TUCSON, Arizona, April 20, 2008 (ENS) – There is mounting evidence of an increasing conflict between irresponsible off-roading and hunting and fishing on public lands. This conflict must be considered by federal land management agencies this summer as they attempt to implement a 2007 Executive Order by President George W. Bush to “expand and enhance hunting opportunities.”
A recent national survey of state wildlife managers from 34 agencies in 27 states by the pro-hunting and fishing organization Izaak Walton League of America on the impact of off-road vehicles, or ORVs, found that:
* 61 percent of state wildlife managers agreed or strongly agreed ORVs negatively impacted hunting, fishing and habitat in their state
* 83 percent reported ORV-caused resource damage to wildlife habitat
* 72 percent reported ORV-caused disruption of hunters during hunting season
* 61 percent reported ORV-caused disruption of game species during hunting season
* 60 percent reported ORV-caused negative impacts to fishing and fishing habitat
* 67 percent reported ORV-caused erosion and siltation in to lakes and streams
“These responses from state fish and game managers parallel the perceptions of resource managers and law enforcement officers on our federal lands,” according to Rangers for Responsible Recreation, a network of retired law enforcement officers and land managers.
The organization’s members describe themselves as “America’s most seasoned law enforcement and natural resource management specialists from every major public lands agency and several administrations working to end irresponsible off-road vehicle use on U.S. public lands.”
Many of the Rangers are themselves hunters and anglers, several are also ORV owners and all enjoy recreation on public lands.
A group of Texas off-roaders enjoys a day
out in Satan’s Playground in the Devil’s
River Valley. (Photo courtesy
Satan’s Playground)
The Rangers filed a petition this week with the White House Council on Environmental Quality the calls for much more stringent restrictions to keep ORVs from driving in fishing streams and confined to designated trails that do not harm hunting or fishing opportunities.
“Off-road abuse is unquestionably a top threat to hunting and fishing in America,” said Mike Penfold of Rangers for Responsible Recreation.
“Good hunting and fishing requires relative quiet, while ORVs are usually about speed, dust and mud, and the roar of an engine. Currently, the two do not fit well together,” he said.
Penfold is a hunter and angler who owns a hunting lodge in Montana, and worked 37 years with the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and White House Council on Environmental Quality.
Under Executive Order 13443, national park, forest, public land and refuge systems are to develop “a comprehensive Recreational Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Plan” by August 17, 2008, the one year anniversary of the Bush’s order.
That plan would commit these agencies to “a 10-year agenda for fulfilling the actions” that promote hunting and fishing over all other uses, including off-road vehicles.
“If the president’s order is more than lame-duck posturing then ending reckless off-roading must be the meat of any plan that meaningfully benefits hunting and fishing,” added Daniel Patterson.
Patterson, who organized the Rangers coalition, is an Arizona hunter and southwest director for Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.
He said, “America desperately needs a strong coordinated federal approach to protect hunting and fishing from on-going off-road abuse of our wild lands.”
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