Overall, there is a need for the state of New Mexico to move toward better management of off-road vehicle recreation. Both the United States Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have implemented or are in the process of implementing travel management plans for their management units in New Mexico. However, both organizations lack sufficient resources, and authority to manage off-road recreation for the entire state. Additional resources are needed in order to take pro-active statewide actions, including, but not limited to efforts such as:  a safety and responsibility media blitz, coordinating statewide enforcement, and managing off-road recreationist education and training. These are responsibilities that state government can affect -through legislation, integrative management and oversight, and by supporting adequate funding.

- User conflicts – Generally, both motorized and non-motorized recreationists have access to the same trails or areas of the forest. Off-road vehicle recreation on public lands increases user conflicts between motorized recreationists and other recreationists and public land users including ranchers, hunters and anglers. The conflicts tend to be one-sided, with motorized recreationists being less adversely affected and other public land users more adversely affected. The Rancher/Rangeland survey indicated that for a good-sized sample of ranchers there are serious conflicts, impacts, and monetary costs due to recreational ORV use that warrant addressing. These issues impact ranching as a traditional way of life as well as an economic aspect of New Mexico, and affect riparian areas, rangeland, and other natural resources.

- Enforcement – The level of enforcement needed by the USFS and the BLM in New Mexico are in flux due to the travel management plans currently underway. Experiences in other states have shown that travel management plans that designate specific routes for off-road vehicle recreation are not successful without adequate enforcement. Studies show that roughly half of ATV and motorcycle riders prefer to ride off of designated routes. Therefore, it is anticipated that implementation of these plans will require increased law enforcement to ensure that ORV recreationists comply with the new route designations. Educating off-road vehicle recreationists and enlisting the help of off-road user groups is critical to success.

- Natural Resource Issues – Off-road motorized recreation adversely impacts natural resources including soils, vegetation, wildlife, habitat, riparian areas and hydrologic flows. Properly sited and engineered trails reduce impacts and require little maintenance but such trails are almost non-existent. Unauthorized user-created trails are created without thought of drainage, habitat fragmentation or long term effects. In addition, most traditional hiking trails are not able to withstand regular use by ORVs without substantial adverse effects. Cross-country travel, driving in and near streams, and in riparian areas have the greatest impact.

- Safety – Nationally, ATV injuries and deaths, particularly for ages 15 and under, continue to be of major concern to families, state governments, and the American Academy of Pediatricians, which urges the adoption of 16 as the minimum age for operating an ATV on federal lands and the requirement of a driver’s license. The under 16 age group represents 37% of all ATV-related emergency room treated injuries across the nation, and about one-third of all ATV-related deaths. ATV riding is the most dangerous sport for children – 62% more dangerous than football and 110% more dangerous than snowboarding. In New Mexico, 34% of reported ATV deaths from 1982-2004 were under 16 years of age.

- Cost-Benefit Analysis –Based on studies from surrounding states, ORV recreation’s overall economic activity is probably in the low 100s of millions of dollars with actual economic contribution to the state being about half, or less, of that amount. The overall economic activity for the “active outdoor recreation” economy for New Mexico, which includes cycling, camping, fishing, hunting, paddling sports, snow sports, trail activities and wildlife viewing is estimated at $3.6 billion. Wildlife viewing in the state is estimated to be $519 million.

- Institutional and Information Needs – Currently, ATV and off-road motorcycle drivers can legally access public lands without a skills test (required for riding a street-legal motorcycle) and without passing a written exam to test for knowledge of state rules and regulations, trail etiquette or ways to minimize impacts on natural resources. There is currently no widely publicized mechanism for citizens (recreationists, ranchers, farmers, private property owners) to report natural resource damage, conflicts, or illegal activity by any and all recreationists. There is no central database in the state dedicated to the various issues of managing ORV recreation including data collection for accidents and injuries, resource damage, user conflicts, registrations and out of state permitting. Most Western states manage ORV recreation from their Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation, or their Game & Fish Department; already engaged in monitoring natural resources and enforcing natural resource law.