The popularity of all-terrain vehicles and off-highway vehicles has exploded in recent years.

There were more ATVs and UTVs sold in South Dakota in the past year than there were snowmobiles registered in the state in the past decade. Some estimates put the number of utility vehicle (UTV) enthusiasts in South Dakota at 60,000. That number is not hard to believe on any given summer weekend in the Black Hills.

That ever-increasing usage of most of the Black Hills National Forest as a recreation destination for off-roading has led the U.S. Forest Service to propose new travel rules and routes for OHVs. That brings the BHNF into line with the trend on other public lands that limits OHVs to designated areas.

After more than three years of public meetings, involvement and input, the proposed routes, known as Motorized Vehicle Use Maps, will be presented at a series of public meetings to be held this week:

n Monday, Sept. 10 in Sundance, Wyo., Crook County Courthouse, 308 Cleveland St.

n Tuesday, Sept. 11, Rapid City, Rushmore Room of the Best Western Ramkota Hotel, 2111 North LaCrosse St.

n Wednesday, Sept. 12, Spearfish, Wilbur S. Tretheway Pavilion, 115 South Canyon St.

n Thursday, Sept. 13, Custer, Crazy Horse Memorial (Mountain View Room)

All of the meetings begin at 7 p.m., end at 9 p.m., with a slide presentation, an hour for small group map review and a half-hour question and answer period.

Don't think that just because you don't have an ATV, UTV or OHV, that these meetings aren't of interest to you. The new regulations should be of interest to all forest users - those that go there to play, as well as those that go there to pray, as Tom Blair, a member of a statewide task force that helps regulate off-road riding, said.

The opposing viewpoints of off-road enthusiasts and people who advocate for more peace and quiet and less motor vehicle pressure on the eco-system of the Black Hills promises the possibility of conflict at these meetings.

It is the Forest Service's job to take all those viewpoints into consideration, and come up with motorized vehicle trails that best meet the multi-use mission of the forest while protecting it as a public resource for future generations. The final management plan is expected sometime later in 2008, in the form of annual MVUMs that can be updated, changed and managed by the Forest Service as conditions require.

But Forest Supervisor Craig Bobzien and his staff can't do their jobs without help from us.

Please consider attending one of the public meetings. Your input is essential to the process. For more information, call the BHNFS at 673-9200.