I love the stillness of a forest. The quiet respite of the aspens quaking in the wind. A rustle of hooves of deer, elk, or moose on the forest's floor. As well as the almost-unnoticeable crack of a twig when a mountain lion is around. So I get why folks have strong opinions on off-road vehicles operating in those confines.
It makes sense that they'd want that quiet, too. But as a lover of both off-roading, whether it's through ATVs, UTVs, dirt bikes, or snowmobiles, I want to remind everyone that not only do these machines allow more people access to the outdoors, some of which couldn't without, and they help support local economies in real, tangible ways.
I know that's a sticking point to some, but these local cities often derive a great benefit from off-road activities. Case in point, Minnesota recently released a study of just three of its northern counties, showcasing that off-roading, ATVs in particular, helped drive a whopping $36 million to those locales. Again, that's just three counties in all of Minnesota.
Wild.
According to a study put together by the University of Minnesota Extension and the Northeastern Minnesota ATV Joint Powers Board, which looked at the economic impact of ATV riders operating in St. Louis, Lake, and Koochiching counties, the total economic effect was to the tune of $36 million in 2023.
"Between 2019 and 2024, ATV clubs, government entities and other organizations invested $11.7 million in trails, which generated $16.8 million in economic activity — including $6 million in labor income and 100 jobs, according to the study," stated The Minnesota Star Tribune on the subject, adding that the local politicians who supported those measures weren't surprised by the study's findings.
“We were getting a lot of funding from various groups for trail development and we needed data to back up that this funding was working to bring economic development, tourism, money to northeastern Minnesota,” said St. Louis County Commissioner Paul McDonald who spoke to The Minnesota Star Tribune. It seems to have worked and worked well.
The proponents of the study, as well as the increased investment into the sport, hope that the study will help further drive funds toward other counties in Minnesota. “We need to make the case to other legislators from the Twin Cities, from Mankato, from other places that, look, your people own these licenses, they own these ATVs, and they’re coming to our region to utilize our outdoors and our land for their benefit,” said Senator Grant Hauschild.
So while there are those who'd love to see these ATVs, and other off-roaders out of the woods, just a reminder how many people depend on them for their incomes and livelihoods. As well as there are those who can't access the woods or outdoors without them. They may be loud sometimes, but there are still places you can go to find the quiet.
