Mojave Desert Trails Closed
A federal judge ordered certain BLM trails in the Mojave Desert shut down to protect the desert tortoise. The closures affect off-roading routes and intersecting hiking paths, sparking debate between recreationists and conservationists.
- The ruling was issued by Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco and is the result of a lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and other conservation groups against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). - This legal battle stems from the BLM's 2019 West Mojave Route Network Project, which approved a large network of off-road vehicle routes. The court found that the BLM violated the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act by not adequately considering the plan's impact on vulnerable species. - The closures are intended to protect the desert tortoise, whose populations have declined by as much as 96% in some monitored areas since the 1970s, and the endangered Lane Mountain milkvetch, a rare plant. - Approximately 2,200 miles of off-road vehicle routes within the Mojave Desert are affected by this court order. Despite the closures, 63% of the off-road vehicle routes in the Western Mojave will remain open. - The specific areas impacted by the closures include the Rand Mountains, Red Mountain area, Cuddeback Lake, Kramer Hills, and areas north of Barstow. - Off-roading advocates, such as the Blue Ribbon Coalition, have expressed their opposition to the decision, arguing it is an overreach by the judge, and are considering an appeal. - The Bureau of Land Management has until 2029 to develop a new network of off-road vehicle routes that complies with environmental laws.
