The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks
and the U.S. Forest Service give motorized trail projects the
go-ahead without scrutiny, according to The Montana State Trails
Program: Motorizing Montana’s National Forest Trails, a 13-page
report by the Predator Project in Bozeman. Widening trails
significantly damages habitat, but agencies dismiss it as “repair
and maintenance,” says writer David Havlick. Wide trails also deter
hikers, bicyclists and horseback riders – the majority of trail
users. But since trail work is exempt from environmental review,
the public cannot appeal it, and state gas taxes and general
federal funds for recreation trails encourage the state to motorize
trails. “Not many people seem to realize the magnitude of pressure
that the motorized recreation industry is steadily applying to many
Western public lands,” says Havlick. The report is $3 from Predator
Project, P.O. Box 6733, Bozeman, MT 59771 (406/587-3389) or e-mail
predproj@avicom.net.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Motorizing Montana’s trails.
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