RIVERSIDE, CA- On behalf of the County of Riverside, Sheriff Stanley L. Sniff is applying for a total of $123,000 in California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle (OHV) Recreation Division Grants & Cooperative Agreements Program funding for Law Enforcement Projects.
Riverside is the fourth largest county in the state and shares borders with Imperial, Orange, San Diego, and San Bernardino Counties. It spans 7,200 square miles spreading over 200 miles from east to west and 50 miles from north to south. The county is within 14 miles of the Pacific Ocean and extends to the Colorado River, bordering Arizona. The majority of the 7,200 square miles is unincorporated territory. Between 1980 and 1990, the number of residents grew by over 76 percent making Riverside the fastest-growing county in California. Pursuant to the most recent census data, Riverside County has a population of more than 2.0 million people. According to the Los Angeles Times and state figures, Riverside County will add 3.1 million people to its population by mid-century.
The vast land and its short distance from a large portion of the population results in an abundance of opportunities for Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) use. Riverside County contains numerous legal OHV riding areas within its borders. These include the Wildomar Recreation area and the Starwest Motocross Park in the western portion of the county. This also includes legal OHV trails on land governed by the Bureau of Land Management in the eastern portion of Riverside County. Although these sanctioned venues exist, large portions of OHV riders choose to operate their vehicles illegally on public or privately owned lands. This has resulted in numerous accidents requiring an emergency response and complaints from citizens living on or near these areas.
From June 2007 through September 2009, there have been approximately 9,300 calls for service from the public regarding illegal OHV use. There were approximately 2,297 citations issued throughout the county during that same period for the unlawful use of OHV’s.
Illegal OHV use has resulted in conflicts with hikers, equestrians, private landowners, and other individuals seeking open space for recreational use. These conflicts detract from the legal use of OHV’s. With the increasing population in Riverside County, the demand for OHV opportunities is increasing. Along with this demand comes a desire by law enforcement agencies to restrict OHV’s from trespassing on private lands and into wilderness areas not open to OHV use.
Land management agencies are closing more public lands to OHV recreation because of conflicts with endangered species and other resource concerns. In both the eastern and mid-western portions of the county, these concerns include the fringe-toed lizard and the desert tortoise. According to the California Department of Fish and Game, the fringe-toed lizard is a State Endangered and Federally Threatened species, while the desert tortoise is State Threatened and Federally Threatened species.
To address these issues, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department implemented the full-time Riverside County Off-Highway Vehicle Enforcement (R.O.V.E.) team in June 2007. The team consists of law enforcement personnel who conduct OHV enforcement and education on a full-time basis. The team consists of (1) Sheriff’s Sergeant and (8) Deputy Sheriffs, and is incorporated into the Special Enforcement Bureau (S.E.B.). All personnel are trained on the operation, enforcement, and education of OHV’s.
The R.O.V.E. team contacts OHV operators riding illegally and issues citations and warnings as necessary. They contact property owners and educate them on posting proper signage and intrusion prevention. They also educate the public through departmental press releases, news articles, web sites, and public safety expositions. The R.O.V.E. team also meets with community members and leaders to discuss OHV issues. During every contact with an OHV enthusiast, deputies educate and often provide literature to those people on legal riding venues and equipment used to operate OHV’s safely.
Many of the legal OHV recreational opportunities located within the eastern portion of Riverside County exist on designated routes of travel. These routes of travel have been established by specific resource management plans generated by the Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service. Several of these existing designated routes are near sensitive resources such as the endangered desert tortoise, designated wilderness, areas of critical environmental concern, and cultural sites. These legal venues are easily accessed by legal means and are aesthetically pleasing.
In the western portion of the county, there are several legal OHV areas open to the public. These include the Lake Elsinore Motocross Park, Wildomar Recreation Area, Perris Raceway, Starwest Motocross Park, Cahuilla Creek Motocross Park, Milestone Ranch Motocross Track, and the San Bernardino National Forest. Some legal OHV sites vary in their operational schedules and have a variety of facilities available to users.
Enforcement by the R.O.V.E. team occurs on weekends, weekdays, most statutory holidays during the peak OHV season, and as necessary throughout the year. Deputies not only enforce OHV rules and regulations, but undertake various administrative duties related to this project including data collection, crime analysis, public meetings, emergency operations, and public relations events.
The R.O.V.E. team provides a secure location for all of its equipment and supplies, and ensures that all OHV’s, trucks, and trailers are maintained to ensure proper working order.
The purpose of this press release is to make the public aware of the County of Riverside’s plan to apply for OHV funding as outlined above. Any comments or questions may be directed to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s R.O.V.E. team @ (951) 922-7723 or via electronic mail to MWalsh@riversidesheriff.org. For application review and public comment see the California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle website at http:// www.ohv.parks.ca.gov.
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Tags: bureau of land management, California Department of Fish and Game, grants, OHV, property owners, public comment, public safety, riverside county, riverside county sheriff, www.ohv.parks.ca.gov
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Desert Star Weekly
Riverside Co. applies for $123K in OHV Grants
Riverside is the fourth largest county in the state and shares borders with Imperial, Orange, San Diego, and San Bernardino Counties. It spans 7,200 square miles spreading over 200 miles from east to west and 50 miles from north to south. The county is within 14 miles of the Pacific Ocean and extends to the Colorado River, bordering Arizona. The majority of the 7,200 square miles is unincorporated territory. Between 1980 and 1990, the number of residents grew by over 76 percent making Riverside the fastest-growing county in California. Pursuant to the most recent census data, Riverside County has a population of more than 2.0 million people. According to the Los Angeles Times and state figures, Riverside County will add 3.1 million people to its population by mid-century.
The vast land and its short distance from a large portion of the population results in an abundance of opportunities for Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) use. Riverside County contains numerous legal OHV riding areas within its borders. These include the Wildomar Recreation area and the Starwest Motocross Park in the western portion of the county. This also includes legal OHV trails on land governed by the Bureau of Land Management in the eastern portion of Riverside County. Although these sanctioned venues exist, large portions of OHV riders choose to operate their vehicles illegally on public or privately owned lands. This has resulted in numerous accidents requiring an emergency response and complaints from citizens living on or near these areas.
From June 2007 through September 2009, there have been approximately 9,300 calls for service from the public regarding illegal OHV use. There were approximately 2,297 citations issued throughout the county during that same period for the unlawful use of OHV’s.
Illegal OHV use has resulted in conflicts with hikers, equestrians, private landowners, and other individuals seeking open space for recreational use. These conflicts detract from the legal use of OHV’s. With the increasing population in Riverside County, the demand for OHV opportunities is increasing. Along with this demand comes a desire by law enforcement agencies to restrict OHV’s from trespassing on private lands and into wilderness areas not open to OHV use.
Land management agencies are closing more public lands to OHV recreation because of conflicts with endangered species and other resource concerns. In both the eastern and mid-western portions of the county, these concerns include the fringe-toed lizard and the desert tortoise. According to the California Department of Fish and Game, the fringe-toed lizard is a State Endangered and Federally Threatened species, while the desert tortoise is State Threatened and Federally Threatened species.
To address these issues, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department implemented the full-time Riverside County Off-Highway Vehicle Enforcement (R.O.V.E.) team in June 2007. The team consists of law enforcement personnel who conduct OHV enforcement and education on a full-time basis. The team consists of (1) Sheriff’s Sergeant and (8) Deputy Sheriffs, and is incorporated into the Special Enforcement Bureau (S.E.B.). All personnel are trained on the operation, enforcement, and education of OHV’s.
The R.O.V.E. team contacts OHV operators riding illegally and issues citations and warnings as necessary. They contact property owners and educate them on posting proper signage and intrusion prevention. They also educate the public through departmental press releases, news articles, web sites, and public safety expositions. The R.O.V.E. team also meets with community members and leaders to discuss OHV issues. During every contact with an OHV enthusiast, deputies educate and often provide literature to those people on legal riding venues and equipment used to operate OHV’s safely.
Many of the legal OHV recreational opportunities located within the eastern portion of Riverside County exist on designated routes of travel. These routes of travel have been established by specific resource management plans generated by the Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service. Several of these existing designated routes are near sensitive resources such as the endangered desert tortoise, designated wilderness, areas of critical environmental concern, and cultural sites. These legal venues are easily accessed by legal means and are aesthetically pleasing.
In the western portion of the county, there are several legal OHV areas open to the public. These include the Lake Elsinore Motocross Park, Wildomar Recreation Area, Perris Raceway, Starwest Motocross Park, Cahuilla Creek Motocross Park, Milestone Ranch Motocross Track, and the San Bernardino National Forest. Some legal OHV sites vary in their operational schedules and have a variety of facilities available to users.
Enforcement by the R.O.V.E. team occurs on weekends, weekdays, most statutory holidays during the peak OHV season, and as necessary throughout the year. Deputies not only enforce OHV rules and regulations, but undertake various administrative duties related to this project including data collection, crime analysis, public meetings, emergency operations, and public relations events.
The R.O.V.E. team provides a secure location for all of its equipment and supplies, and ensures that all OHV’s, trucks, and trailers are maintained to ensure proper working order.
The purpose of this press release is to make the public aware of the County of Riverside’s plan to apply for OHV funding as outlined above. Any comments or questions may be directed to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s R.O.V.E. team @ (951) 922-7723 or via electronic mail to MWalsh@riversidesheriff.org. For application review and public comment see the California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle website at http:// www.ohv.parks.ca.gov.
Related posts:
Tags: bureau of land management, California Department of Fish and Game, grants, OHV, property owners, public comment, public safety, riverside county, riverside county sheriff, www.ohv.parks.ca.gov