. “It’s growing exponentially each year and demand for our coastline and wilderness land for developments such as housing is one of the greatest … threats to the trail’s continued use.”

It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how much of the coast is being eyed by developers from the province or elsewhere — records are scattered, many proposals quiet, community research not always easy or ordered — but the association has estimated up to 60 km of its developed trail may have a tenuous future.

Murphy brings up the example of Nova Scotia: only five per cent of that province’s coastline is still Crown land and publicly accessible. Murphy says the Nova Scotia government is now trying to buy back some of that private land to return it to locals and visitors. Similar things are happening all over the world, as available seaside property becomes increasingly rare and lucrative.

“We’re not anti-development,” says Murphy, “and we’re not trying to take a hit at anyone. All we’re asking for is to define the rules, manage the rules, define xpectations within the communities and the marketplace: if you want access to the coastline, this is how it happens.

“It’s not there right now. Existing legislation does not provide adequate protection.”

The association is looking for a “trail corridor” on hikeable land (current laws forbidding development within 15 metres of the high-water mark are quite often not enough), preserving viewscapes, traditional land use, and an inland buffer “to keep wilderness look and feel.”

Under a mandate of building and maintaining “a trail that’s free, open and available to all,” the East Coast Trail Association has already opened about 230 km of fully developed trail hugging the cliffs and crossing the beaches from Logy Bay to Cappahayden on the Southern Shore.

There is another 320 km under development, including segments from Cappahayden south to Trepassey, and north of St. John’s to Topsail Beach. There are also two major overland trails in the works.

According to an economic impact study commissioned by the association, there were an estimated 26,500 hiker trips to the trail in 2004, generating $2.3 million in gross expenditures at bed and breakfasts, restaurants and other attractions and services. The report estimated that by 2011 the number of hiker trips would reach 56,900. Murphy says they’re on track to reach that benchmark by 2009. With trail segments ranging from one- or two-hour easy ambles to daylong (or overnight) strenuous hikes, and attractions including sea stacks, sea arches, the Spout (a wave-driven geyser), stunning vistas and plenty of wildlife, the trail has found support at the community, provincial, and federal levels. The federal government has invested more than $5 million in the project — for trail construction only; maintenance and operations are done by volunteers — and the province has added between 70,000 and $80,000 and its support.

While the trail was started by hiking enthusiasts, there’s a deeper motivation behind the organization than plotting scenic walks along the shore.

“The whole idea behind the trail is how can we effectively support our rural communities?” Murphy says, pointing out the association was born in the wake of the cod moratorium.

“How can we work with communities and the various agencies to build a piece of tourism infrastructure that we value for years and years and have for future generations? That’s what we’ve been doing and we’re actually succeeding.”

The association actively works with the communities along the trail, and is currently refocusing on drawing more members. Annual fees are $25; the association currently has 500 members, but would like to see 2,000 or more. More than the money, the group needs proof of commitment from people up and down the coast to upkeep the trail and help in land-use negotiations and lobbying efforts.

“We’ve been dealing with landowners and towns now for the last 10 years,” Murphy says. “Every time there’s an amendment to a town plan or a town plan comes up for renewal, we’re intervening … and it’s constantly changing. You may have a council that favours you one year, and the next election, there’s new councillors, different mandates.

“It’s a huge effort for a volunteer organization. We know we’re not going to win here. The solution has to come from the province.”

So far, Murphy says, the province has been open to working with the association, though change comes slowly. There is a meeting set up in November between the association and the departments of tourism, justice and municipal affairs, which Murphy hopes will begin a solid dialogue — and result in action.

Tourism Minister Tom Hedderson says the meeting is “to facilitate a process that would look at the options” to overcoming “the main obstacle (of) gaining more access.

“It’s not an easy one to legislate. I don’t know what kind of strategies we could use there, but that’s something we would certainly try to facilitate.”

Hedderson supports what Murphy and the association are doing.

“I would hope the public in general would have public access to the hundreds of kilometres of coastline around Newfoundland and Labrador,” he says. “I think that’s a reasonable expectation.”

The East Coast Trail, and other trails around the province, are “a very important part of our tourism product.

“The East Coast Trail as an example, it’s a trail that covers a great distance, great landscape, it’s the kind of depth and distance which appeals to a certain segment of the hiking marketplace.”

Murphy is hoping to see some solid commitments from the province sooner rather than later. The changing face, and focus, of the province demands it.

“Over the past 500 years in Newfoundland, we’ve had very strong traditional rights of ways,” Murphy says. “People allow people across their property for berry picking or hunting, and didn’t lay down obstacles to keep them out.

“Now, take what’s happening in our rural communities. You have the youth exiting, the older people staying and dying off or moving away, and you’re getting new people coming in. What was traditionally understood in terms of how to use land is changing. If we don’t understand that and try to manage it better, we’re going to lose access to our coastlines and wilderness areas.

“With the value of hope in our lives, and you can’t be a Newfoundlander without hope, within the next year we’ll start seeing a difference in terms of how the province and towns are working together with us to manage this.”

stephanie.porter@theindependent.ca