ASHEVILLE, N.C. - A decision to close the 39-mile Off Highway Vehicle Trail System in the upper Tellico River basin was announced today by the National Forest Service, but off-highway vehicle supporters say their fight to keep the trails open is not over.

The area in question is in North Carolina, but Forest Service personnel say erosion in the area is affecting the Tellico River and trout fishing section in Monroe County, Tennessee.

"Our analysis has shown the problems to be worse than we first thought," said Marisue Hilliard, the national forests supervisor in North Carolina.

She said the system is "currently contributing unacceptable levels of sediment into the Tellico River" and is in violation of forest service and environmental standards.

She said much of the system is within 100 feet of streams and repair of the section would be difficult.

But Jay Bird, former president of the Southern Four Wheel Drive Association said today, they believe repairs are possible to allow the trails to reopen.

He said that organization has "the background, engineering and money to (help) rehab the trails" to the point of being able again to open them to off road vehicles. He said off-highway vehicle proponents are able to work to reopen the trails during a normal winter closing of the trails during the winter.

"We feel this decision is wrong, and we will appeal the decision," Bird said.

In 2008, the Forest Service completed an environmental assessment of the trail system and in February 2009 sought public comment on six possible alternatives for management of the system, which included the possible closing of the trail system.

More than 2,000 comments were received by the service.

Hilliard said while 39 miles of the system will be closed and stabilized to standards that will curtail erosion.

"We will be keeping 13 miles of system roads in the area open year round for highway legal vehicles," she said.

Those will provide access for hunting, fishing and other recreation activities. They will also be paving and reconstructing a portion of highway 420-1 that accesses private land and serves as a through route from Tennessee to North Carolina.

Hilliard said they understand that off-highway vehicle recreationists are disappointed with the decision, but said they are committed to maintaining other trails in "more suitable sites."

Source: http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/oct/14/tellico-river-off-road-closed-in-nc/