IntrepidXJ
September 20th, 2006, 13:46
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...n/4201931.html
By PAUL FOY Associated Press Writer
SALT LAKE CITY — To protect two rare species of cactus, federal officials Wednesday banned off-road vehicles from a large swath of southern Utah's badlands.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management outlawed off-roading in most of a 222 square-mile area of public land near Factory Butte, a towering monolith that is one of the state's most distinctive geological formations. Riders can still travel on designated routes through the remote area.
The move is meant to protect two species of cactus, the endangered Wright fishhook and the threatened Winkler, that are indigenous only to the area. Environmentalists have complained that motorized vehicles were crushing and killing the delicate plants.
"This was what we consider to be the best solution to protect the cacti and continue to provide access for motorized recreation in the area," BLM spokeswoman Davida Carnahan said.
Off-roaders, who come by the thousands each year to traverse the area's lunar-like landscape, complained about the ruling.
"If you could design a landscape that's ideal for off-road recreation, this is it," said Rainer Huck, president of the Utah Shared Access Alliance, the state's largest off-road group. "It's a sad story. We've been working for months to get this postponed or modified."
Environmentalists welcomed the decision.
"Once the (bureau) officials took a close look at the scars, soil erosion and damage to rare cacti protected under the Endangered Species Act, they realized that Factory Butte called out for immediate rescue," said Heidi McIntosh of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.
Factory Butte: http://www.ut.blm.gov/factorybutte/index.htm
By PAUL FOY Associated Press Writer
SALT LAKE CITY — To protect two rare species of cactus, federal officials Wednesday banned off-road vehicles from a large swath of southern Utah's badlands.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management outlawed off-roading in most of a 222 square-mile area of public land near Factory Butte, a towering monolith that is one of the state's most distinctive geological formations. Riders can still travel on designated routes through the remote area.
The move is meant to protect two species of cactus, the endangered Wright fishhook and the threatened Winkler, that are indigenous only to the area. Environmentalists have complained that motorized vehicles were crushing and killing the delicate plants.
"This was what we consider to be the best solution to protect the cacti and continue to provide access for motorized recreation in the area," BLM spokeswoman Davida Carnahan said.
Off-roaders, who come by the thousands each year to traverse the area's lunar-like landscape, complained about the ruling.
"If you could design a landscape that's ideal for off-road recreation, this is it," said Rainer Huck, president of the Utah Shared Access Alliance, the state's largest off-road group. "It's a sad story. We've been working for months to get this postponed or modified."
Environmentalists welcomed the decision.
"Once the (bureau) officials took a close look at the scars, soil erosion and damage to rare cacti protected under the Endangered Species Act, they realized that Factory Butte called out for immediate rescue," said Heidi McIntosh of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.
Factory Butte: http://www.ut.blm.gov/factorybutte/index.htm