The Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management still allow domestic cattle and sheep grazing permits in Bighorn Sheep ranges. Many of these permits are for areas which have been closed to OHV recreation to 'protect' the Bighorn Sheep. So again, advocacy groups have used OHV's as the fall guy. Seems like there is a hidden agenda of not protecting the environment but restricting access to public lands and eradicating a recreational use of public lands. Previously mentioned was that recreational OHV users are actually conservationist themselves.
Recreation use aside, the mere existence of unimproved roads and trails is beneficial.
They are used by land managers, fire crews, and emergency vehicles to gain access to areas with no improved roads. Wildlife use them as natural runs. They act as fire breaks restricting the spread of forest fires. They give direct access to nature for ALL of the public to enjoy and gain respect for the environment. Unimproved roads and trails on public lands are vital access to public lands that would otherwise be locked away from the public and left unmanged to burn, suffer disease and provide little collective benefit to society.