In another instance truck and motorcycle were observed riding on a signed, closed route. Intensive, negative impacts to desert tortoise habitat are occurring as a result. Even on the trails marked as closed, unauthorized use is continuing. Results from 37 transacts suggest that unauthorized OHV impacts are related to open routes with these impacts decreasing as the distance from the open route increased. As a result, significant degradation of tortoise habitat is occurring.
Unauthorized use is astoundingly high.
From trail and track mapping, an average of 47 unauthorized tracks per linear mile was found. This estimate is low since single tracks not associated with a trail and trails with fewer than 5 tracks were not recorded. A more accurate estimate of unauthorized tracks is derived from the data set of 37 transacts. On the average, one unauthorized track was encountered every 20 linear feet. This represents an intensive, negative impact to the habitat of a federally listed species.