We are getting banned from our favorite trails, at least 42 of them.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1056916

This just pisses me off so much, Pardoes Trail was my favorite trail and I may never be able to wheel it again.

Thoughts/opinions? I'm definitely becoming more active in Blue Ribbon Coalition after tonight.

This is why it's SOOOO important to practice "tread lightly" principles when we play. Just one idiot driving off trail, leaving ruts in some previously untouched area, can get the whole forest shut down. Most of the politicians who push for this stuff never see dirt under their feet, so they don't realize what a privilege they're losing when they close access to these beautiful places--all they know is some tree-hugger from their precinct screamed the loudest, so they bent over to please them to fend off bad press (which would ruin their re-election hopes!). Being in CA is probably the worst--just look at their special emissions laws just for that state. A group of five environmentalists with press access could rule this country, friend--the squeeky wheel gets the grease (while the others are ignored)!

Are these part of the state parks that voters voted against funding during the last election?

If I recall, California voters had a choice between a $25 year fee (something like that) at the DMV - and closing of many state parks.

CA voters decided not to fund the state parks. I voted for the fee/tax though.

This may not be the same exact thing but it sounds like it could be related.

Brain, if so, maybe they should've done like the Black Hills Nat. Forest did, and only charged for annual stickers for the actual users. We now purchase $25 permits for the use of the forest trails, which is plenty reasonable. Putting it to ALL the voters is hardly fair, as most people probably never venture out there, and aren't willing to pay for those that do. Still, $.50/wk is hardly an enormous amount to ask of the general population.

That is a great idea, I would have no problem buying a permit so I can enjoy our forest roads. It just seems as though great ideas like this don't come to light in CA as they do in other places

I think the main issue here is not so much on fees, but on preserving the forest. It is like you stated before, the blame goes to the careless idiot who goes off the trail and destroys watersheds, hillsides, plants, etc. even though the 99% are responsible and leave the trail the same if not better than they found it. I don't think there is much we can do about that, because there is always going to be that idiot. Maybe if there were more programs like Adopt a Trail or similar, we could do more to fix the trails and preserve their surroundings. To the environmentalist group though, once a trail has been abused it is too late. This in their minds calls for a permanent banning of the trail, and their voice is louder than ours.