In the ongoing dispute between OHV riders, and the so-called “quiet” users of National Forests, the advocates of “quiet recreation” have a new argument to support their cause.
Hikers, fishermen, bikers, wildlife watchers and other “quiet” forms of recreation aren’t just easier on the environment. They play a much bigger role in supporting the local economies surrounding the forests.
A worker cuts down a tree to block an unauthorized ATV trail in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Courtesy U.S. Forest Service.
That conclusion is based on a study of visitors to the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest in Northeast Oregon. The vast majority of visitors, about 97%, came to enjoy quiet recreation, while only about 3% were OHV riders.
That huge difference in numbers means “quiet” visitors have a much larger impact on the economy of Northeast Oregon than do OHV riders. The study says non-motorized visits generate nearly $19 million in economic activity for the region. More importantly, it says quiet recreation directly supports $2.9 million to $5.4 million in local salaries, representing 137 to 252 jobs.
The study was conducted by Dr. Kreg Lindberg, a Forestry professor at OSU’s Cascades Campus in Central Oregon.
The timing of the report is important because it comes as National Forests across Oregon are developing Travel Management Plans. These plans will determine where OHV riders will be allowed to go in the forest, and just as important, where they won’t be allowed.
Randy Rasmussen with the American Hiking Society says forest managers need to consider the economic as well as environmental impacts of these plans. He points to growing evidence that quiet users won’t return to an area if they’ve had a bad experience because of OHV use. “The noise, the exhaust, the smoke. They came to get away from all that,” says Rasmussen. If they don’t come back, it could have a greater impact on the local economy than restricting OHV access.
Greg Dyson, with the Hells Canyon Preservation Council, hopes that elected officials get the message too. He says that in some counties, OHV riders have greater political influence than quiet users of national forests. Dyson thinks the report sends a message to county officials to “Step back and look at all the facts” before they advocate for greater OHV access.
In the study, “quiet recreation” includes a wide variety of activities including, hiking, biking, fishing and picnicking. It also includes hunters who don’t use ATV’s to get around the forest.
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The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest is expected to release it’s Draft Travel Management Plan on June 19. That will be followed by a period of public comment and Dyson expects a final decision towards the end of the year.
Meanwhile, the environmental group Bark is organizing a rally to raise awareness about the Travel Management Plan for the Mt. Hood National Forest. The draft plan will be released in August. Mt. Hood is looking at creating six OHV “play areas” totaling 50,000 acres. Bark is calling the event “Quiet Riot”. It’ll be held Saturday, June 27th. See the group’s website for details.
For more information about our reporting on this topic, see our Quiet Forests category in the left side panel.
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HELP!! I’m in central California and it seems I’m fighting my own battle over our Travel Management… in the Sierra National Forest.
I can’t find any organizations here to help me rid our forest of the mess and the noise and the disrespect that many OHV users perpetrate.
There are fundamental issues, such as NO comments about noise. And use of public funds to solicit only comments from proponents of OHV use. No single effort was made to get input from those who oppose destruction of our forests.
Please send me some names of caring organizations in my area.
Thanks, Ken
Dear Ken,
The Wilderness Society submitted comments on the Sierra Travel Management Draft Environmental Impact Statement. If you would like to discuss our comments, please give me a call at 415-398-1111.
Sincerely,
Stan Van Velsor
I have been riding in areas from my childhood that are now blocked off. There was no more damage done to the area than a low use forest service road and the woods and scenery all stayed in tact. Now I see them getting blocked only later to see they have been logged and basically destroyed from how they used to be. It’s funny how BLM and forest service will shut down the woods for basically no damage but will log the place to the ground next week for the quick cash. I often see groups eager to shut down the woods even to responsible ORV use. Keeping jeeps off trails etc… Now there is virtually no place to ride except in tight areas that are crowded. The woods are already shut down and we will never get that access back. Not only does it shut down my access but yours as well. I guess your happiness comes at my expense or at least this seems to be the common idea that sites like this express. Why would you put ban them as a choice because basically you don’t ride and you don’t care about other people. I would not ban you from accessing the woods. Why don’t you do something much more logical and share the woods giving everyone whom pays taxes the fare right to use the resource. My sticker money now goes to building hiking trails for you then you turn around and want to ban me. Why not build responsible use ORV trails. It’s typical for environmentalist to go all the way black or white in thought process unfortunately it is also archaic thinking that in the long run reduces all our freedoms.
I agree whole heartedly with Ryan Schutt. Those of you who are so eager to fight any use of the forest that you don’t personally do, should take a step back and learn from history. Who will be next? will it be the ranchers who can no longer buy grasing permits? Will it be wood cutters who can no longer cut dead wood to heat their homes [ while making the forest safer by reducing the fuel load I might add ]? Or maybee it will be the backpacker who will no longer be allowed to camp in the open forest. Feel free to add any other forest use that you may choose. But rest assured that it will be one of them because history shows that when you are willing to give up one freedom without a fight, you will have to fight that much harder to keep the next and you will have lost a valuable ally in that fight. Lets stick together and stay FREE.