Beyond its federal public lands, Minnesota boasts a state forest system of nearly 4 million acres. That's the good news. The bad news is that over 95 pct. of those lands are open to off-road vehicles-dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles. In Minnesota, unlike adjacent states, state public lands are open to off-road vehicles unless posted otherwise and few are posted otherwise.

The use flows all too easily onto federal public lands, even private lands. The state is home to some of the largest off-road vehicle manufacturers and the use is deeply imbedded. The legislature has directed that fixed portions of gas tax receipts every motorist pays be dedicated to various segments of the motorized recreation world. At the same time, the economic downturn has caused the state to close state parks and cut the number of conservation officers, the only real hope of enforcing responsible off-road vehicle use.

Environmental analysis of proposed trails has, until recently, been rare to non-existent. A tough grass-roots group, Minnesotans for Responsible Recreation (MRR), has begun to change that with a David-versus-Goliath effort. Recently, MRR persuaded a court to require environmental analysis before new trails are approved. And approval is a requisite first step for the release of state money to local clubs seeking to build new trails, approval until now rarely denied. The effect of MRR's advocacy has been to shut off the flow of public money for ORV trails until reasonable environmental analysis is done.