• P.O. Box 23904
• Tempe, Arizona 85285
• Fax: 480 641-5464
• Phone: (602) 258-4 BY 4

Let's Tread Lightly!

Tread Lightly!, Inc., is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protect public and private lands through education. Emphasis is placed on responsible use of off-highway vehicles, other forms of back country travel, and on low impact principles applicable to all recreation activities.

There is an ever pressing need for the TREAD LIGHTLY! program. According to Forest Service reports, there has been a 42 percent increase in restricted or closed lands due to environmental abuse during the last 15 years. As you all know, we as off-highway users love and respect the land. It's a very small percentage of uneducated OHV users that cause the most abuse.

Because of the ever increasing and expanded use of off-highway vehicles, the need for more education to prevent damage being done to the environment. Many off-highway operators are not intentionally causing environmental damage but are unaware of how to minimize or eliminate OHV damage. This is why immense efforts are being made to educate off-highway users. The mission of TREAD LIGHTLY!, Inc. is to help protect public and private lands through education.

We stand to lose greatly if we do not take every step to make OHV recreation and other outdoor activities ecologically responsible. Continued abuse will lead to further land closures, restrictions, and to an increasing negative shift in the public's perception of OHV users. A bad image will result in further limitations to recreational access.

Let's be part of the solution, not part of the problem! The following TREAD LIGHTLY! concepts will help you with making responsible OHV user decisions.

• Obtain a Travel Map or information from a private land owner or from public land agencies. Learn the rules and follow them.

• Avoid running over young trees, shrubs, and grasses, possibly damaging or killing them. Leave the land and its vegetation as you find it. Limiting travel to established roads will minimize damage to soil and plant life. Leave rocks, flowers, wood, antlers and artifacts in their natural state for others to see and enjoy.

• Stay off soft, wet roads and trails readily torn up. Repairing the damage is expensive.

• Avoid meadows, steep hillsides, streambanks and lakeshores easily scarred by churning wheels.

• DON'T DRIVE UP OR DOWN A STREAM - Do not purposely drive up or down a stream for any length of time. Cross only at designated crossings, either at a 90-degree angle to the direction of the stream or head slightly upstream. Driving up or down a stream needlessly stirs up dirt and silt and disturbs the stream bottom's ecology. This is detrimental to plant and fish life. I realize that some trails follow a stream bed for awhile, but use common sense.

• Resist the urge to pioneer a new road or trail, or to cut across a switchback. Stick to routes open for use.

• Stay away from wild animals rearing their young - or suffering from food shortage. Stress can rob scarce energy reserves.

• Obey gate closures and regulatory signs. Vandalism costs tax dollars. Take out what you brought in. Encourage others to keep a clean camp by doing more than your share to rid the back country of litter.

• Stay out of designated Wilderness. They're closed to all vehicles including mountain bikes. Know where the boundaries are.

• Get permission to travel across private land. Leave gates as you find them. Respect landowners rights. Future use depends on you.

• Don't spook livestock. Slow down or stop. Ask the handler how to proceed, and don't make sudden movements or noises that scare the animal.

• Proper use of a winch can help reduce adverse environmental impact on vegetation and the land. Generally a winch should be used for emergency situations, to overcome temporary natural barriers such as fallen trees, landslides, and damaged stream crossings. When winching, be sure to use a tree saver strap.

• Camp in an existing site whenever possible. Set up your camp away from stream banks and lake shores. Use a fire ring already built; if you have to build a new one, keep it small. When you leave the camp site, drown the campfire with water. Make sure all embers, coals, and sticks are wet. Move rocks as there may be burning embers underneath.

T - ravel only where motorized vehicles are permitted. Never blaze your own trail.

R - espect the rights of hikers, skiers, campers, and others to enjoy their activities undisturbed.

E - ducate yourself by obtaining travel maps and regulations from public agencies, complying with signs and barriers, and asking owners' permission to cross private property.

A - void streams, lakeshores, meadows, muddy roads and trails, steep hillsides, and wildlife and livestock.

D - rive responsibly to protect the environment and preserve opportunities to enjoy my vehicle your wild lands.

See how you can help get the message out, contact or join TREAD LIGHTLY! by calling 1-800-966-9900, or writing to:

TREAD LIGHTLY!, Inc.
298 24th Street, Suite 325-C
Ogden, Utah 84401
PH: (801) 627-0077
FX: (801) 621-8633
1-800-966-9900 - Membership Information, etc.
Membership fees are $20.00 per year.

NOTE: The Arizona State Association of 4-Wheel Drive Clubs, Inc., is an association of rough-terrain vehicle clubs with the following goals: to promote a more responsible attitude towards the vehicle use of public lands, to prevent legislation which would impose undue restriction on recreational 4-wheeling, to institute programs of Conservation, Education and Safety, and to provide social and recreational activities for its members. The Association assists the state and national resource management agencies.

The Arizona State Association of 4-Wheel Drive Clubs, Inc., are members in good standing with the following organizations:

Return to:
ASA4WDC Home Page