A new coalition of environmental groups is calling on the state to better control all terrain vehicles, or ATVs in New Hampshire?s biggest state park.
Pisgah, in the southwest corner of the state, already has 20 miles of ATV trails.
But some park users complain ATVs are not sticking to the trails.
And State law enforcement doesn't have the means to do anything about it.
NHPR correspondent Eesha Williams files this report.
WILLIAMS
State officials admit there is a lack of enforcement of rules at the 14,000 acre Pisgah State Park, near Keene.
GAMOSH
As far as ticketing and enforcement capability, most of our staff do not hold that authority.
WILLIAMS
Chris Gamosh is with the New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation, which has authority over the park.
He said it?s up to the state?s Fish and Game department to enforce the rules at Pisgah.
But Fish and Game Major Tim Ascerno says he doesn't have the officers.
In fact the full-time position that enforces Fish and Game's rules in Pisgah has been vacant for some time.
And Major Ascerno doesn?t know when it will be filled.
WILLIAMS (to Ascerno):
Will it be filled within the next year?
ASCERNO
I don?t know that.
WILLIAMS (to Ascerno):
Who would know that?
ASCERNO
(Laughter.)
When we get an officer ? I?m trying to think of the right way to put this. It?s budget dependent.
WILLIAMS
For now, Ascerno says he is doing his best to cover Pisgah with occasional visits by officers from other parts of the state.
Local police departments sometimes help out too.
Dick Andrews recently joined more than 75 people at a recent meeting of the new Pisgah Defense Coalition.
Andrews works for Forrest Watch, an environmental group that supports a ban on all motorized vehicles in the park.
ANDREWS
I think Ed Abbey said that internal combustion engines already have a national park -- it?s the interstate highway system. There is a place, obviously, for motorized vehicles. But it?s not everywhere. Just as you wouldn?t drive one in a cathedral, I don?t think you should drive one in Pisgah.
LOUD ROAR OF AN ATV ACCELERATING
Right down the road from Pisgah in Hinsdale,
A salesman drove an all-terrain-vehicle around a field next to the ATV dealership, Robust Sales and Service.
Inside the showroom, owner Michael Alarie, said he thinks more miles of trails at the park should be opened to ATVs.
ALARIE
I?m sorry to say, but everybody pays taxes. I think every piece of state property should be shared by everybody. Whether it?s ATVs, dirt bikes, cross-country skiers, horse-back riding. I think all these people should be able to use it.
WILLIAMS
Barry LaBombarde is president of the local snowmobile club.
LA BOMBARDE
We don?t have anyplace in this area that you can run an ATV, except Pisgah. That?s all we have. We like to go up there once in a while, just to go for a ride ? There are a lot of ATVs going places they shouldn?t be. There?s no enforcement.
WILLIAMS
There LaBombarde and Kathy Pignataro agree.
She runs the local Sierra Club chapter and says the state needs to take action.
PIGNATARO
They (the state) are not doing anything about enforcement. It?s left to the local police. They can?t possibly handle what goes on with the ATVs.
WILLIAMS
During the spring mud season the state bans all motorized vehicles from Pisgah.
That season ends in a few weeks.
This summer promises to be another one of ATV users and environmentalists shaking their fists at one another in Pisgah State Park.
For NHPR News, this is Eesha Williams.
