Let’s face it, off roaders have a very bad reputation with environmentalist. To put it gently, some of the organizations would like to see our rigs crushed and recycled. As with many groups of people, a few can give all a bad name. We are seen as gas and oil spilling, erosion contributing and plant destroyers. If we are going to keep any of our parks open we have to blow this stereotype out of the water.

The off road community as a whole needs to give back to the environment we love to use, not as individuals but as clubs and organizations. Those returns need to be made public and aimed toward fixing any damage that our sport has on the environment. For example, our sport is blamed for causing sediment runoff into streams and lakes.  One thing a club could do is to riprap runoff areas. Another is to hold fund raisers to benefit environmental causes. These fund raisers need to be linked to the club so that those outside the off road community can see that we do care about the land we use. Most of all set a good example on the trail, don’t be the one spilling gear oil all over the trail! Nothing else we do off the trail matters if we are the destructive presents they say we are. Fix your leaks before you go out, stay on the trails, use a wench before the skinny pedal on loose dirt hill climbs. If we can’t change the stereotype of our sport all of our parks will go the way of Tellico, closed on a fake trout beef. Proving that if they can’t find a real reason they will make one up to shut down what they don’t understand and have pre conserved notions about. So I encourage you to show that we are not here to destroy the environment but to enjoy it in our own way. See you on the trails.

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