Unique Southwest Rivers at Risk from Off-Road Vehicle Abuse   The San Francisco and Blue Rivers are two crown jewels of the arid Southwest that are rich in cultural resources, wildlife habitat, and opportunities for quiet recreation; yet portions of these rivers that flow through the Apache-Sitgreaves and Gila National Forests are threatened by ongoing and increasing abuse by off-road vehicles. The Center for Biological Diversity and other conservation organizations are taking steps to seek interim and permanent protections of these unique and important waterways.

The Frisco-Blue Area is a landscape-scale ecological and biological refuge, providing a home for extensive fish & wildlife populations; free-flowing, natural river systems; proximate riparian habitats; and interconnected watershed and forest habitats. These rivers also provide unmatched opportunities for fishing, hunting and quiet-use recreation. In fact, these incredible quiet-use recreation opportunities are intimately connected to the Frisco-Blue Area’s high-quality ecological and biological values.

The Frisco-Blue Area provides a haven and refuge that reconnects people with the land and water that sustains us all and inspires our collective effort to live ethically and respectfully in our day-to-day lives. The roars of motorized off-road vehicles, and the scars these vehicles place on the landscape and in the hearts of the quiet users, are simply unacceptable in the Frisco-Blue Area. These lands should be left as untrammeled as possible to preserve our collective natural and cultural heritage.

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