Photo courtesy of the Survival Center
The University Survival Center sponsored a two-day symposium on the fate of the Oregon dunes.
Off-road recreational vehicles
damaging to dunes ecosystem
By Sheri-Lyn Scully
OUtra Emerald
The Oregon Snowy Plover
may be on its way to extinction
because off-road vehicles are
destroying its natural habitat —
the dunes areas along the
Oregon coast
Culminating a two-day sym
posium on the fate of the
Oregon dunes Wednesday,
Wendal Wood, a local biologist,
outlined the scenic and
ecological consequences ORVs
have on the ecosystems of the
Oregon dunes
Both opponents of ORVs and
ORV recreation club members
turned out for the University
Survival Center-sponsored
event
In addition to the Snowy
Plover and other shore birds,
vegetation such as silver
beachweed wild orchids, and
sun dew are being threatened
by ORVs
Unique plantlife and wildlife
that has ecologically adapted to
the dune habitat is losing a bat
tle and needs protection. Wood
said
Plants and animals have as
much right to inhabit the beach
as anyone If we lose any of
them we lose something import
ant "
Currently, ORVs are allowed
on 50 percent of the Oregon
dunes classified as “recrea
tional Wood views this split a
compromise for ORV users and
nature lovers alike However,
the problem lies in the fact that
the majority of beaches behind
these dunes also are open to
ORVs
Of the 42 miles of beach
between Florence and Coos
Bay, only two miles of beach are
closed to ORVs all year and 10
miles are closed for a short
summer season Wood said the
percentage of open to closed
sections of beach is entirely
'unequitable.”
Members of the “Eugene
Sand Bugs " an ORV group who
attended the symposium, cited
the problem of European Beach
Grass spreading over the dunes
as justification for continued
ORV use
ORVs are not a means of
patrolling beach grass.” said
Wood The biologist is look
ing towards beach preserva
tion ”
He and other members of a
group. Citizens for Untreaded
Beaches, have collected 1,500
signatures from all over the
state to call for a hearing to
propose that a far great
er number of beach areas be
set aside as non-recreation
al
ORV enthusiasts continue to
enter closed dune areas
because of the ability to enter
the dunes from the open
beaches behind them Minors
on three-wheel vehicles also
often enter closed areas inac
cessible to other ORVs causing
destruction to already fragile
ecosystems Violaters are sel
dom caught or given tickets,
Wood said
The Forest Service is a culprit
in this problem in that it does
nothing to inform the public of
the ORV misuse nor has it met
many of its land management
plans, Wood said.
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