Enhanced Planning Could Assist Agencies in Managing Increased Use of Off-Highway Vehicles

Enhanced Planning Could Assist Agencies in Managing Increased Use of Off-Highway Vehicles

Off-highway vehicle (OHV) use on lands managed by the Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and National Park Service (Park Service) has become popular over the past few decades. Some critics have asserted that OHV use causes adverse environmental, social, and safety impacts, while proponents have voiced concerns about retaining access to federal lands. GAO examined the (1) trends in and status of OHV use on federal lands, as well as reported environmental, social, and safety impacts; (2) agencies’ strategic planning for managing OHV use; (3) actions taken by agency field units to manage OHV use; and (4) current OHV management challenges.