This petition was created in an attempt to stop Columbia's destruction of the wondrous wildlife sanctuary, home to native plants and animals. If we don't act now, another devastating portion of this land and wildlife will be destroyed this summer. Please sign and share in order to Stop Alignment 3! 

YouTube link: https://youtu.be/AmrqgyML-T4

On February 5, 2018, the City of Columbia Council passed an Ordinance adopting a combination 2-Bike Trail Plan (Alignment 1, $1.83 million dollars of federal money) and Alignment 3 (estimated cost still unknown) from Columbia taxes. The land taken for Alignment 1 was taken by a fiercely contested Eminent Domain Lawsuit in December of 2018. For the proposed Alignment 3, they want to take three times as much land, including the addition of two more prefabricated, high-span bridges. The Wild Sanctuary is endeavoring to show in detail the location and size, the natural assets that will be sacrificed, wildlife habitat destroyed, and the proposed style of trail construction similar to what was done on Alignment 1. 

Alignment 3 is not essential to complete the 30 mile bike loop and to ride easily to Grindstone Park, as the city is proclaiming -- this is propaganda. Two connector routes already exist. The destruction of the creek bank and the flood plain will destroy what remains of an already impaired 37.1 acre ecosystem sustaining native wildlife. We are asking the public to sign this petition demanding the city council rethink and stop Alignment 3, change the ordinance and allow the wildlife sanctuary to remain wild--home to the deer, fox, raccoons, otter, birds, wildflowers, turtles, and bats, etc. These animals are still here! This is their home. We want people to explore and enjoy the natural grass path heading south from the new Alignment 1, but another trailhead will be devastating. Please protect our wildlife sanctuary, right here in the City of Columbia. This is nature’s haven—a gift to us for which we are responsible.