ORV Management Practices Manual: Strategy 5

Strategy 5.	Reduce Use in Problem Areas
Tactic 5.1	Discourage Use in Problem Areas
Purpose	Prevent or reduce resource damage and visitor crowding and conflicts by discouraging the use of problem areas (e.g., areas of high disturbance that are smaller than entire management units).
Description	Information describing the resource or social problem, the area(s) in which problems are occurring, and alternative areas are communicated to visitors to discourage use.
Costs to ORV Visitors	Low-Moderate. Visitors retain the freedom to voluntarily comply. Costs to visitors could be higher if similar problems develop in the areas to which visitor use is shifted.
Costs to Management	Low. Such a policy need only be communicated with supporting documentation of its rationale.
Effectiveness	Low-Moderate. Visitor may ignore recommendation. Effectiveness can be increased by describing similar alternative areas and providing information during the planning stage of their trip.
Comments	Attention should be given to the issue of shifting use and problems from one location to another. For resource protection, shifting use is only effective if use is shifted from fragile to resistant places. For social issues, shifting use can be effective if conflicting uses can be separated or crowding reduced to tolerable levels.

Strategy 5.	Reduce Use in Problem Areas
Tactic 5.2	Make Access to Problem Areas More Difficult
Purpose	Prevent or reduce resource damage and visitor crowding and conflicts by making access to problem areas more difficult e.g. areas of high disturbance that are smaller than entire management units.
Description	Access points near problem areas can be closed or reduced in size in order to reduce use of problem areas. Alternately, maintenance of access routes to problem areas can be reduced or discontinued.
Costs to ORV Visitors	Moderate. Action requires visitor to substitute alternate areas. Costs to visitors could be higher if problems develop in the areas to which visitor use is shifted.
Costs to Management	Moderate. The policy must be communicated with supporting documentation of its rationale. Onsite work may be needed to close or reduce the size of access points.
Effectiveness	Moderate. Though more difficult, visitors retain the option of traveling to the problem areas. Impact may be increased if visitors simply travel further to reach their preferred spots. Effectiveness can be increased by describing similar alternative areas and providing information during the planning stage of their trip.
Comments	Attention should be given to the issue of shifting use and problems from one location to another. For resource protection, shifting use is only effective if use is shifted from fragile to resistant places. For social issues, shifting use can be effective if conflicting uses can be separated or crowding reduced to tolerable levels.

Strategy 5.	Reduce Use in Problem Areas
Tactic 5.3	Establish Quotas for Use in Problem Areas
Purpose	Prevent or reduce resource damage and visitor crowding and conflicts by limiting use to problem areas through quotas.
Description	Visitor use permitted within problem areas is restricted by the establishment of quotas. Amount of use is regulated to determine the level at which acceptable resource or social conditions can be maintained. For effective implementation, problem areas may have to be defined on the basis of entire management units.
Costs to ORV Visitors	Moderate. Visitor access is retained, though some visitors are prohibited from entering. Costs to visitors could be higher if problems develop in the areas to which visitor use is shifted.
Costs to Management	High. The policy must be communicated with supporting documentation of its rationale. A system for determining quotas, managing access, and enforcement must be developed and managed.
Effectiveness	High. Visitation is reduced to levels that resolve resource and social problems. Agency presence and enforcement may also be critical to success.
Comments	Attention should be given to the issue of shifting use and problems from one location to another. For resource protection, shifting use is only effective if use is shifted from fragile to resistant places. For social issues, shifting use can be effective if conflicting uses can be separated or crowding reduced to tolerable levels.