A Welcome Crackdown on Atvs in the Forests

George Washington and Jefferson National Forests officials are right to crack down on free-wheeling scofflaws who illegally ride on federal land, particularly when the Forest Service has taken steps to accommodate all-terrain vehicles and off-road motorcycles with designated trails.

Seventy-five miles of trails in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests for such motorized recreation apparently aren’t enough for some. Forestry officials have discovered evidence of motorists blazing their own trails on forestland where off-road riding is prohibited.

Last month, a law enforcement officer caught 12 people on Pearis Mountain in Giles County and impounded seven ATVs. They may face 50 federal charges — and rightly so.

The Forest Service’s Web site stresses that improper handling of off-highway vehicles can damage the resources of the national forestlands. The Forest Service offers tips, under a “Treading Lightly” heading, such as “Avoid running over young trees, shrubs and grasses — this damages and kills them;” and “Stay off soft, wet trails and trails already badly rutted.”

And this: “Stay on designated routes — resist the urge to pioneer a new trail or switchback.”

Perhaps the unlawful behavior is a response to failed efforts to develop more designated trails.

In 2005, the Forest Service decided to drop plans to construct the 28-mile-long Old Sawmill All-Terrain Vehicle Trail System on the Jefferson National Forest, in a remote watershed area south of Big Stone Gap. The Forest Service decided not to go forward, in part because the trails’ potential impacts on water resources did not satisfy criteria for new ATV areas.

One ATV blog — while cheering about the “very good time” off- road riders can have when ATVing in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests — warns: “Stay on the trails. You have plenty of land in which to run your ATV, so don’t trespass on private property or go trailblazing, which simply isn’t allowed.”

Clearly, ATVers know what’s allowed — and what’s not.

It is the Forest Service’s job to help people share and enjoy the forest, while conserving the environment. Off-roaders might not find a crackdown in their best interest, but certainly it is in the best interest of the forest.

(c) 2007 Roanoke Times & World News. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.