Our friends just up the coast in Del Norte county need our help. Please write to California State Parks Superintendent Marilyn Murphy to help her understand that off-road vehicle (ORV, also known as OHV, or off-highway vehicle) abuses are not acceptable in a public treasure like Tolowa Dunes State Park.

From Tolowa Dunes Stewards:
While many have united recently to reduce or eliminate OHV use at Clam Beach in Humboldt County, there is an equally egregious, and in some ways even more outrageous situation of illegal off-road vehicle use presently occurring on Tolowa Dunes State Park and the adjacent Lake Earl Wildlife Area lands in Del Norte County, just north of Crescent City, California.

Rather than trying to close an area that has been previously been open to OHV use, in Del Norte County we are seeking to enforce the existing State Park and Wildlife Area off-road vehicle closures, and counter pressure by OHV users now seeking to reverse existing bans and restrictions on off-road vehicle use.

The State Parks people are encountering pressure from off-road vehicle users, who insist that a major portion of the park instead be opened to off-road vehicles as an off-road vehicle park.

We have prepared a template letter addressed to Marilyn Murphy, including a "cc" to Donald Koch, the Regional Manager for Region 1's Dept. of Fish & Game. He is responsible for the Lake Earl Wildlife Area.

You may want to email a copy of your letter to Ruth Coleman, the Director of California State Parks, at rcole@park.ca.gov.