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THE ROAR OF ROLLBACKS? FUTURE OF WILDERNESS PROTECTION AT STAKE IN OFF ROADER CONFRONTATION
By Gary A. Patton
Executive Director
Planning and Conservation League
Imagine yourself deep in the heart of darkness. Suddenly your ears ring with the deafening sound of a gas engine. In a flash, a man in plastic body armor emerges from the dense undergrowth, straddling a four-wheeled contraption and cranking the throttle wildly. Before you can shout, "Jumping Joseph Conrads!" he plunges back into the pristine wilderness, past a fading, weathered sign that reads "Keep Out – Sensitive Ecological Area."
Sounds like a work of fiction?
Sadly, it's not. Hundreds, if not thousands, of these destructive joy rides into protected areas occur every year and they're likely to become even more commonplace if powerful industry groups get there way at the state Legislature this session.
That's because California's Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) program is set to expire on January 1, 2008 and OHV industry representatives are lobbying hard to undermine its vital protections.
Oh, the Horror!
The popular OHV program was initiated over thirty-five years ago to prevent and repair off highway vehicle damage to California's wilderness, wildlife, and waterways through funding of law enforcement and habitat restoration.
To ensure that our wilderness areas are protected when Californians take to the outdoors, PCL will be working in conjunction with the California Wilderness Coalition and other key wilderness proponents in a campaign to protect the OHV program.
In addition, we'll be calling for increased restoration funding for public lands, creation of ecological improvement grant programs for designated non-OHV trails, and allocation of Off Highway Vehicle local assistance grants to improve management of recreation opportunities for California's precious public lands.
If you believe that Joseph Conrad's appeal for "restraint" still applies in the wild west of the OHV world, contact Tina Andolina at tandolina@pcl.org, and help put the brakes on illegal vehicle incursions into natural areas.
Gary Patton is the Executive Director of the Planning and Conservation League, a statewide, nonprofit lobbying organization. For more than thirty years, PCL has fought to develop a body of environmental laws in California that is the best in the United States. PCL staff review virtually every environmental bill that comes before the California Legislature each year. It has testifed in support or opposition of thousands of bills to strengthen California's environmental laws and fight off rollbacks of environmental protections.
Comments
I note from your commnetary you appear to have not idea about the core situation. Imagine, if you constrict the populace more and more, there is bound to be a bubble burst with unintended consequences.
You state "... we'll be calling for increased restoration funding for public lands, creation of ecological improvement grant programs for designated non-OHV trails, and allocation of Off Highway Vehicle local assistance grants to improve management of recreation opportunities for California's precious public lands.".
Do you realize that this is the attitude that has lead to the threat of closing down the OHV program? Do you really think the legislature is going to let the program die?
Just over 30 years ago, some forward thinking "conservationists" joined with recreation advocates to createe the OHMVR program. Too bad those same "forward thinking" conservationists are not around today. Their work to provide for recreation opportunities and secure protection for California natural resources has been undermined by mis-guided intentions of a few zealots that haven't got a clue as to people really want.
The more fund diverted to "local assistance" the less funds available where law enforcement is necessary.
The more funds diverted from trail maintenance, the more chance of resouce damage.
The more lands "restored", the more other sensitve lands are put at risk.
If "planning" is part of your charter, join in an honest "planning" effort. The only danger to the OHMVR program comes from the radical zealot of the conservation movement.
Posted by: John Stewart at February 23, 2007 07:56 PM
John Stewart is one of the folks who maintains http://www.muirnet.net/ and is the Director of Environmental Affairs for the United Four Wheel Drive Associations and a Natural Resources Consultant to the California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs. If you visit that site you will see opinions contrary to those of this article.
We appreciate folks using their real names. Thanks, John.
Posted by: Frank D. Russo at February 24, 2007 10:42 AM
An amazing discovery! The intelligence and common sense of a person is directly proportional to the person's use of the English language. By this measure, one who uses "commnetary," "you appear to have not idea," "createe," "resouce," "sensitve" ranks up there with Jethro Bodine's high intellect. He done gadgeated the eighth grade. Let's hope most 8th grade graduates think more clearly than Master Stewart, and keep their divot-diggers of the wilderness.
Posted by: Steven G. Levine at February 27, 2007 05:41 PM
Oh, alright. I made my own little error. I meant to say "off the wilderness," not "of the wilderness." One strike against me.
Posted by: Steven G. Levine at February 27, 2007 05:45 PM
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