Victory for Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve
Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias protected from damaging all-terrain vehicle use
June 2007
A recently settled lawsuit filed by NPCA has stopped the destruction of recreational all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) on three popular trails in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska. The unlimited ATV use has ripped through tundra vegetation, exposing the frozen ground to direct sunlight and causing large mud pits to emerge. This damage to the park’s tundra ecosystem is threatening wildlife habitat and water quality.
"Illegal ATV riding in Wrangell-St. Elias has been creating massive mud holes up to one hundred yards wide and several miles long," says NPCA Alaska Regional Director Jim Stratton. "Wrangell-St. Elias is one of the world’s premier wilderness parks, and today we are starting the journey to heal some serious wounds to the land caused by recreational ATV riding."
The settlement requires the National Park Service to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) evaluating the impacts of recreational ATV use on the park. Should that EIS determine that recreational ATV riding can continue, the Park Service would be required to show how ATV riding is compatible with park purposes. While the Park Service completes the impact statement, the three trails suffering the most significant damage will be closed to recreational riding.
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This article is from the June 2007 issue of NPCA's Park Lines. Each month Park Lines takes you to a new park, highlights one of our campaigns, and keeps you informed about what the staff at NPCA are up to and how you can help. Read our latest issue and subscribe for your very own free copy.
