A DIFFERING VIEW: Forest Service plan cause for concern
In response to the Sept. 2 editorial “Off road and out of line”: Beware of what you ask for with the Forest Service’s Travel Management Planning initiative.
This regulation was announced in 2005 and only this year was there any public involvement in our community of Lake County concerning the policy. This rule not only impacts where you can play and where you can camp but could have major impacts on economies across the state that are dependent on tourism.
Our community is proactive. The board of county commissioners, recognizing the danger of this regulation, has formed a public lands panel committee, which in turn is working closely with the District Ranger and the Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition to protect our roads from closure and at the same time protect the environment.
We in Lake County feel education is the key to protecting the environment and the policy is simple: “Take care of it or lose it.”
The Travel Management Planning policy will not only impact off-highway vehicle users but all citizens. To have all of the users of the national forests herded up together in designated areas would be a sad commentary, but at least the thumb of government could keep us all in check.
Perhaps the Travel Management Planning policy should have been called the Human Management policy.
Brad Littlepage, chairman of Lake County’s public lands panel, is a resident of Leadville.
after years of watching all of the wonderful weekenders out in the forest with their dirt bikes and atv's following all of the rules about staying on trails, I can't believe we would need a law to force them to do it or loose the 'right' to tear up as much of the forest as they want to.
there are too many 'I will do what ever I want' people out there ruining it for everyone.
Many of what people call "dirt bikes" are actually T-R-I-A-L-S motorcycles, for trials competition, (note they are NOT trails bikes). They are seatless, and much quieter vehicles than dirt bikes, and are built for tough rides over boulders, etc. Riders typically do not damage trails, particularly since they follow the rules and clean up behind themselves. I'm not among them, but I'm married to a Trials Expert. Thought I'd add a comment for the sake of the sport.