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ATV riders say new Ocala National Forest trail spoils their fun

By Sarah Peters
July 7, 2008

The Forest Service recently added 47 miles of designated ORV trails to the Ocala National Forest, with a speed limit of 20 m.p.h. While I don't support the addition of more motorized miles to the current system, I did find a quote from Ranger Rick Lint interesting. "Our mission is to provide trails that encourage study and enjoyment of nature, highlight the importance of conservation, provide for scenic and visual enjoyment -- that doesn't sound like racing or high-challenge recreation," Lint said. "If you're coming here for that, it's a little like going to a hardware store for a hamburger. You're not going to find a golf course here either."

I can only hope that Ranger Lint's perspective that our national forests are not for thrill seekers, but for those coming to appreciate nature, will spread through the Forest Service. I would also hope that sentiment would lead to a decreased number of motorized trails and roads, since those trying to appreciate nature in a quiet way are getting relegated to ever smaller allotments of land and motorized recreation has an ever larger impact on the nature people come to enjoy.

Click here for the full article in the Orlando Sentinel.

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ORVs and Ocala National Forest

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on July 10, 2008 - 05:08.
As I am a frequent visitor to the Ocala National Forest, I can attest to the wanton destruction of this forest by off-road vehicles. I have taken hundreds of photos of the damage and submitted dozens to the USFS as proof that the problem grows, even as the "route designation" process is finalized. Now, the USFS has established designated trails in a particularly sensitive area of the forest that is home to threatened Florida Scrub Jays and contains an unusual spring, Blue Sink. The USFS actually installed an ORV "corral" very close to this spring, just months after the USFS proclaimed that the spring was being damaged by reckless riders and threatened to close it!! What gives? Suddenly, it's now OK to ride there? It's pretty clear that the ORV enthusiast has greater clout than other forest users, given the amount of damage they are allowed to inflict, with little intervention by the USFS. The USFS (I'm not blaming the district ranger) is talking out of both sides of its mouth, fostering a "tread lightly" ethic while looking the other way to increasing damage. This sand pine scrub ecosystem needs to be closed to all off-road vehicles to allow it to recover. Riders have shown their disdain for designated routes by tearing down signs and forging new renegade trails throughout the forest. Some riders say they resent any limits on their use of the forest, stating that it is their "right" as a taxpayer to have unlimited access. I ask, why are we cowtowing to people who clearly want to engage in destructive behaviors?

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