Jeeps, dirt bikes and four-wheelers roar off
designated roads in the wildlands of Utah and rip up desert
wildlife, says the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. Meanwhile,
the Bureau of Land Management stands by and lets the damage happen,
the group charges. SUWA wants President Clinton to issue an
Executive Order closing all public lands to off-road drivers until
thorough environmental studies are completed. One example of agency
neglect: Just outside Moab, in the Grand Resource Area, the BLM
signs direct off-road vehicle drivers into areas proposed for
wilderness designation. The BLM is considering emergency closures
of some areas, says Phil Gezon, outdoor recreation planner for the
agency. But closures might have an adverse effect by sending
drivers through even more delicate areas that have not yet suffered
from long-term use, he warns. SUWA has begun compiling evidence
documenting off-road vehicle damage and is looking for photographs
that tell the story vividly. Contact the group’s ORV Project, 1471
South 1100 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84105-2423
(801/486-3161).
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline War on wheels.
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