We have written before in this newsletter about the devastating effect of off-road vehicles causing environmental havoc through soil erosion, water pollution, and habitat loss as a result of extensive off-trail use in national and state forests throughout the United States.

Now, the Federal Forest Service has proposed new regulations that would eventually restrict the use of these vehicles in national forests. This law deserves to be emulated by the Interior Department, whose record in protecting the environment is questionable, at best. This is especially important because the lands most at risk in addition to the national forests are lands controlled by the Interior Department?s Bureau of Land Management, and they are not a party to this proposed law.

The proposal would require each national forest to confine motorized off-road vehicles to designated trails, and forbid them to roam free. There are over 10 million registered off-road vehicles, and their use in national forests has increased sevenfold since 1972.

Florida is taking the lead in limiting the use of these vehicles. The administration has supported a plan devised during the Clinton administration to restrict the use of swamp buggies in Big Cypress National Preserve. It sets a hopeful precedent.

Ironically, over 30 years ago, Richard Nixon called for a ?unified national strategy? that would restrict off-road vehicles to designated areas to ?minimize significant reduction to wildlife habitat.?

Alas, any legislation having major impact would have to come through the interior secretary, who has indicated a strong preference for local stewardship of natural resources, rather that top-down legislation. As we have seen with such programs such as mitigation (see article), such local enforcement almost means more destruction.