Opposition mounts to changes at Martin Nature Park

“The new trail will alter the healthy natural ecosystem in the southeastern portion of the park,” said Cathy Christensen, president of the Oklahoma Bar Association and representative of the nearby Val Verde homeowners. “It is home to deer, owls, foxes, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, muskrat, beaver and a variety of nesting birds, and it is an important habitat for migrating ducks, geese and songbirds. Remove those animals and you lose the opportunity to educate thousands of children and park visitors.”

Christensen also said that disruption to the natural ecosystem could reduce the number of predators, such as owls, which keep populations of rodents, skunks and other animals from overpopulating and becoming pests to nearby neighborhoods and the park itself.

Construction at any level, Gau said, could destroy some of the park’s rarest plants and prevent migratory birds from nesting there. Construction could force wildlife, such as bobcats and wolves, to move into surrounding neighborhoods.

“We have four rare species of plants you can’t find anywhere else in Oklahoma, and then we have birds like the ruby-throated hummingbirds that migrate here in the spring,” Gau said. “That’s just one of 30 migratory birds we have. The issue is we have migratory birds coming in all year, so it makes it difficult to make changes to the park. This type of construction could prevent them from coming here if the area is altered.”

The disappointment led him to find ways to make a wilderness experience, however large or small, accessible to everyone.

“Access to senior citizens, of course, who find walking difficult, citizens using canes, walkers, crutches, wheelchairs or other mobility device; accessible, as well, to those with limited sight, impaired hearing or developmental disability,” McMahan said.

Phases of the project include a large treehouse, a universally accessible trail throughout the park and, in the final phase, “identifying, selecting and installing information/syndication systems that enhance the experiences of all stake holders who visit the park,” according to Wilderness Matters.

McMahan said the projected cost is expected to be between $1.2 to 2 million, and the Wilderness Experience would remain free to the public as Martin Nature Park is now.

Wendell Whisenhunt, director of Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation, said Wilderness Matters Inc. representatives have gone before the OKC Parks Commission three times and discussed improvements they wish to make to the Martin Nature Park. The most recent meeting was Dec. 19 at which time the board of park commissioners voted unanimously to let the proposal go before the City Council during the January meeting.

Wilderness Matters was incorporated as a 501(c)(3). The board is comprised of McMahan, Nichols Hills Mayor Peter Hoffman, philanthropist and former assistant attorney general Tricia L. Everest, and Martha J. Ferretti, a college professor and physical therapist.

McMahan said Wilderness Matters is about helping all people, but especially people with disabilities, enjoy universally accessible outdoor experiences.

“We are about building and delivering a world-class wilderness experience for everyone to enjoy. The result of our work is to improve the human experience,” McMahan said.

McMahan said he and his board of directors are willing to privately fund the approximately $1.5 million needed for the park development.

The group also has told city officials it would provide an endowment to fund maintenance for the proposed development.

According to its website, Wilderness Matters “aims to partner with municipal and state agencies to help all people — able-bodied and disabled — access and enjoy universally designed nature experiences.”

The organization’s website states it selects public nature parks, wildlife areas or other outdoor venues and then designs, builds and donates facility improvements to the partner. The website, however, did not list specific projects completed by Wilderness Matters, and McMahan admitted this proposed project is the first project for the organization.

Fuel-saving gas-electric hybrid and all-electric cars and trucks powered by sizable battery packs and high voltage motors could present a new kind of danger at serious accident scenes, according to an industry group.

A report by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) highlighted risks to first responders and tow operators from potential electric shock from damaged systems not disengaged during or immediately after a crash.

"As electric vehicles enter the marketplace in greater numbers, it's an appropriate time to recognize best practices that facilitate a safe response when these vehicles are in an accident," said Todd Mackintosh, chairman of the SAE technical committee that issued the report earlier this month.

The group recommended automakers install switches that would kill battery power in the event of an accident. The location of those switches should be standardized for safety.

Another recommendation would create a guide for emergency workers, something Mackintosh called a "cheat sheet for first responders." It would quickly identify the location of high-voltage components allowing them to be disabled.

Tow truck drivers also need better information and training on how to handle hybrids and electric vehicles without receiving an unexpected jolt, the report said.

More than 435,000 battery powered electric and hybrid electric vehicles were sold in the United States this year, an increase of 53%, compared to 2011 sales numbers, according to the Electric Drive Transportation Association.

In May, auto industry officials and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Energy Department discussed potential dangers faced by first responders from electrical charges produced by hybrid and electric cars.

NHTSA later issued interim guidance for consumers, emergency responders and tow truck operators to increase awareness about specific dangers.

Dangers can be reduced if responders have easy access to battery packs and if auto manufacturers create common disconnect locations in all hybrid and electric vehicles, NHTSA said.

Automakers are getting the message out to drivers and responders.

Nissan places the battery pack of its LEAF all-electric car in a steel case. The Japanese automaker also designed the battery pack to sense a crash and disable its electrical charge when involved in an accident.

Ford has published a guide for first responders encountering its Focus EV involved in accidents. The Focus EV includes what Ford calls "Electric Badges," which are clearly marked logos on the doors and trunk lid to warn responders of possible electric shock. Cables wrapped in orange high-voltage warning sleeves are located under the hood of the Focus EV.