Alan J. Peterson wrote:
Land Use Activists,
SUWA is doing a survey concerning hikers being "displaced" from their favorite places by the "ORV invasion". I sent them a response describing how I have been displaced from many of my favorite places.
Alan J. Peterson



*****VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES*****


(5)HELP SUWA DOCUMENT DISPLACEMENT BY OFF-ROAD VEHICLES

Have you stopped visiting southern Utah as often because of the
growing number of off-road vehicles (ORVs) in the area? When you
visit southern Utah, do you avoid certain places due to the
increased level of ORV use there?

If you answered yes to either of these questions, or know someone
else who feels displaced by Utah's ORV invasion, we could use
your help. SUWA is seeking to establish contact with anyone who
can help us document that this sort of user conflict is occurring
in Utah's backcountry. We know from first hand experience that
displacement is happening, but it is a hard thing to document
concretely. With your help we can address this growing problem
and make some headway.

Once we have compiled your responses, we will send information to
the BLM and use it in our ongoing work with national, regional
and local media. We hope to convey the simple message that
allowing unrestrained ORV use in Utah's redrock country threatens
our overall economy by turning away non-motorized visitors to our
public lands. We know that this message resonates with a broad,
diverse range of people in Utah, especially in the local
communities closest to proposed wilderness areas.

Many local residents intuitively understand that the majority of
out-of-town visitors (and the money they bring) are attracted
primarily by the beauty and serenity of southern Utah's unique
landscapes. It follows that in order to protect the lion's share
of their economies, they need to protect some of these landscapes
from the various negative effects of ORVs.

Send comments about your own experience to franklin@suwa.org or
call SUWA's Moab field office at (435) 259-4399.