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The U.S. Forest Service has reversed course on two proposed ATV corridors it had authorized in the Ogden Ranger District of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, bringing final closure to a contentious travel planning process that dragged on for a dozen years.

In a revised decision released earlier this month, district ranger Robert Sanchez nixed new motorized routes around Willard Peak and Mollen's Hollow. While these were just short segments that would have completed ATV loops, the move drew cheers from environmental activists who have long fought to keep motorized use out of these scenic roadless areas.

"We felt we had to draw a line at proposals to build new motorized trails. ... There are so many opportunities for motorized recreation elsewhere," said Dan Schroeder, conservation chairman for the Sierra Club's Ogden group. "It's not that we are putting an end to all these new loops, just these two."

The travel plan covers the 161,000-acre district in the northern Wasatch Mountains, spreading through Weber, Box Elder, Morgan, Rich and Cache counties. The district has become a hotspot for ATV use. Registrations in the nearby counties ballooned by 250 percent in the eight years before the Forest Service released its initial plan in 2006, accounting for more than one-fourth of all the state's ATVs.

"Unmanaged motorized recreation has resulted in user-created trails, eroded hillsides, contributed to the spread of noxious weeds, caused trail-user conflicts and disturbance to wildlife," the new decision states.

But environmentalists were not pleased with earlier versions of the travel plan. A federal judge ultimately stepped in, ordering a supplemental environmental review, which was completed a few months ago. Joining the Sierra Club in this legal challenge were Wild Utah Project, Save Our Canyons and Western Wildlife Conservancy.

"One thing we are working on is trust with the agency. They say 'roadless protected.' Is it really? You have a history of adopting any routes people are plowing through," said Carl Fisher of Save Our Canyons. "The most significant part is upholding the integrity of those roadless areas, not just Ogden, but system-wide. I hate that we have to get there through lawsuits."

The groups weren't happy with everything in the latest decision, but expressed gratitude for the agency's willingness to address numerous concerns.

"I know that my decision will not completely satisfy every group or individual; however, I have concluded that it is an informed choice that provides a reasonable mix of meeting the increased need for additional motorized recreation opportunities and meeting Forest Plan direction," Sanchez wrote. His 63-page record of decision predicted that implementing the plan will be a challenge, noting that past route closures were not always effective. He hopes responsible ATV riders will apply "peer pressure" to those willing to violate closures and ride off designated routes.

"I want to emphasize implementation of this plan will require not only education of users but also enforcement of restrictions," Sanchez wrote. This will likely mean putting signage in areas where illegal off-roading has scarred the land, installing gates and organizing a "cadre of volunteers" to educate the public and rehabilitate retired routes.

On paper, the decision issued last week does not appear to be substantially different than what the Forest Service approved in 2006. It reduces the miles of motorized routes from 260 to 249 and the miles of new trails from 18 to 10.

What mattered was not miles of routes but their locations.

"We don't have many roadless areas on the Ogden Ranger District. We feel it is important to preserve what we have left. The land is so fragmented here," Schroeder said. "If you could see the areas, you would agree there was something many people would feel was worth fighting for."

Mollen's Hollow, for example, is one of the last places to enjoy quiet recreation on Monte Cristo plateau, much of which has become a haven for motorized recreation.

Twitter: @brianmaffly