CAMPAIGNS

Off-Road Vehicles

We spent a decade working to stop out of control, illegal abuse of the Anderson Creek OHV Area. Now that it's permanently closed, we're continuing to focus on ways to help the Forest Service reel in illegal and unmanaged motorized recreation across Georgia's national forests. Regardless of which acronym you use, ORV, OHV (Off Highway Vehicle) or ATV (All Terrain Vehicle,) motorized vehicles are increasingly being used illegally on our public lands. A word to illegal users: We’re watching!

ForestWatch works to halt illegal ORV abuse

Despite having many miles of legal trails on Georgia’s national forests, some irresponsible off-road enthusiasts insist on the illegal pursuit of their sport, damaging streams and wildlife habitat, disturbing fellow forest users and posing serious safety risks to themselves and others. Volunteer ForestWatchers have committed thousands of hours on the ground to locate, define and report this illegal activity, which has been on the rise since the late 1990s.

In 2001 we conducted a detailed study of locations and impacts of illegal ORV use across the Chattahoochee National Forest. We brought the problem into the spotlight, sharing our findings with Forest Service leaders, political decision makers, the media and our members. Since then, the U.S. Forest Service has spent increasing hours and dollars writing citations, closing illegal routes, repairing damage caused by ORVs and trying to get control of the situation.

The recent rapid growth in second homes and cabin rentals in the North Georgia’s mountains has spurred a surge in illegal ORV use and we continue to work with the Forest Service to resolve this threat to our forests

More info

Off-roading on public lands: A national problem

Retired U.S. Forest Service ranger Jack Gregory, testified before Congress on unmanaged off road vehicle abuse on Federal land. His testimony outlines the sheer scale of this problem and blames a pervasive bad attitude among a high percentage of off-roaders. He refutes the myth (often propagated by off-road clubs and ATV manufacturers) that damage to our publicly owned natural areas is being caused only by a "few bad apples." Click here to read Mr. Gregory's full testimony.

U.S. Forest Service chief says unmanaged recreation one of top 4 threats nationally

Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth gave an Earth Day address on April 22, 2003, in which he declared off-highway vehicle use one of the top 4 threats to the national forests (and grasslands). Below is an excerpt from this speech:

"The fourth great issue is unmanaged outdoor recreation. In my 37 years with the Forest Service, I have seen a tremendous growth in the amount of recreation on the national forests. Last year, we had 214 million visitors, which is just phenomenal. And it’s only going to keep on growing—we expect it to more than double by the end of the century. I think that’s great. We want the American people to use their national forests and grasslands. It gives them a stake in the land. It gives them a sense of place. It helps them understand why we in the Forest Service are so passionate about the land—why we think it’s so worth protecting . . .

. . . At one time, we didn’t manage the use of off-highway vehicles . . . But the number of people who own OHVs has just exploded in recent years . . . Even a tiny percentage of impact from all those millions of users is still a lot of impact. Each year, we get hundreds of miles of what we euphemistically refer to as 'unplanned roads and trails.' For example, the Lewis and Clark National Forest in Montana has more than a thousand unplanned roads and trails reaching for almost 650 miles. That’s pretty typical for a lot of national forests, and it’s only going to get worse. We’re seeing more and more erosion, water degradation, and habitat destruction. We’re seeing more and more conflicts between users. We’re seeing more damage to cultural sites and more violation of sites sacred to American Indians. And those are just some of the impacts. We’re going to have to manage that by restricting OHV use to designated roads, trails, and areas."

Report abuse

Have you been in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest hiking or hunting quietly only to have an ATV tear through your peace and quiet? If the ATV was not on a designated OHV trail, it's illegal! You can help reel in rampant illegal motorized recreation by reporting your encounter. Here's what to do:

Don't confront illegal ATV users directly
Capture the details of where the encounter occurred (location on trail, nearest road, damage caused, etc.)
Contact your local Forest Service Ranger District office and file a complaint by phone
Follow up with a letter to the District Ranger documenting the encounter and your phone call
Please copy our office on the letter (send either via e-mail or U.S. Mail. Click here for our contact info.)

More info

Not sure what's legal and what's not? The Forest Service's website can answer your questions. Click here to go there now and see a map of legal OHV trails on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests.

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