Last week, the US Forest Service announced a decision to restrict OHV (off-highway vehicles) access to only four areas of the forest. The decision was in direct response on countering erosion, noise control, and overall environmental impact that vehicles like dirt bikes and four-wheelers have in the national forest.
Now, OHVs will only have access to 146 miles of roads and trails, much less than under the previous policy “open unless posted closed,” which allowed vehicles access to over 2,500 miles of roads and trails. Though off-road riders make up a small percentage (less than 1%) of visitors to Mount Hood National Forest, their is an increase in OHV visitors to National Forests across the country and officials wanted to halt the potential impact more vehicles could have on the environment.
Mount Hood is the first national forest in Oregon to complete its OHV plan. Conservationists support the decision, but hope that officials in other national forests in Oregon will follow suit. Regulations are considerably more lax at Siskiyou National Forest, where at least 100 miles of OHV trails wind through proposed wilderness areas.
You can read all the documents supporting the decision on the US Forest Service website.
-via Oregon Live.
