May 4, 2009 - Increasing vandalism of natural and cultural resources coincides with a spike in off-road vehicle use in the Basin and Range region. With President Obama's stimulus money given to public land-managing agencies (>>here), we would like to see more patrols, more green-sticker funding, and harsher penalties for such senseless acts of destruction. While we do not believe that most roads need to be closed to cut off access, we also do not enjoy having our access impeded by off-roaders tearing up back-country roads during races (such as the Terrible's off-road races in Nevada >>here). This is a multi-access issue for all recreationists and public land users.

Moapa Valley Petroglyphs

^Photo by Greg A. Smith.

Clark County, Nevada - Photographer and historian Greg A. Smith of Eureka, Nevada sent us these photos of a petroglyph area that was once open to motorized vehicles. But when the damage became too great, the Bureau of Land Management closed-off the place with steel posts and cables. Then the cables were cut and trespass continued. Smith said, "This particular canyon is just loaded with petroglyph's, and now (sadly) most of them have been destroyed."

^Damaged petroglyph panel. Photo by Greg A. Smith.

^Graffiti Photo by Greg A. Smith.

^A scratched-in graffiti depicts the insignia of the Las Vegas Jeep Club on a petroglyph panel. Photo by Greg A. Smith.

^Damage by petroglyphs. Photo by Greg A. Smith.

^Photo by Greg A. Smith.

^Photo by Greg A. Smith.

^Amazing petroglyphs. Photo by Greg A. Smith.

"Fences mean nothing: steal cable cut to gain access to closed area," comments Smith. Photo by Greg A. Smith.

Peavine Canyon, Humboldt-Toiyabe Range

Nye County, Nevada - Beautiful streams, cottonwood-willow riparian forests, and pinyon-juniper canyons of the southern Toiyabe Range are overrun with drivers going off the dirt roads, through creeks, and trashing campgrounds. The OHV tracks extended into the Arc Dome Wilderness lower reaches.

^Graffiti spray-painted rock in a campsite.

^Vehicles driving down a bank and through Peavine Creek in Lower Peavine Campground.

^Driving through the creek and over sedges.

^Vehicles driving off designated roads and crushing sagebrush in the campground.

^Driving through Peavine Creek.

^The trout stream used as a road here.

^Litter in a campsite.

^Living cottonwood chopped down.

^Crushed vegetation by campsite.

^Gunshots on sign.

Around the Desert Tortoise Natural Area, West Mojave

^Kern County, California - A Prairie falcon flies over damaged desert with tracks everywhere around the base of its nest hill.

^Along the southern boundary of the Desert Tortoise Natural Area near California City, the desert washes and ridges are off-roaded by motorcycles and 4x4s. While visiting the Natural Area, several times we have seen vandalized fences and signs at the tortoise preserve.

 

HOME........................Thousand-mile off-road race still happens in Nevada........................

Public land managers have trouble with some in the OHV community....................OHV News