Ed Monnig, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Supervisor announced earlier this month that the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have launched an advertising campaign that encourages off-highway vehicle (OHV) visitors to “stay on trails” and to “use their power responsibly.” The public information project includes a Web site, www.nevada-ohv.org, which provides important interagency OHV information from where to ride to safety tips, four billboards placed in western and northern Nevada and upcoming radio ads.

“OHV riders are welcome to enjoy our public lands responsibly,” Monnig said. “Our information campaign is simply a reminder to always stay on the trails, and to respect the habitat and its wildlife and fisheries in our fragile alpine, riparian, and desert landscapes.”

The proliferation of new user-created routes, can, in the wrong places and at the wrong times, cause environmental impacts. Streams, wildlife, vegetation, soil, and archaeological sites can all be damaged by unmanaged motor vehicle use. The experience of other visitors can be affected by noise. Healthy watersheds typically contain perennial native plants interspersed with sagebrush and other shrubs. Plants and the microscopic organisms in the soil crust help to retain soil and water and provide food and habitat for wildlife. Straying off existing or designated trails crushes the native vegetation, breaks up the soils, potentially causing erosion, as well as inviting invasion of non-native plant species, that are often transported on vehicles, pets, and even clothing.

Learn more by visiting www.nevada-ohv.org.