Can-Am Headquarters ...Aurora Wheelers ATV Forum > Rides | ATV News and Events > ATV | OHV News > Thanks to legislators, motorized vehicles will destroy forest habitats |
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| Thanks to legislators, motorized vehicles will destroy forest habitats - ATV | OHV News - Rides | ATV News and Events - Can-Am Headquarters ...Aurora Wheelers ATV Forum | ||||||||||||||||
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outlandish AWF Admin 
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Posted on Sun, Jul. 24, 2005 Commentary by CLYDE HANSON <-- Lost amid the chaos of the government shutdown earlier this month was the awful off-highway vehicle law rammed through the Legislature on June 30. This new law reverses the state's commitment to protecting our public lands and grants special rights to the "motorized minority." Under the new law, off-highway vehicles such as ATVs, dirt-bike motorcycles, and 4x4 "mudder" trucks will be allowed to ride off-trail in areas north of U.S. Highway 2, which affects 74 percent of state forest lands. Such vehicles may ride on all trails except those posted as "closed." This means that if a rider goes off trail and creates an illegal trail today, it would be legal for someone to ride on that same trail tomorrow. This is what induces "trail creep" that spreads damage in our state forests. And if the closed signs are stolen, scofflaws are rewarded with a new trail. The consequences of the new law are many. Foremost, it grants special privileges to the "motorized minority." According to an ATV safety training CD distributed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, fewer than 5 percent of Minnesotans own an ATV. The outsized benefits they receive under the law, however, leave other forest users scratching their heads in bewilderment. Under the new law, ATVs and mudder trucks may leave designated or user-created trails and drive cross-country so their drivers can trap minnows and fur-bearing animals and build deer stands. The law lacks balance and is overly generous to these special few. The new law allows the DNR commissioner to open forests otherwise closed to off-highway vehicle riding. This provision grants new forest rights for hunters in forests the DNR determined could not support OHV use, a concession to OHV riding clubs that constantly bemoan all the "unnecessary restrictions" placed upon them. By comparison, for a forest to be closed to OHVs requires a public meeting and public notice of the forum 60 days in advance. It hardly seems fair that OHVs can gain greater access to our state forests faster than the majority may get to see OHV riding regulated. Expanded OHV riding poses real risks to bird and animal habitats. As much as one-third to one-half of all Minnesota bird populations are ground nesters, including warblers such as the mourning, ovenbird and Connecticut, while many more birds nest within a foot or two of the ground. Their populations will feel the impact of this new legislation and powerful wheels almost immediately. And the DNR has routed an ATV trail through protected old-growth. Finally, the legislation will make it nearly impossible to patrol our northern forests. DNR conservation officers number fewer than 150, the same staffing levels since World War II, despite the fact the state's population has doubled since then and we've seen the onset of snow- mobiles and ATVs. No longer will these law enforcement officials be able to stay atop all of the illegal trails being created, much less ticket the riders who created them. It's unfortunate that much of the resulting damage from this misguided legislation will affect us here in northern Minnesota. The noise, trail damage, lost wildlife and increased violations are sure to hit us soon. We can hold our state legislators such as Sen. Tom Bakk (DFL-Cook) and Rep. David Dill (DFL-Crane Lake) accountable for this "gift" to the north woods. The silent sports majority must speak up and ask for an end to public lands being damaged by renegade riders, spinning wheels and Polaris lobbyists. CLYDE HANSON of Lutsen is a member of the Executive Committee of the Sierra Club North Star Chapter. ~~~~~~~~What an idiot!
____________________ coming soon....the new Aurora Decal site |
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Survey Guy Member 
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I'll second the idiot remark! Is'nt it funny how they make it seem like there is going to be a mass extinction of bird species because of four wheelers and everyone who rides is going to go off trail and make a new trail. I also like how they say we are a minority therefore we don't deserve to be able to go in the parks we pay for, ya wonder if they have the same attitude toward black folks who are considered a minority, do they not deserve to be able to get the same jobs other people have. Reminds me of the attitude of the people on the Titanic, the first class passengers get the life boats while the third class minority get to drown. This we are better than you attitude from these groups is why I have no respect for them or their cause. They can take their silent sports and stick it up their   Ok I'm done now, I know I went a little crazy but I can't help it!!
____________________ Fourwheeling is not a crime! Neither is backhanding a Liberal! |
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outlandish AWF Admin
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We can hold our state legislators such as Sen. Tom Bakk (DFL-Cook) and Rep. David Dill (DFL-Crane Lake) accountable for this "gift" to the north woods I'm so sick of this snivelling BS. Now if Sen. Marty sneeks something into a bill against our sport it is OK and nothing is said. The law that this reversed was only about a year or so old. Before that law we weren't running rampant through the woods. This is just a attempt to sway people who don't know any better to the enviros side of things. The silent sports majority would like nothing better than no ATV's, OHV's snowmobiles, logging trucks, outboard motors etc in the forest areas. If it isn't a bicycle or a foot trail, they don't want that there either
____________________ coming soon....the new Aurora Decal site |
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outlandish AWF Admin
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Really don't like this guy? Clyde Hanson, (218) 387-9081, 4038 Cascade Beach Rd, Lutsen, MN 55612 clyde.hanson@sierraclub.org OR want to see how much BS he is involved in? http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-26,GGLG:en&q=CLYDE+HANSON%2C+Lutsen%2C+MN Clyde, you've been Googled 
____________________ coming soon....the new Aurora Decal site |
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Survey Guy Member
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Clyde is a loser! Looks like Clyde feels the need to be involved in everything, I read in one of those google links that he says hikers and bikers far out number atvers therefore they should get there way and we should get sh!t. God I hate him!!!
____________________ Fourwheeling is not a crime! Neither is backhanding a Liberal! |
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outlandish AWF Admin
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Fromanother article, this one about the proposed North Shore TrailThe decision to keep ATVs off the trail was praised by Clyde Hanson of Lutsen, founder of the Sustainable Recreation Coalition and a Sierra Club activist. Hanson said the potential impact on extremely sensitive North Shore streams and ecosystems was too great to allow large numbers of ATVs in the area. There would be bridges built to cross the streams. Many are already in place for snowmobilers........I have been on parts of this trail and it is no different than any other, with one exception.....This one is in Clydes own backyard, the north shore.
____________________ coming soon....the new Aurora Decal site |
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RCSparky Member 
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It seems these people have nothing better to do than complain about things they know nothing about. We here in the Black Hills (SD) are starting to here the same thing. They are trying to restrict the areas that we can ride. What will happen when you concentrate all the ATVers in one area? Exactly what they want--overused trails! Then they will have something to complain about and it will be their own fault. I can't believe its still not legal to shoot stupid people. There's my 2 cents worth!!!!!
____________________ 2005 500HO Sportsman |
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outlandish AWF Admin
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 I agree 
____________________ coming soon....the new Aurora Decal site |
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outlandish AWF Admin
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Proud to be part of the "motorized minority."
____________________ coming soon....the new Aurora Decal site |
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Survey Guy Member
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If he acknowledged the fact that we would build bridges over the streams, that would ruin his ploy to make us look like we don't care about the environment.
____________________ Fourwheeling is not a crime! Neither is backhanding a Liberal! |
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| Can-Am Headquarters ...Aurora Wheelers ATV Forum > Rides | ATV News and Events > ATV | OHV News > Thanks to legislators, motorized vehicles will destroy forest habitats | |
