Off-Road Vehicle Use

Several kinds of off-road vehicles are used on rangelands to implement range management systems and for recreational purposes. The Society supports operation of these vehicles in a manner that protects the range resources and minimizes conflicts with other uses

The Society for Range Management (SRM) recognizes that off-road vehicle (ORV) (Footnote: ORV refers to all motorized and non-motorized vehicles for the purpose of this statement) use is a valid recreation activity and a tool for resource management. Managing this use along with other recreation and resource uses and values has become increasingly difficult with increasing public demand for ORV use.

The increasing popularity and use of ORV’s on public lands in the 1960’s and 1970’s prompted the development of a unified federal policy and two executive orders addressing OHV (off-highway vehicles) use. These executive orders directed the federal agencies to establish policies and provide procedures for control of ORV use to 1) protect the resources of public lands, 2) promote the safety of all uses of those lands, and 3) minimize conflicts among the various uses of those lands. Under these orders, ORV use can be restricted or prohibited to minimize damage to resources of public lands, harm to wildlife or habitats, and minimize conflict between user groups. While the federal land managing agencies have developed regulations in response to these executive orders, reviews have identified weaknesses in implementation of these orders to regulate ORV use.

Millions of acres of public land are currently available to cross-country ORV travel. Unmanaged use has created trail networks and impactive trails that are in riparian areas and on steeper, more erodible slopes. Monitoring by the land management agencies has indicated that most ORV problems occur where unrestricted, cross-country travel is allowed. While some managers have completed or have begun site-specific travel management plans for some areas to resolve these problems, use in the majority of the areas continues unrestricted and resource degradation caused by ORV use is continuing or even accelerating.

Members of the public, state fish and wildlife commissions, and resource advisory councils have shared concerns with the land management agencies about unmanaged ORV travel on rangelands. Unmanaged ORV travel on rangelands has the potential to spread noxious weeds or other invasive plants, cause erosion, damage cultural sites, disrupt wildlife, damage wildlife habitat, disrupt livestock grazing management damage forage resources, degrade water quality and create user conflicts.

The SRM strongly encourages the land managing agencies, landowners and ORV users to address unmanaged, cross-country ORV travel through appropriate actions to prevent resource damage and related problems associated with ORV use.

In support of this position, the SRM recognizes that access allowed under the terms and conditions of leases or permits should not be affected and that ORV use for management and administrative purposes should remain a tool by authorized users.