More Land is Off Limits for ATV's

[Nemont]

April 21, 2005


OHVs banned in southeastern Utah
Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY - The Bureau of Land Management has banned off-road recreational vehicles from two square miles of sand dunes and red rock cliffs northwest of Bluff in southeastern Utah over fears that riders were damaging historic cultural resources.

Bluff residents petitioned the BLM to address the problem, BLM spokesman Scott Berkenfield said.

BLM archaeologists were also concerned that the vehicles had damaged native vegetation in addition to the plentiful rock art sites, said Berkenfield, who works in the Monticello field office.


The Bluff area rock art is more than 2,000 years old and the sites are more difficult to identify than some other Utah sites, archaeologist Jim Carter said.

Use restrictions for the area, which borders privately owned land, will remain in place until the BLM can assess the wider issue of off-road vehicle use throughout San Juan County. The agency is in the midst of reconsidering land-use plans across the state.

Lynell Schalk, president of the Bluff Landowners Coalition said she hopes new land management plans will permanently close the area to off-road riders. Over the past three years, residents have seen an increase in the number of riders and site damage, she said.

"If (the closure) is really going through, it's long overdue," said Schalk, a former BLM law enforcement officer who investigated vehicle damage at historic sites in California, Washington and Oregon. "Citizens have been trying for almost five years to get them to do something about it."

All-terrain vehicle enthusiasts did not return telephone messages from The Associated Press on Monday.

Presently, hikers tend to outnumber all-terrain vehicle drivers on the 1,835 acres closed, Berkenfield

 

[BuzzH]

The good guys win another one...

Does anyone else see a pattern here????

 

[MattK]

I believe I do see a pattern, the shape of paddle on the ass of ATVers everywhere!

 

[JoseCuervo]

Where oh where are the Blue Ribbers? I thought they were taking all that money to INCREASE access to the Fat-Assed ATV crowd......

 

[cjcj]

Hey maybe you should call Jimmy Gilchrist... get some publicity for your cause.. You know like NATIONAL ATTENTION...HE,HE.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Yeah, everybody needs a fat-bellied retired accountant in a lawn chair....

 

[cjcj]

Lets see the accountant.. is going to Washington D.C. to speak before CONGRESS... and you are sitting at a lonely P.C. talking to yourself [most of the time]

Yes sir you are really getting some exposure... Give Jimmy a call he might help you get your Bowel movement started.

 

[MattK]

cjcj- This is already getting National attention. The job is already getting done, now it's time to watch as ATVers everywhere whine as more and more and more land gets closed to ATV use. This also isn't something that has happened overnight. It has taken 5 years and a lot of pressure from a lot of people to get this ball rolling. The difference is: Closing areas to ATV use is backed by the BLM, Forest Service, etc. etc., Your cause isn't even backed by both your senators!

 

[cjcj]

cjcj- This is already getting National attention. The job is already getting done, now it's time to watch as ATVers everywhere whine as more and more and more land gets closed to ATV use. This also isn't something that has happened overnight. It has taken 5 years and a lot of pressure from a lot of people to get this ball rolling. The difference is: Closing areas to ATV use is backed by the BLM, Forest Service, etc. etc., Your cause isn't even backed by both your senators!

Yea right Matt... lets see the "project" has been on 148 news stations for at least 2 weeks straight [wordwide] I must have missed your cause being discussed on Rueters/CNN/MSNBC/CBS/ABC/ FOX/Lou Dobbs/Al franken/Savage/Hot air America/etc.etc.etc.


Funny our cause is BACKED by 75%-95% of Americans.....also by J.D. Hayworth and Jon Kyle...... hump

 

[ringer]

I have no problems with closures to protect this area but do you dorks realize how large TWO SQUARE MILES is? I hope you didn't spend all your funding on this one.

 

[Ten Bears]

I suppose there was never any vandalism prior to ATV's, right. If that's waht it takes to keep the area safe from ATV's; I'll support your two mile closure.

 

[cjcj]

OH yea Matty i forgot to add that the entire "rank and file" [groundpounders] of the Border Patrol supported our cause also.