West Mojave Plan FEIR/S - Desert Managers Group

cycle engine motorcycles in OHV riding areas to a limited number of months in the year insteadof year-round.Access for Disabled and the Elderly: OHVs allow disabled and elderly people to visitareas that are not otherwise available to them. In 1994, surveys were conducted at the OceanoDunes SVRA. This survey revealed that approximately 9% of all those surveyed had withintheir group a disabled individual who was able to access the dunes and beach because vehicleswere allowed in those areas. Increasing numbers of senior citizens will want to experienceremote outdoor areas via OHV access. As the baby-boomer population continues to age, theywould find it increasingly difficult to access these areas without the use of off-highway vehicles.Behavioral Trends: With expanded leisure time and growing affluence of SouthernCalifornians, conflicts have arisen between those who use vehicles as a means of access andthose who operate vehicles as a recreational activity. Access can be for a variety of purposes,including economic pursuits and for recreation such as hunting and rockhounding. In addition,recreationists compete for space with other resource users. While strongly advocating thatrecreational facilities and regulations remain minimal, desert recreationists increasingly demandthe protection of the natural and cultural values that are essential to most desert recreation. Thepublic often cites scenic values as the Desert’s most important resource.“Tread Lightly!” is a national land-use ethics program designed to educate the public onusing but not abusing the environment. This program has educated many OHV users on beingrespectful and responsible land users. As a result of such educational efforts, attitudes withinmany communities have improved on responsible OHV use.A program called “Off-Road Pals,” sponsored by the OHMVR Division and various lawenforcementagencies around California, has reached out to troubled youths, teaching themrespect for the environment and for other people, while learning how to maintain and ride OHVs.This program has thus far provided more than 1,500 youths with positive and life-changingexperiences. Such programs help to reduce juvenile delinquency and improve the lives offormerly at-risk youths.Many OHV enthusiasts have donated their time to projects combating erosion, replantingrecently burned forests, trash collection, renovating trails to improve rider safety, patrolling ofOHV areas, and more. Such volunteerism indicates that most OHV enthusiasts care about theenvironment and are responsible in their use of off-highway vehicle areas.Technological Improvements: OHV manufacturers have made huge strides inimproving their vehicles to minimize excessive noise. Since 1990, noise levels from motorcycledirt bikes have decreased from 96 to 88 decibels. Noise reduction can also be accomplished byutilizing specific design and construction techniques in OHV areas, through careful trail planningand construction of berms to impede or dissipate sound. Further technological innovations arebeing made to reduce noise, and air, pollution.Chapter 3 3-245