Terms Used In Florida Statutes 261.08

  • Off-highway vehicle: means any ATV, two-rider ATV, ROV, or OHM that is used off the roads or highways of this state and that is not registered and licensed for highway use under chapter 320. See Florida Statutes 261.03
  • Public lands: means lands within the state that are available for public use and that are owned, operated, or managed by a federal, state, county, or municipal governmental entity. See Florida Statutes 261.03
  • System: means the off-highway vehicle recreation areas and trails on public lands within the state. See Florida Statutes 261.03

(1) The protection of public safety, the appropriate use of lands in the system, and the conservation of the environment, wildlife habitats, native wildlife, and native flora and fauna in the system are of the highest priority in the management of the system. Accordingly, the public land managing agency shall avoid or minimize adverse impacts to the environment, promptly repair and continuously maintain areas and trails, anticipate and prevent accelerated erosion, and rehabilitate lands to the extent damaged by off-highway vehicle use in accordance with the management plans of the public land managing agency.
(2) The public land managing agency shall monitor the condition of soils and wildlife habitat in each area of the system to determine whether there is compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations and shall take appropriate action as necessary.
(3) The public land managing agency may regulate or prohibit, when necessary, the use of off-highway vehicles on the public lands of the state in order to prevent damage or destruction to said lands.