Along with their usual season duties, conservation agents will put special emphasis on off-road vehicle activities this summer. Protection Division Chief Dennis Steward said it isn't just about protecting wildlife. Public safety and the overall health of outdoor areas are at stake.
    Steward said conservation agents' other major emphasis this summer will be stopping misuse of ORVs (Off-Road Vehicles). All-terrain vehicles (ATVs), Jeeps, four-wheel drive trucks and other vehicles capable of traversing rugged terrain can be tremendously destructive when operated where they do not belong.

Off-roading on conservation areas destroys vegetation and leads to soil erosion. Operating vehicles in streams destroys fish habitat and muddies the water, smothering fish eggs and other aquatic life. Whether it occurs on land or in streams, ORV misuse also diminishes the quality of others' outdoor experience.

Illegal ORV activities, are Class A misdemeanors, and are punishable by fines of up to $1,000 and a year in jail. Steward noted that the Conservation Commission has recently upped the ante on irresponsible off-roading in streams.

"A number of people have had their hunting and fishing privileges suspended for ORV abuse," he said. "That is a pretty high price to pay for something you could be doing legally somewhere else. Missouri has places where folks who enjoy off-roading can do it legally."

Steward said ORV owners should get permission from landowners before riding on private property. However, there also are public areas set aside especially for ORV riders in Missouri. These include:

* Finger Lakes State Park in Boone County, (573) 443-5315.

* St. Joe State Park, 8,238 acres in St. Francois County, (573) 431-1069.

* Sutton Bluff Recreation Area in Reynolds County, (573) 729-6656.

* Chadwick ATV and Motorcycle Area in Christian County, (417) 683-4428.

-Jim Low-

To check hunting and fishing seasons listed on the Outdoor Calendar, visit http://mdc.mo.gov/season