Trails closing on Roan Plateau

According to the Post Independent in Glenwood Springs, federal land managers are closing 96 miles of roads and trails to motorized vehicles on and around the Roan Plateau.

The closures are part of a management plan announced in June, but they have been overshadowed by a heated debate over how much drilling to allow on the sprawling,
gas-rich plateau.

The Bureau of Land Management said closing the trails to motorbikes, all-terrain vehicles and other motor vehicles will reduce erosion and improve wildlife habitat. Many of the closed routes parallel other roads or are short spurs to canyons or other
areas.

Steve Gunderson of the Colorado Off Highway Vehicle Coalition disputed the assertion that closing some routes would improve habitat.

"There’s a lot of sanctuary up there. That’s the reason people talk about wildlife up there, is because there’s a lot of places for wildlife up there,” he said.

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