Unauthorized or illegal off-highway vehicle use in Joshua Tree National Park negatively impacts wildlife, vegetation, cultural resources, and other ecological processes in the park. Often, the damage comes from inadvertent incursions because riders have no way of knowing they have crossed a park boundary. Reporter Mike Lipsitz tells us about an effort to make things right…
Joshua Tree National Park administration hopes to get a portion of the $30 million up for grabs through the California State Parks OHV Recreation Division. The funds come from gas taxes and off-roader fees and get distributed through grants for the protection and restoration of wilderness areas and environmental resources, and enforcement of OHV laws. Joshua Tree National Park staff, in a grant application, propose a project to restore park land disturbed by OHV use, and add new fencing that will allow OHV riders to identify park boundaries. Several areas of the park have already been successfully restored and protected through the program. The public is invited to review and comment on the preliminary restoration grant application which becomes available today and may be found at http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1164. The public comment period ends April 3.
JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK APPLIES FOR OHV ENFORCEMENT GRANT
