Oregon: WOPR will benefit local economies by allowing ORVs to kill Salmon streams at double the rate?

The Bureau of Land Management’s Western Oregon Plan Revisions shows
that Jackson and Josephine Counties will contain 67,949 acres for
off-road vehicle recreation, compared to 31,319 throughout the rest of
the State. The quaint smells of fir and pine will soon be replaced by
more modern smells of gasoline and exhaust fumes. BLM’s choice to give
Southern Oregon such a change will surely result in a whole new
machine culture that will rival the Gold Rush.

We can expect the same
wild, pioneer-style flood of off-road immigrants blazing trails
throughout the backcountry, seeking that rich vein of untrammeled land
and digging in to reap the reward of washed out hillsides, eroded
streams and the challenges to be won as the first to climb, cross or
spin through land formerly wasted on such things as wildlife, rare
plants and peace and quiet. Particularly in the Applegate, where many
of the proposed designations are located, we’ll see increased use of
our rural roads as trucks and trailers haul their expensive (more
economic development) toys into the backcountry.

Wineries will
undoubtedly promote the comfort of sipping pinot gris on the deck
while listening to the roar of thousands of play machines in the
background. Rural residents will probably create a surge in roadside
cottage industry, offering the items so many off-roaders fail to bring
along, like maps and compasses and identification. Sunday mornings in
the Applegate will be a great time to gather along Highway 238 and
watch as trucks and trailers navigate through the church traffic.
Certainly the opportunity to maintain the fierce independent spirit of
Oregon’s culture can be enhanced by this new Southern Oregon
promotion. Off-road enthusiasts will, of course, stop at roadside
produce stands, provided they stock Bud or Coors, the beverage of
choice among these daring pioneers. Hundreds of jobs will be created
to clean up their debris, maintain trails, even actually enforce some
laws. There will be a boon in building local coin-op car washes.
Rental outlets for dirt bikes and quads will multiply, giving the
uninitiated and uninformed a chance to spin their imprint on our rural
forests. Suburban valley areas will also get the benefit of noise and
fumes as more and more bikes and quads are tuned and loaded in the
driveway. Southern Oregon might lose its chance for this great change.
Thousands of rural residents petitioned BLM to remove the Timber
Mountain/John’s Peak OHV proposal from consideration. More filed
comments on the draft plans issued by the WOPR and most of those have
already filed protests. These people actually believe that putting
off-road recreationists in the unconnected lands between their homes
would be a bad thing. But BLM ignored the requests of families who
have been here 100 years and listened to the sage advice of motorcycle
dealers and lobbying
groups.http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081214/OPINION/812140304

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