Environmentalists and ATV users criticize Ogden trails plan

A plan for roads and trails through national forest land in the mountains east of Ogden has drawn protests from both environmental groups and all-terrain vehicle recreationists.

Environmentalists say the plan violates federal law and gives an unfair advantage to ATV and other motorized-vehicle users. Motorized-vehicle recreation groups like most of the plan, except for a provision that calls for closing a popular trail for eight months each year.

Chip Sibbernsen, district ranger for the Ogden District of the Wasatch-Cache National Forest, said it's difficult to balance the concerns of environmentalists with those of motorized-vehicle users.

"It is one of, if not the most, challenging things we get involved with," he said.

The district this spring released the detailed plan, which Sibbernsen said was long overdue because the last revision was 18 years ago. The plan dictates what trails will be opened or closed and how each trail can be used during the summer months.

A committee of Forest Service specialists from outside the Ogden district met last month to review the plan, and its decision is expected to be issued by July 1.

ATV use in the area has risen dramatically in recent years, and Sibbernsen said an update was needed to address its impact on the area.

Four appeals to the plan have been submitted to the Forest Service. One is from the Sierra Club and three Salt Lake City conservation groups: the Wild Utah Project, Western Wildlife Conservancy and the Citizens' Committee to Save Our Canyons. Another is from the Blue Ribbon Coalition, a pro-motorized recreation group.

A family that owns a ranch in the area also filed an appeal. So did a retired road engineer for the Forest Service, who said the plan follows federal roadless restrictions that have been thrown out in court.

The Sierra Club appeal claims the plan overwhelmingly favors motorized-vehicle users.

"They're going way too far to accommodate one group of users," said Dan Schroeder, chairman of the Ogden Sierra Club. "Motorized users only make up about 5 or 6 percent of trial users in the summer."

Schroeder said the plan would make three-fourths of the district open to motorized use, with almost no nonmotorized trails.