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http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=7806801&BRD=1817&PAG=461&dept_id=222071&rfi=6
Four-wheel enthusiasts, conservationists applaud proposed
forest rules
By: Wire Service, Associated Press
April
23, 2003
The Forest Service proposal would limit pickups, SUVs and all-terrain
vehicles to existing
roads and trails in the Tonto, Coconino, Apache-Sitgreaves, Prescott
and Kaibab forests.
The policy could take a year or more to take effect, said Jim Payne, a
spokesman for the
U.S. Forest Service.
Sandy Bahr, conservation director for the Sierra Club in Arizona, said
she thinks such
regulations are needed so vehicle users know where they can drive in
the forests.
"I know there are responsible off-highway vehicle clubs," she said.
"But if you go in many
places, you're not seeing responsible OHV use... This is a huge problem
and one that's
not decreasing in magnitude."
Many members of off-road clubs said they applaud rules to keep drivers
on designated
trails. They said most drivers stick to existing roads or trails but
that a small minority
damage the forests by blazing their own paths.
Sandy Cohen, president of the Prescott-based Open Trails Association,
described the
proposed regulations as a way of codifying practices most people
already follow.
"The more you put into place rules that limit or stigmatize driving off
designated trails,
the more you get desired results," he said. "It's good to see the
regulations catch up with
public behavior."
Forest Service officials said increased sales of four-wheel drive
vehicles have led to more
people driving cross-country on forest lands. In certain areas, this
has caused soil erosion,
disrupted wildlife habitats, destroyed vegetation or carved out new
trails, Payne said.
"In some places it's severe," Payne said. "In some places they just
tear out vegetation,
and in some they've put in hundreds and hundreds of roads in small
areas."
Forest Service planner Jim Anderson, one of the leaders of the project,
said keeping
drivers on existing trails will keep them out of sensitive habitats,
such as the dozen or so
spring areas in Arizona where the endangered Gila top minnow lives.
"Running off-road vehicles in the spring areas to splash mud on each
other could wipe
out one area of those fish in a single afternoon," Anderson said.
"Keeping people and
their vehicles on their roads and trails and keeping those trails away
from those sites is
what this effort is about."
Some trail riders blamed environmental damage on specific portions of
the off-highway
community. One SUV driver said he thought smaller all-terrain vehicles
were to blame for
tearing up soil.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted
material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who
have
expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for
non-profit
research and educational purposes only. For more information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
Four-wheel enthusiasts, conservationists applaud proposed
forest rules
By: Wire Service, Associated Press
April
23, 2003
The Forest Service proposal would limit pickups, SUVs and all-terrain
vehicles to existing
roads and trails in the Tonto, Coconino, Apache-Sitgreaves, Prescott
and Kaibab forests.
The policy could take a year or more to take effect, said Jim Payne, a
spokesman for the
U.S. Forest Service.
Sandy Bahr, conservation director for the Sierra Club in Arizona, said
she thinks such
regulations are needed so vehicle users know where they can drive in
the forests.
"I know there are responsible off-highway vehicle clubs," she said.
"But if you go in many
places, you're not seeing responsible OHV use... This is a huge problem
and one that's
not decreasing in magnitude."
Many members of off-road clubs said they applaud rules to keep drivers
on designated
trails. They said most drivers stick to existing roads or trails but
that a small minority
damage the forests by blazing their own paths.
Sandy Cohen, president of the Prescott-based Open Trails Association,
described the
proposed regulations as a way of codifying practices most people
already follow.
"The more you put into place rules that limit or stigmatize driving off
designated trails,
the more you get desired results," he said. "It's good to see the
regulations catch up with
public behavior."
Forest Service officials said increased sales of four-wheel drive
vehicles have led to more
people driving cross-country on forest lands. In certain areas, this
has caused soil erosion,
disrupted wildlife habitats, destroyed vegetation or carved out new
trails, Payne said.
"In some places it's severe," Payne said. "In some places they just
tear out vegetation,
and in some they've put in hundreds and hundreds of roads in small
areas."
Forest Service planner Jim Anderson, one of the leaders of the project,
said keeping
drivers on existing trails will keep them out of sensitive habitats,
such as the dozen or so
spring areas in Arizona where the endangered Gila top minnow lives.
"Running off-road vehicles in the spring areas to splash mud on each
other could wipe
out one area of those fish in a single afternoon," Anderson said.
"Keeping people and
their vehicles on their roads and trails and keeping those trails away
from those sites is
what this effort is about."
Some trail riders blamed environmental damage on specific portions of
the off-highway
community. One SUV driver said he thought smaller all-terrain vehicles
were to blame for
tearing up soil.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted
material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who
have
expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for
non-profit
research and educational purposes only. For more information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
