Off Roaders Pose Risks For Utah's Vulnerable Backcountry

Legendary conservationist Edgar Wayburn once observed, “Nature doesn't divide herself into measured plots. A watershed encompasses the chain of life; if any part is developed, the integrity of the whole ecosystem is threatened.”

There may not be much water in southeastern Utah, but Dr. Wayburn’s point still stands – neither wildlife nor wildlands are helped by setting aside just a few acres here and there. Habitat fragmentation, air pollution, and sprawl ensure that environmental damage spreads across entire ecosystems. From national parks to national forests, when it comes to Mother Nature’s whims, human-drawn lines on a map are generally meaningless.

That’s exactly what’s happening to the remarkable landscapes and archaeology of Utah’s Canyonlands National Park. The Park itself may have the highest federal protection, but much of its surrounding ecosystem is in trouble. The area’s wildlife, iconic buttes and mesas, and solace have all come under threat from oil and gas leases east of the park and tar sands oil plans to the west and the south.

As a first step in this larger battle to protect Canyonlands, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) has launched a Change.org petition targeting off-road vehicle (ORV) use. The petition asks Ken Salazar, the Secretary of the Interior, to ban ORVs on over 1,000 miles of trails through sensitive habitat, streams, and archaeological sites outside the Park.

That may sound like a lot, but it isn’t – more than 14,000 miles of trails in the area would remain open. And yet closing just those 1,000 miles would make a huge difference. According to a recent SUWA email, “ORV use in the area has too frequently proven unmanageable, with increasing soil erosion, noise, crushed vegetation, degraded streams, and fragmented wildlife habitat… Giving heightened protection to the most valuable and vulnerable places will give these ecosystems their best chance at long term health, especially in an era of rapidly changing climatic and environmental conditions.”

The threat posed to Canyonlands by ORVs is certainly no surprise. While many ORV riders are avid outdoorsmen and responsible citizens, others are reckless thrill-seekers that take the phrase “off-road” a little too seriously, running roughshod over backcountry. Even the most responsible riders cause noise pollution and fuel leaks and carry invasive plant seeds and bugs in their tire treads.

SUWA admits that limiting ORV use around Canyonlands is just a first step – but as the move would require further cooperation between the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Forest Service, a worthy first step it is. Please, sign their petition today.

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Photo Credit: Canyonlands National Park, courtesy Flickr user Alaska Dude.