Off-Road Vehicle Use in National Park

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National Parks like any other public land offer great opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities and nature by the public. With a rich diversity of animals, ecosystems, plants, caves, archaeological remains, Canyons, and other physical features, the national park usually serves as a great recreational venue where people can experience the natural habitat and challenge themselves. Managing National parks is quite a tedious balancing act. Access to wild and remote places calls for use of specialized off-road vehicles like snowmobiles, Jets skis, four-wheelers, and other off-road vehicles which are used for amusement and recreation. Unfortunately, the use of this type of vehicle has been pointed out as a major cause of wilderness degradation, threatened visitors’ safety, noise and air pollution, and disturbance to natural quietness. There has been a call to stop the use of the off-road vehicle in the National Park to reduce the impacts. While those campaigning against the use of Off-road vehicles may have valid points, the uses of Off-Road Vehicles in the National park have greater benefits that can not be overlooked.

Some of the places within Major National have historically been remote environments without any viable means to access them, a good example being the Big Cypress Swamp in Florida, the United States, which for many years has been inaccessible to the general public. Today, thanks to custom-built vehicles like airboats and swamp buggies, recreationists and licensed hunters have been able to transverse with ease the flooded forest and swamps making good use of this land which had been considered wasteland in the past. Even as environmental advocacy groups like Florida Diversity Projects raise concerns about the management of this great reserve, they should not overlook the benefits that innovations by the use of off-road vehicles have brought to this park. Banning the use of off-road vehicles will lender the place inaccessible like in the past, making the place of no or fewer benefits to the residents of Florida.

The thrill associated with the use of Off-Road Vehicle like dirt bikes in the National park is a major attraction to many children. Lack of exposure to such experience makes many children get hooked up to Videos and computer games which involve limited mental and physical activities. The rise in childhood obesity and reduced life expectancy has been attributed by scientists to a lack of physical exercise. Changing children’s lifestyles by exposing them to adventurous experiences in the national park through the use of Off-Road Vehicles can greatly reduce obesity cases in many households as they will derive mental and physical benefits. At the same time, the children connect to their environment and learn the need to conserve the ecosystem.

Off road, vehicles have been blamed on the pollution in the national park. The solution to pollution may not be found by banning Off-Road Vehicles in the National Park but by finding viable solutions to address the specific aspects of pollution by all stakeholders. Manufacturers of off-road vehicles should work hand in hand with the environmental advocacy group to come up with a solution that will reduce pollution by the Off-Road Vehicles in the National Park. The manufacturer must be compelled to be more innovative by manufacturing Off-Road Vehicle with reduced carbon emission by embracing the use of Bio-Fuel Technology and other environmentally friendly technology which reduce noise in the park and water pollution. Past experience through the manufacturing of cleaner four strokes burning engines has greatly reduced air pollution, as such innovation must be encouraged. The manufacturer of such vehicles must play a great part in environmental conservation by contributing funds in an effort aimed at conserving the degraded environment.

Building of infrastructures, demarcated corridors, and coming up with written policy and instructions that clearly guide the public on where they can use their off-road vehicle will also play a greater part in environment conservation rather than banning the use of off road vehicles. Public awareness should be promoted to enlighten people on the importance of environment conservation as they seek to get enjoyment from nature. The public should be involved in direct conservation in the National park, making them stay on the allocated paths and Off-Road Vehicles trails within the national park. They should also stay out of the wilderness areas where off-road vehicle use has been banned and carry with them all the garbage that they generate while in the National Park. The creation of new trails by off-road vehicle users should be avoided at all costs and the public should be informed of the disastrous cumulative impacts that follow when another off-road user decides to follow the new trails.

Rather than banning the use of off-road vehicles in the national park, plans should be made to implement periodical closure of those areas which have been heavily disturbed by the recreationist. Such an environment when left undisturbed for some time has the capacity to rejuvenate naturally. During the period of closure, the study can be done on the scope of the damage caused by the use of off-road vehicles and the corrective measure taken. This may be through redesigning off-road trails and access roads to this area and reserving corridors for wildlife use, and other specific solutions that safeguard such damages in the future.

Introductions of National Parks access permits are another great alternative to banning the use of off-road vehicles in the national park. This way, relevant authorities, and other concerned stakeholders will have direct control over the number and the capacity of off-road vehicles that accessed a particular part of the National Park. The unlicensed off-road vehicle should be compelled to do so and the license fee should be reasonably high to have greater control over access. This will have a double effect as increased license fees will increase revenue collection and at the same time control and reduce the number of people accessing the National Park using off Road vehicles.

The use of the latest technological innovation like Global Positioning System (GPS) can be used to monitor and track all Off-Road vehicles and wildlife species in the National park at any one given time. The Off-road vehicle user can be advised on a real-time basis on which trail or road to use and what to expect ahead. This can greatly reduce conflicts between wild animals and off-road users and at the same time assist the recreationists in case of emergency. Unlicensed Off-Road Vehicle users can also be tracked and appropriate actions are taken.

Passage of federal and other related Acts aimed at preserving endangered species will also help create public awareness hence responsible use of Off-Road Vehicles. There have been instances where Off-Road Vehicles user have trampled on tortoises, snakes and other animals in National parks while other have knocked down important physical features where they could have clearly avoided too. In such instances, the public will be put on notice of the penalties associated with damage to the ecosystems by irresponsible use of Off-Road Vehicles. This will bring about accountability as the public will be guided by the law on what is expected of them when they gain access to the National park. Those who feel the penalties to be too tight can personally decide not to use off-road vehicles in the National Park or use them responsibly.

The use of Off-Road Vehicle is a source of great thrill which attract many people to National Parks; this, in turn, helps people connect with the environment hence enlightening the public on the need to conserve the environment. As such, the use of Off-Road Vehicle in National parks should not be banned but appropriate measures should be put in place to control access to the National park by off-road vehicles in a bid to conserve the environment. Appropriate legislation, policies, and regulation, backed up by infrastructures like road networks within the National park should be put in place to offer the public an opportunity to enjoy the ecosystem and outdoor activities in a harmonious way.

Reference

Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida, Web.

Mark Clayton (2005) National Park Grapple with Surge of Illegal Off-Road Vehicles, Web.

Richard T. T. Forman (2002) Road Ecology: Science and Solution, Island Publishers, United Kingdom.

Robert H. Webb, Howard Gordon Wilshire, (1983) Environmental Effects of Off-Road Vehicles: Impacts and Management, Springer Verlag publishers, United States.

Russell Long (1999) Off –the-Track: America’s National Parks under Siege, Bluewater publishers, United States.

Sustainable recreation policy: National park and Natural forests, Web.

Threats of Off-Road vehicle on Death Valley National Park, Web.

William E.Hammit, David N.Cole (1998) Wildlife Recreation: Ecology and management, John Wiley Publishers, New York.

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Off-Road Vehicle Use in National Park

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