The U.S. Forest Service has made a proposal that would limit the use of off-highway vehicles in national forests and grasslands to designated roads and areas. The purpose of the proposal is to “enhance recreational opportunities for the public and better protect the environment,” through establishing a balance between OHV use and the non-motorized outdoor recreation.
Nationally, the number of OHV users climbed sevenfold in the last 30 years–from five million in 1972 to 36 million in 2000. OHV users account for about 1.8 million or 5% of visitors to national forests and grasslands. Currently the Forest Service does not have a clear, consistent policy regarding motor vehicle use on national forests and grasslands.
Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth said “Each year we get hundreds of miles of what we euphemistically refer to as unplanned roads and trails. For example the Lewis and Clark National Forest in Montana has more than a thousand unplanned roads and trails reaching almost 650 miles We are going to have to manage that by restricting OHV use to designated roads trails and use areas.”
The proposed rule calls for the Forest Service to continue to engage with motorized sports enthusiasts, conservationists, and others to identify routes offering the best opportunities for OHV use while still meeting its responsibility to protect the environment.
The use of snowmobiles in national forests would still be left up to the local administrations discretion. This proposal has no effect on the heavily contested issue of snowmobile use in Yellowstone and its smaller neighbor, Grand Teton National Park.
