Working group to discuss designated OHV routes

Nicole Plascencia

COOS COUNTY, Ore.- As part of a project to designate off-highway vehicle riding area in the dunes as called for in the 1994 Oregon Dunes National Recreation Management Plan, a working group is getting together this week in an effort to make progress in designating those riding areas.

Saturday at the North Bend Public Library will be the third meeting in a series of 6 aimed at bringing a working group together to designate OHV riding trails.

The group, of about 15, is made up of everything from mushroom pickers and emergency personnel to ATV enthusiasts and conservation groups.

"A little less than half the dunes is managed for off-highway vehicle use and within that area, some areas are closed to protect resources as well as having OHV designated routes in forested areas and the open sand areas are open," says Sharon Stewart with the U.S. Forest Service of the dunes.

The meeting's goal is to discuss ideas for a 4,000 acre stretch between Horsfall and Florence and recommend what routes should or should not be designated.

ATV enthusiast Jody Phillips is part of the working group and says one of his concerns is if trails aren't designated, European beach grass will take over those areas, limiting future use.

"The dunes are dying and they're dying incredible fast and the Forest Service does not have the money to kill the beach grass, it's too late," says Phillips. He adds, "There's papers saying it's growing like 500 and some percent a year and if you think of that in terms of a lifetime it's scary, it really is, because literally within 50 years when my grand babies or great grand babies come to visit the dunes the only dunes that will be open will be the ones we're riding on today."

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Source: http://www.kcby.com/news/local/90872789.html

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