Protect forests from ATV damage
Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
(KRT) - The following editorial appeared in the Kansas City Star on Tuesday, Sept. 7:
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ATVs and other off-road vehicles are bad news for the forest primeval - and for people's enjoyment of nature at its most beautiful. ATVs carve roads through forest wilderness, crisscross the meadows with muddy paths, tear up the homes of animals, frighten wildlife and destroy sensitive plants.
Americans who like the forests for the quieter pursuits of hiking, camping, photography, fishing and hunting have only until Sept. 13 to let the Forest Service know they want restrictions on the noisy machines.
Some national forests have signs designating off-road vehicle paths, but many do not. It doesn't seem to matter to many vehicle riders if there are signs anyway. All-terrain vehicles can go many places, and the telltale signs in the forest show they often do.
In some areas, "mudbogging'' - in which ATVs churn up mounds of mud - has destroyed wetlands. In others, once-clear streams are cloudy and silt-filled because of ATV-induced erosion. The air often stinks of exhaust fumes.
The federal government should establish well-thought-out ATV paths where they are needed. The most secluded and special areas of the forests should be off limits. And vehicle use on unauthorized trails should carry a strong penalty.
In a perfect world, off-road vehicles would be banned entirely from the forests. However, many Americans enjoy their national lands through this recreational activity, and some hunters and anglers get to favorite spots by driving off-road vehicles. So the Forest Service should resolve this issue in a way that allows all interest groups to enjoy the forests.
The government is headed in the right direction. Proposed rules would require the study of all national forests and the identification of acceptable trails for off-road vehicles. Officials say they hope to get moving on this in the next two years.
The lack of a definite deadline is troubling. So is the lack of a rule against carving new routes through the forests while the studies are pending. Destruction could go on for many years without tougher requirements. The number of off-road vehicles tearing through the forests is growing, and the Forest Service needs to be told to act soon .
The public can send written comments by Sept. 13 to Proposed Rule for Designated Routes and Areas for Motor Vehicle Use, c/o Content Analysis Team, P.O. Box 221150, Salt Lake City, Utah 84122-1150. Or send e-mail to
[email protected] or fax to 1-(801 )-517-1014 . To read the proposed rule on the Internet go to
www.regulations.gov.
Americans should weigh in on this important forest protection rule.
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© 2004, The Kansas City Star.
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