Off-road bikes putting Marsden Moor wildlife at risk

Several illegal off-road motorbikes have been spotted on Marsden Moor on recent weekends.

Damage from off-road bikes on Marsden Moor (Image: National Trust)

These have been reported to the new police taskforce that was set up last month to crack down on illegal motorbike riding in Kirklees.

These bikes are among a number of instances of anti-social behaviour that, the National Trust Rangers report, are putting the moorland and its precious animals at risk.

Damage from off-road bikes on Marsden Moor (Image: National Trust)

They are working with the Kirklees Nuisance Anti-Social Behaviour Team and carrying out joint patrols of the moor, to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Using motorbikes and vehicles on Marsden Moor is illegal, and the damage caused by these motorbikes can take hundreds of years to undo as vehicle tyres can expose and erode the peat, increasing the risk of flood and leaching carbon into the atmosphere.

A nesting bird on Marsden Moor (Image: National Trust)

Nesting birds and wild mountain hares are easily disturbed by the noise of motorbikes and, in worst-case scenarios, the heat from exhausts can cause moorland fires.

Ian Dowson, area ranger for the National Trust, said: “Unfortunately, it seems off-road vehicles using the moors is becoming a reoccurring issue. We have increased our ranger patrols and are working closely with West Yorkshire Police to help educate riders.

A nest on Marsden Moor (Image: National Trust)

“These incidents have a huge environmental and financial impact and undo the countless volunteer hours and money spent restoring this landscape.”