Denver, CO – The Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition (COHVCO) led federal, state, and local agencies in a call to off-highway vehicle (OHV) users to stay on designated trails.

“In Colorado, we stay the trail,” said COHVCO Chairman Dennis Larratt during the morning’s press conference at the Colorado State Capitol. “I am pleased to be a part of this landmark coalition of recreationists, environmentalists and governmental agencies and truly believe that we can have an impact on OHV trail use.”

COHVCO was joined by the Bureau of Land Management, the USDA Forest Service, Colorado State Parks, the Southern Rockies Conservation Alliance, and others to kick-off the Stay the Trail campaign, designed to reinforce and highlight responsible off-highway vehicle use.

“With this campaign, we are moving toward a statewide culture of responsible OHV use that will continue beyond the life of the project,” said Larratt.

One of the campaign’s goals is to modify and mitigate irresponsible use in an effort to minimize resource damage on public land. The committee members hope to create a stewardship ethic among all Colorado OHV recreationists.

“Colorado’s public lands belong to each and every one of us, and for this reason we must take care of the lands – and the trails – that we enjoy,” said BLM State Director Ron Wenker. “The Stay the Trail committee reminds us of our responsibility to stay on the trail and protect our natural habitats.”

An important aspect to the Stay the Trail campaign is the broad support, including both OHV recreationists and the environmental community. “We are supporting the “Stay the Trail” educational campaign because education is one component to fixing problems on federal lands. However, education alone will not solve this problem, which requires a long-term commitment by the agencies and users to fund planning, enforcement, monitoring, and rehabilitation. We hope that this campaign is the first step in a major effort to address the broader problem.”

“Stay The Trail” and “Keep Your Wheels Where They Belong” are trademarks of the Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition.

Resources
Stay the Trail Web Site