Natural Trails & Waters Coalition

Nearly 300 Conservation and Recreation Groups Call for Strong Off-road Vehicle Rules

U.S. Forest Service Prepares to Issue New Management Policies

Washington, DC - Two hundred ninety (290) conservation, recreation, religious and other groups from 39 states wrote to U.S. Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth today pressing the agency to propose strong new rules to better protect National Forests from the negative impacts caused by dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and other off-road vehicles. The Forest Service could propose new rules for off-road vehicle use as soon as the end of this month.

"Today, hundreds of organizations representing millions of Americans from small communities in rural America to major cities throughout the United States called on Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth to put an end to unrestricted, renegade, and ecologically indefensible off-road vehicle abuse on our treasured National Forests," said Lisa Dix, National Forest Program Director of American Lands Alliance. "The sheer number and diversity of organizations represented on this letter shows that Americans everywhere want strong reform."

One year ago this month, Chief Bosworth identified unmanaged recreation, particularly off-road vehicle use, as one of the four greatest threats to National Forests. He described a litany of adverse impacts caused by off-road vehicles, including soil erosion, habitat destruction, damage to cultural and sacred sites, and conflicts with millions of other visitors. He has also highlighted the unchecked proliferation of unauthorized - or renegade -- ATV and dirt bike routes across National Forests and made clear that this problem is only going to get worse. Finally, Chief Bosworth has stressed the urgency of the problem: "This is not an easy issue to tackle, but if we wait a day, a week, or even a year, the impact on the land and the issues surrounding the problem will become even harder to deal with. We need to address this issue now."

In response to this problem, the Forest Service is developing new rules governing off-road vehicle use on 177 National Forests and Grasslands. New management policies that could be proposed by the agency this spring include:
· Prohibiting cross-country travel by motor vehicles except under limited circumstances; and

· Authorizing ATV and dirt bikes use only on roads and off-road vehicle routes specifically designated for their use and marked with signs or on maps as open to these vehicles.

Groups from across the country applaud the Forest Service for finally acknowledging a problem that exploded throughout the 1990s. They agree that some of the policy changes being considered by the Forest Service could improve management and better protect the land, water quality, wildlife and the experiences of millions of other uses of National Forests.

At same time, these groups make clear that these policy changes alone will not effectively address the problem. In their letter, they recommend that any new rules include several common sense reforms. These recommendations include:
· Establishing a two-year timeline during which roads and off-road vehicle routes must be designated for motorized recreation. After this period ends, motorized recreational use would only be allowed on roads and routes that have been analyzed and then designated for such use;

· Designating roads and routes for off-road vehicle travel following careful environmental analysis and public input. Unplanned - or renegade - routes created by users without authorization should be closed until full analysis is completed to determine whether they can be designated without endangering natural resources, public safety, and/or the experience of other users; and

· Authorizing off-road vehicle use only to the extent that the Forest Service has the personnel and other resources necessary each year to effectively monitor the impacts on the land, wildlife and other visitors, and enforce the rules.

"To protect the land and wildlife, these machines must stay on designated routes," said Sierra Club's recreation issues chair Karl Forsgaard. "The Forest Service must set strong deadlines for the route designation process. By setting a firm deadline, the Forest Service will protect and empower its own employees to get the routes designated on time."

"The Forest Service has an opportunity to address one of the greatest threats to America's National Forests," said Scott Kovarovics, Director of the Natural Trails and Waters Coalition. "The message from nearly 300 groups representing millions of Americans is clear - seize this opportunity and advance real reform that will protect these national treasures for everyone."

National conservation and recreation organizations, including Appalachian Mountain Club, American Lands Alliance, Defenders of Wildlife, Natural Trails and Waters Coalition, Sierra Club, and The Wilderness Society, joined together with state and grassroots groups from 39 states to send this letter. In March, 75 scientists and researchers from 25 universities wrote to Chief Bosworth urging him to ensure that new off-road vehicle rules safeguard natural resources and are based on abundant scientific research documenting the impacts of unmanaged off-road vehicle use on soils, water and air quality, wildlife, habitat, vegetation and other natural resources.