Flying start Motorcross Co2 forest Domain Puyenbroeck
In the Puyenbroeck Provincial Domain, world champions Joël Smets and Stefan Everts unveiled a sign at the location where a motocross Co2 forest specially dedicated to them will soon be planted. Also the sign of the Eric Geboers forest that was located in Eeklo on Saturday, November 18 (click here for all information) will be planted was revealed. Eric, Stefan and Joel are the initiators of the Save the Motocross working group. A total of 50.000 motocross Co2 trees will have been planted by the end of this year.
The sport of motocross is still very much alive in Flanders. It remains the only sport in which Belgium has 15 world champions. However, support among the general public is decreasing, despite the numerous efforts of the sector (federations, industry, riders, organizers) to limit inconvenience as much as possible. Now that there are hardly any training circuits left, the sport is in danger.
In 2009, the 'Save the Motocross' working group was launched following yet another closure of a training circuit (Neeroeteren). The working group receives the active cooperation of the federations, the industry (Febiac) and the ex-world motocross champions Eric Geboers, Stefan Everts and Joel Smets, together with a number of motivated volunteers.
Eric Geboers suggested an idea in 2010, during a meeting of the Save the Motocross Working Group: (partly) compensating the CO2 emissions of motocross by planting trees. Guy Dick was commissioned to develop this plan.
In 2011, the working group was offered a stand at the car show by Febiac. Money was collected here to fund a planting campaign. This yielded approximately 5.000 euros. Natuurpunt was first approached, but they only wanted to purchase land with the money.
The working group then came into contact with Bos+ and the collaboration led to the planting of the Sruikroversbos in Ostend (6.000 trees).
Here is a list of the various plantings
-2011 own planting in collaboration with Forest+: Ostend – 6.000 trees
-2012 Spa: an avid Joël Robert supporter donates Save the Motorcross a 5 hectare forest that he (re)plants himself: 18.000 trees.
-2013 own planting in collaboration with Forest+: Oosterzele – 6.000 trees
-2014 own planting in collaboration with Provincial Domain Puyembroeck Wachtebeke – 6.000 trees
-2015 own planting in collaboration with Forest+: Westmalle – 4.000 trees
-2015 own planting in collaboration with Forest+: Bales – 500 trees
-2016 own planting in collaboration with Forest+: Nijlen – 3.500 trees
A total of 44.000 trees have now been planted and this year the campaign will conclude with more than 50.000 trees planted.
State of affairs circuits
A study conducted by the Flemish Government in 2001 stated that there is a need for 12 to 15 regulated training circuits in Flanders. Red de Motocross realizes that this is 'wishful' thinking and certainly cannot be realized in the short term (several practice circuits have been closed since 2001 and training has been conducted briefly in Zolder...). Unfortunately, no definitive location for a new practice run has been announced at this time. There are some possibilities in sight, but it will probably take years before everything is in order in terms of operations and permits.
Within the Save the Motocross working group, pop-up training circuits were brainstormed as a short-term alternative.
Following discussions with various Flemish politicians during the tree planting campaigns, the Flemish government recently made an amendment to the VLAREM legislation, making this alternative proposal a reality.
What is possible now?
The VLAREM legislation (section 32.9.1.c) regulates the authorizations for the organization of motocross training/competitions. The change concerns more specifically the permit for one-off organizations and now makes it possible to automatically obtain 3 additional days for training when reporting a one-off competition.
In concrete terms, this means that an organizer in Flanders can now organize training on a temporary 'pop-up' circuit on Wednesday-Thursday-Friday with competitions on Saturday-Sunday or training on Thursday-Friday, competitions on Saturday-Sunday and training on Monday.
In this way, additional training options can be offered. A 'pop-up' training offer on, for example, the Wednesday afternoon prior to the competition weekend could possibly attract numerous riders.
Various instructors thus have the opportunity to organize youth internships on Wednesday afternoons. Former world champion Steve Ramon has already announced that he wants to pass on his knowledge to future talents in this way!
Photos: Jan Vermeer
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