Proponents Argue:

“That trail development will bring in tourist dollars, but their models fail to account for the damage that will be done to the natural environment.  Such unabated trail development for these vehicles could actually lead to net losses for the community by destroying the natural environment that makes the community unique and draws in tourists in the first place.”

- From the work of Grethcen Daily, Ecologist, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund and The University of Minnesota on the Environment

“I believe there is only one conflict and that is between short term and long term thinking. In the long term, the economy and the environment are the same thing. If it is unenvironmental, it is uneconomical. That is the rule of Nature.”

- Mollie Beattie, Director of US Fish and Wildlife 1993-96

MEPA
 116D.04 sub. 6

Subd. 6.Prohibitions.

No state action significantly affecting the quality of the environment shall be allowed, nor shall any permit for natural resources management and development be granted, where such action or permit has caused or is likely to cause pollution, impairment, or destruction of the air, water, land or other natural resources located within the state, so long as there is a feasible and prudent alternative consistent with the reasonable requirements of the public health, safety, and welfare and the state's paramount concern for the protection of its air, water, land and other natural resources from pollution, impairment, or destruction. Economic considerations alone shall not justify such conduct.

Economic contribution analysis of ATV trails is not substantiated:

  • Use of non-randomized surveys compromise data integrity with demand bias from targeted groups.

  • These compromised surveys that are open on-line indefinitely and promoted to club members, are called “convenience sampling”.

  • Total $ expenditures are quoted vs the $ amount of actual total retained revenue for gasoline, restaurants and lodging.

    • For example, on gasoline expenditures, an owner retains 8-9% of the sale after taxes & supply costs.

  • Surveys omit cost / benefit analysis, excluding all costs such as:

    • Road maintenance

    • Public safety (search & rescue, fire department) - all footed by local taxpayers

    • Environmental damage and remediation

    • Fragmentation of habitat and wildlife population decline

    • Revenue loss from other forms of impacted recreation

Off Road Vehicles . . .

Compact Soil

Making plant survival and re-vegetation virtually impossible.The compacted soil cannot absorb water and inhibits root system growth. Plants die.

Create Soil Erosion

The diminished ground cover leads to increased soil erosion. Erosion is a natural event and can happen within a range of natural variation. But OHV routes ratchet up the soil compaction and erosion far beyond the natural variation.

Introduce Non-Native Invasive Species to Pristine Areas

Only shallow weed root systems can and do take root in these areas.These invasive species threaten the integrity of the ecosystems that provide wild life habitat, clean water and fresh air.

Impact Wildlife

Animals are disturbed and life expectancy is lowered by decreasing viable habitat and displacing animals from important breeding, calving and feeding grounds.

Cause Long Lasting Damage in Fragile Landscapes

Due to lack of manpower and enforcement, renegade, unauthorized routes caused by illegal off road use will continue to exist in formerly inaccessible places like wetlands. 

- U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey Report Wild Earth Guardians

Contact us at: MNPublicLandsCoalition@gmail.com