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The Covid-19 pandemic has changed a lot, including the appearance of some of the most peaceful and sacred parts of Arizona Desert
The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) said more people were out and about during the outbreak, many in off-road vehicles. Some of them went off the road the right way, too many people didn’t, and some still aren’t following the rules.
We will see why this has dire consequences for the state’s beautiful scenery.
With no dedicated roads or paths, this doesn’t stop hundreds of thousands of motorbikes, jeeps and four-wheelers from exploring the area.
“Off-highway vehicles are exactly what you said. Sidecars like UTVs like Polaris, Razors, Can-Ams, all kinds of things. He’s the Highway Vehicle Enforcement Program coordinator,” said AZGFD Officer Micah White.
According to the department, road widening is a major problem. Almost anywhere in the state, you can see new roads created by these vehicles.
Once the rubber tracks are laid, everyone follows.
“If you go back to 2020 at the height of Covid, we saw an unprecedented benefit to the forest,” White said. “There was a new group of users on the landscape and these people didn’t seem to know. They didn’t have land etiquette, they didn’t seem to know that there were rules in the middle of where you were. To stay on the road, you know. You can’t drive like a maniac, you know there are rules to drive these machines.
‘Clear Negligence’
Barriers used to maintain the land are often damaged.
“They run around with cattle, they can’t hold a gate together for less than a month and they’re all twisted and broken,” says Andrew Parry, a rancher in the Cottonwood Canyon area.
Cattle gates, equipment and salt blocks were destroyed and found in pieces, Parry said, adding that cattle had been run off the road and killed.
The damage is widespread.
The video was captured by an AZGFD camera in Bear Mountain, west of Sedona, where Dena Bindley lives.
“The sheer recklessness, the speed, the recklessness. Two weeks ago, right here on Main Street, there were people tearing donuts on Main Street with people and cars. It’s absolutely disgusting,” she said.
Bindley said the noise from the machines is destroying the quality of life for local residents, terrorizing animals and killing habitat.
“Probably the biggest problem we have with OHVs tearing up and tearing up our Forest Service roads is the dust they all create. And a lot of them are going 40 or 50 miles an hour. We have a huge dust problem and what’s happening is the dust is covering the roadside trees, killing our pine trees. .
Penalties for residential damage
“Here in the median, we don’t have speed limit signs and so people take that to mean you can drive as fast as you want, and that’s not the case,” White said. “It’s illegal to drive cross-country where it’s illegal. That’s a criminal violation. If you’re damaging habitat, that’s another criminal violation, and if you’re destroying native plants, you can. Civilize the value of those plants and, depending on the extent of the damage, the damage you’re doing. They can be very expensive depending on size.
White cross country travel is a misdemeanor misdemeanor, and you can be arrested or cited if caught. Cross-country travel fines vary by state, ranging from $475 to $1,000.
If you cause residential damage, the fine can increase significantly. According to AZGFD, the most recent charge was considered a misdemeanor due to the severity of the injury and the rider was ordered to pay $10,000.
However, the enforcement of these laws only goes so far. They want the community and the riders to take responsibility.
That’s where Jay Hoff, owner of Desert Dog Off-Road, comes in.
“Unlike traditional road driving, people aren’t trained to drive off-road, but you know, there are good driving habits that need to be inculcated. Staying on the road, using a moderate speed when coming around corners, understanding how a vehicle should go up hills and down hills. ” Hoff said.
It provides maintenance for these vehicles, as well as tours.
“Staying on the road, staying on the right-hand side, being a careful driver, being a good steward of the environment, these are things that everyone should be doing diligently so that we can continue to enjoy what we have here,” he said.
More closures ahead?
White warned that land management agencies would be forced to close if the problem did not stop. Desert Wells in La Paz County is already closed due to off-road vehicle damage and more restrictions will follow.
It may be the only way to save our land.
“I appreciate it. I never thought this would happen,” Parry said.
AZGFD wants everyone to enjoy Arizona’s beautiful land, but investigates reports of destructive behavior.
All off-road vehicle operators in Arizona are encouraged Complete a safety education course Before hitting the roads. This training is provided by certified AZGFD instructors for drivers age 16 and older.
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