Crowdog
06-10-2005, 07:25 AM
Staying the trail means keeping the land for OHV riders
By By SALLY SPAULDING The Daily Sentinel
Friday, June 10, 2005
Wayne McFetridge traded a shotgun for a Harley-Davidson motorcycle 54 years ago, and he’s been riding ever since.
The 70-year-old Grand Junction man has been an off-road enthusiast most of his life, now owning two all-terrain vehicles, a dirt bike and a street bike.
He takes at least one of his vehicles out every week, and he always stays on the designated trail.
McFetridge is among a group of what he calls “responsible riders” — those who make sure their recreation remains sustainable and safe for the environment for years to come.
Riders like McFetridge, public lands officials and environmentalists gathered Thursday in the Bang’s Canyon Recreation Area to launch the Stay the Trail campaign on the Western Slope.
The program campaigns to keep riders from steering off the trail and destroying habitat and roadless areas on public lands.
Connie Clementson, district ranger for the U.S. Forest Service, said the new program was helpful in creating a generation of responsible off-road vehicle riders.
In Colorado, more than 102,000 off-highway vehicles were registered last year, according to Tom Metsa, state off-highway vehicle program manager.
“We’ve seen increased by 13 to 18 percent over the last five years, so that means a lot of new riders out there,” he said. “The Stay the Trail project is the first statewide education program for off-highway vehicle users to look to.”
Environmentalists on hand for the program’s kickoff Thursday applauded efforts to educate riders to take personal responsibility for their impact on public lands.
Bill Grant, spokesman for the Southern Rockies Conservation Alliance, Western Colorado Congress and the Concerned Citizens Alliance, stressed the importance of effective enforcement and increased monitoring from public lands officials.
“Only an effective enforcement mechanism will control those who continue to break the rules,” he said.
In Colorado there are more than 22 million acres of public land. Of those acres, roughly one-third is open for motorized recreation.
“We just want to maintain and enjoy the portion that we have,” said Dennis Larratt, chairman of the Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition. “We have to continue to educate the new users and encourage the old ones to stay on the trail.”
Sally Spaulding can be reached via e-mail at sspaulding@gjds.com.
http://www.gjsentinel.com/hp/content/news/stories/2005/06/10/6_10_stay_the_trail.html;COXnetJSessionIDbuild78=C pVnilE4HQZ2glNQN1gqWDT07zbsvf8fWDUFGE5QpWHkPzjm9zf K!-1945125953?urac=n&urvf=11184101514470.3842482336455524
By By SALLY SPAULDING The Daily Sentinel
Friday, June 10, 2005
Wayne McFetridge traded a shotgun for a Harley-Davidson motorcycle 54 years ago, and he’s been riding ever since.
The 70-year-old Grand Junction man has been an off-road enthusiast most of his life, now owning two all-terrain vehicles, a dirt bike and a street bike.
He takes at least one of his vehicles out every week, and he always stays on the designated trail.
McFetridge is among a group of what he calls “responsible riders” — those who make sure their recreation remains sustainable and safe for the environment for years to come.
Riders like McFetridge, public lands officials and environmentalists gathered Thursday in the Bang’s Canyon Recreation Area to launch the Stay the Trail campaign on the Western Slope.
The program campaigns to keep riders from steering off the trail and destroying habitat and roadless areas on public lands.
Connie Clementson, district ranger for the U.S. Forest Service, said the new program was helpful in creating a generation of responsible off-road vehicle riders.
In Colorado, more than 102,000 off-highway vehicles were registered last year, according to Tom Metsa, state off-highway vehicle program manager.
“We’ve seen increased by 13 to 18 percent over the last five years, so that means a lot of new riders out there,” he said. “The Stay the Trail project is the first statewide education program for off-highway vehicle users to look to.”
Environmentalists on hand for the program’s kickoff Thursday applauded efforts to educate riders to take personal responsibility for their impact on public lands.
Bill Grant, spokesman for the Southern Rockies Conservation Alliance, Western Colorado Congress and the Concerned Citizens Alliance, stressed the importance of effective enforcement and increased monitoring from public lands officials.
“Only an effective enforcement mechanism will control those who continue to break the rules,” he said.
In Colorado there are more than 22 million acres of public land. Of those acres, roughly one-third is open for motorized recreation.
“We just want to maintain and enjoy the portion that we have,” said Dennis Larratt, chairman of the Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition. “We have to continue to educate the new users and encourage the old ones to stay on the trail.”
Sally Spaulding can be reached via e-mail at sspaulding@gjds.com.
http://www.gjsentinel.com/hp/content/news/stories/2005/06/10/6_10_stay_the_trail.html;COXnetJSessionIDbuild78=C pVnilE4HQZ2glNQN1gqWDT07zbsvf8fWDUFGE5QpWHkPzjm9zf K!-1945125953?urac=n&urvf=11184101514470.3842482336455524