You've been asked by a mailing from the ATV Connection and by posts in the "Land, Trail and Environmental Issues" forum to "Vote" in the USA Weekend newspaper "poll" on whether ATV's should be banned from National Parks.

While expressing your opinion supporting ATVing shows merit, a couple of questions:

First, do you ride your ATV on national parkland now? Where? My impression, ATV's are ALREADY banned from most National Parks. While I've read of snowmobile trails in Yellowstone National Park, all National Parks in my part of the country are closed to ATV's as far as I know. (If any reader knows of extensive legal ATV trails on federal parkland, I welcome the input and stand corrected.)

National Forests, however, contain hundreds of miles of legal ATV trails, now under serious threat from the Clinton administration's "Wilderness Lite" initiative. Distinguishing National Forests from National Parks, the forests fall under the Department of Agriculture; parks under the Department of the Interior.

What weight will the USA Weekend "poll" carry? The poll makes no effort reaching a representative cross-section of opinion; it's population consists of those choosing to respond. Response more accurately measures the strength of the interest groups, like the Sierra Club vs. the Blue Ribbon Coalition, rather than any national sentiment.

The "poll" is basically media hoopla, a potboiler designed by the USA Weekend editors to exploit the feelings of respondents, making readers do the editors' job, writing the story.

By contrast, earlier this year, the Forest Service solicited public comment on the Clinton administration's "Wilderness Lite" program, designed to close millions of acres of public land to ATV access without further discussion or debate. The American Motorcyclist Associaion (AMA) publicized the telephone, mail, and E-mail contact points; this "land-grab" was temporarily derailed (one hopes) by a Consent Decree lawsuit settlement. The difference between the Forest Service comment solicitation and the USA Weekend poll: public comment on the Forest Service policy appeared as part of an official government procedure with the force of law; the USA Weekend poll is only media hype.

At the end of the day, policy is made by elected and appointed government officials, not newspaper polls. Thus, contacting your state and federal congressmen and senators remains a critical way communicating your views effectively. While a favorable showing in a newspaper poll looks good, the limitations of such a poll should be viewed realistically.

When our club representative met with our state delegations's Congressional Staff this year, their ears perked up when he said, "I represent an organization with 250,000 members," referring to the AMA.

So, respond to the USA Weekend poll if you choose, but don't neglect the powerful opportunities available from contacting your legislators and responding with your comments on Federal land-use policies.

End of sermon; apologies for its length.

Tree Farmer

 

Tree Farmer:
Long time, no see! Good to hear from you again. You are exactly right about the issues you are referring too, and, unless enforced upon, or pushed by law, media polls usually do nothing more than stir up a few emotions from all sides involved.

And, yes, I have contacted both of my state representatives, and the senator about issues such as these. I was actually surprised with the response's. Only received a computer generated response from the reps., but received an actual hand-written letter from the senator a little more than 3 paragraphs long! I was pretty surprised to see the senator responding to public concerns through hand-written letters. He closed by saying that if there was anything else I was concerned about, to let him know right away, that the only way he really knew what the people wanted, was when they actually took the time to write to him.

Anyway, with the issues such as atv ban's, or land closures, I personnally think that we should all put up as much of a fight as possible, no matter how large, or how small-in this case-it is. I have seen that otherwise, these "smaller" issues, which may seem less important, or that may not be backed by law, tend to creep up on us over time. Then something big happens, such as Clintons huge land closures back east, or his attempts for the millions of acres of public land closures. Who knows what's next. Just my opinion.

Take care!

Mike

 

Well here is the full national list for legal off road vehicles.

But being that I'm stuck with this lame 56k modem in slow speed hell. I did manage to find one in your neck of the woods. Which I frequent once or twice a year. Nice place.

 

Great web site.

 

I called to vote no, and it said that I have already voted when i never did,, must be something about the caller id displaying the cell phone service (voicestream) and not my personal name

 

Hey Tree farmer.Where you been?Havent heard from you in a long time,Got to wondering if you were still with the world.I myself have called E-Mailed and done what i can do.Is there more?Anywho,Good hearing your out there.
BOB