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A group of former public-land managers says abuse by off-highway vehicles and their riders has become a crisis.

In response, Rangers for Responsible Recreation sees tougher enforcement, more funding and a congressional inquiry as solutions.

"There is no greater threat to our country's public-land treasure than off-road vehicles," said Jim Baca, a former director of the Bureau of Land Management who is one of the dozen land management professionals in the newly formed group.

In a conference call Thursday, members of the group talked about a variety of OHV abuses, including rude and threatening treatment of land officials, destruction of ecologically sensitive areas, refusal to stay on trails and damage to streambeds.

They cited a BLM statistic: more than 5,400 law enforcement incidents in 2005 involved off-highway vehicles. Drug enforcement incidents were the next highest category with 900 cases reported.

Dan Heinz, a former district ranger for the U.S. Forest Service, noted that visitors say by a 10-to-1 margin that they visit the forests for quiet. Yet, poor route development and forest plans that do not provide for quiet recreation undermine that goal.

"We desperately need a designated route system," he said.

Steve Jackson, president of the Utah Shared Access Alliance, agreed that irresponsible OHV use is a problem.

"If they are calling for more money for enforcement and trail maintenance, we would support them," he said.

Jackson said OHVs provide an important source of family recreation. His group - with 10,000 members in Utah and other Western states - would like to see a focus on education and peer enforcement rather than a heavy-handed federal response.

Heidi McIntosh, conservation director for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, agreed with the land managers that OHV problems have become a crisis.

She pointed to the "lawlessness and violent behavior" that created a near-riot at Little Sahara over last Easter break and criticized the BLM for not doing more.

"It's been a complete abandonment of their duty to protect public lands," she said.

A 2005 opinion survey commissioned by SUWA showed that 78 percent of those polled believe OHV use should be more closely managed, and that only 27 percent believed OHV regulations are being adequately enforced. SUWA has dogged the BLM about OHVs at the Vermilion Cliffs, Factory Butte and Arch Canyon.

The land-managers' group noted that there has been an explosion in the number of OHVs. They also attacked the Bush administration for failing to use the means at its disposal to protect the public land.

"I think people in the field really want to do something," said Baca. "They see the damage being done."