You are probably seeing more and more signs that look like this on state lands:

• Use of this land is a privilege. Do not abuse it.
• Abuse It. You Lose It.
• This Rest Area will close if the illegal dumping continues.

These signs are being complemented by new signs that say:

• No ATVs on This State Land
• Camping Prohibited
• No Motor Vehicles

In many cases these signs are appearing in areas where these activities were permitted either formally or through the practice of local residents. Yet, in recent lands are being more compromised by certain individuals that have no respect for the land as they are enjoying in their form of recreation. Land managing bureaucrats feel that they have no choice but to further restrict access to land or enhance enforcement of existing laws.

There are miles of state truck trail and other roads in state forests that can be used by those wishing to ride their quad or take their pickup truck on. These trails often provide a chance to get a little mud on your truck or quad, and your impact is minimal. Even tearing up a little bit for fun isn't a big deal, if your not doing whole scale destruction to meadows or sensitive ecosystems.

Yet, there are people that don't know how to limit a little bit of a good thing.

The same is true with camping. Many of us enjoy camping out in the woods, and we leave little to no impact on the land. Grass may be temporarily knocked down by our truck with camper on it, or the tent on the ground, but it quickly grows back up. Down wood might be burned up, and existing fireplaces enhanced slightly but us, but the impact is minimal to everybody else out there. Yet, there are people who come up there and have wild parties, tear up trees, and leave trash.

If people could only have a little bit more respect for both the land and everybody else, we could do so much more and enjoy our natural world better. Yet, until people change how they respect our forests and state lands, we may be left with less and less access. After all, it's easy to deny access and ticket everybody. It's more difficult to permit the good, and weed out the bad.