(a)The protection of public safety, the appropriate utilization of lands, and the conservation of natural and cultural resources are of the highest priority in the management of the state vehicular recreation areas. Additionally, the division shall promptly repair and continuously maintain areas and trails, and anticipate and prevent accelerated and unnatural erosion and other off-highway vehicle impacts to the extent possible. The division shall take steps necessary to prevent damage to significant natural and cultural resources within state vehicular recreation areas.
(b)
(1)The division, in consultation with the United States Natural Resource Conservation Service, the United States Geological Survey, the United States Forest Service, the United States Bureau of Land Management, the De
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(a)
The protection of public safety, the appropriate utilization of lands, and the conservation of natural and cultural resources are of the highest priority in the management of the state vehicular recreation areas. Additionally, the division shall promptly repair and continuously maintain areas and trails, and anticipate and prevent accelerated and unnatural erosion and other off-highway vehicle impacts to the extent possible. The division shall take steps necessary to prevent damage to significant natural and cultural resources within state vehicular recreation areas.
(b)
(1)
The division, in consultation with the United States Natural Resource Conservation Service, the United States Geological Survey, the United States Forest Service, the United States Bureau of Land Management, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Department of Conservation shall, by December 31, 2020, review, and if deemed necessary, update the 2008 Soil Conservation Standard and Guidelines to establish a generic and measurable soil conservation standard. The
division shall subsequently review and update the standard when deemed necessary by the department.
(2)
If the division determines that the soil conservation standards and habitat protection plans are not being met in any portion of any state vehicular recreation area, the division shall temporarily close the noncompliant portion to repair and prevent accelerated erosion, until the soil conservation standards are met.
(3)
If the division determines that the soil conservation standards cannot be met in any portion of any state vehicular recreation area, the division shall close and restore the noncompliant portion pursuant to Section 5090.11.
(c)
(1)
The
division shall compile and, when determined by the department to be necessary, periodically review and update an inventory of wildlife populations and prepare a wildlife habitat protection plan that conserves and improves wildlife habitats for each state vehicular recreation area. By December 31, 2030, the division shall compile an inventory of native plant communities in each state vehicular recreation area to inform future plan updates.
(2)
If the division determines that the wildlife habitat protection plan is not being met in any portion of any state vehicular recreation area, the division shall close the noncompliant portion temporarily until the wildlife habitat protection plan is
met.
(3)
If the division determines that the wildlife habitat protection plan cannot be met in any portion of any state vehicular recreation area, the division shall close and restore the noncompliant portion pursuant to Section 5090.11.
(d)
The division shall monitor annually in each state vehicular recreation area to determine whether soil conservation standards are being met and the objectives of wildlife habitat protection plans are being met.
(e)
The division shall not fund trail construction unless the trail is capable of complying with the conservation specifications prescribed in this section. The division shall not fund trail construction where conservation is not feasible. The division shall
not fund the maintenance of a trail unless that trail is a component of a state vehicular recreation area road and trail system.
(f)
The division shall protect natural, cultural, and archaeological resources within the state vehicular recreation areas.