November 2, 2002 Report: Out of Control

November 2, 2002

Defenders of Wildlife

Habitat

Report: OUT OF CONTROL: The Impacts of Off-Road Vehicles and Roads on Wildlife and Habitat in Florida's National Forests

Off-road vehicles are destroying our public lands everywhere, and no where is the damage any more widespread than in Florida. Growing hoards of off-road vehicles are rampaging throughout Florida's national forests, ruining wildlife habitat and polluting our air and water. Irresponsible drivers of fat-tired swamp buggies, off-road motorcycles, and other all-terrain vehicles have ripped thousands of miles of outlaw trails through these public lands.

They jump off banks and sling mud off their tires, intentionally and illegally operating their vehicles in the most damaging ways in the most sensitive places. They run over and crush birds, salamanders and other creatures in their path and tear up the habitat of bears. They roar around the nests of bald eagles and harass osprey by shining floodlights into their nests at night.

Few wide open public spaces remain where ORVs have not destroyed, fragmented or degraded habitat. And they're getting away with it. The growth and profitability of off-road vehicles have given rise to a powerful industry lobby, and years of lax law enforcement and low fines have made Florida's national forests an essentially lawless frontier for ORVs.
Copyright © 2002 Defenders All rights reserved.

"This report is the single best review and summary of ORV impacts that I've seen."
--Jeff Marion, Ph.D.