Forest Access group warns federal designation could restrict Sumpter-area motorized access

Don George, president of Forest Access for All, told the Sumpter City Council on May 14 that his organization supports motorized recreation but opposes a single federal-designation framework for the Sumpter area that he said could later be used to justify restrictions.

"We support ATV riders, ATV families, ATV tourism, and most importantly, the use of ATVs to support access to public lands," Don George said. He warned that designations initially framed as protections have in other regions led over time to closures, seasonal limits and permit requirements, citing management changes in the California Desert as an example.

George described his group’s concern as limited to the particulars of a proposed designation, not to motorized recreation itself. He said Forest Access for All formed in 2007 amid concerns about loss of public access and has since worked to preserve broad-use public land. "A good example of this is the Mojave Desert ecosystem program and subsequent management changes...what started as a promise of preserving access ultimately resulted in less freedom," he said.

Council members asked a few clarifying questions after the presentation about the organization’s history and the specifics of the proposal; the council did not take formal action on the matter at the meeting. George offered to provide additional information and said he was available to answer questions from the Forest Service or the council if needed. The presentation and the extended public comment that followed underscored competing local views on recreation, tourism and federal land management in the Sumpter area.