Gopher Tortoises

[Little_Red_TJ]

From jacksonville.com-

Gopher Tortoises being used as another reason to ban humans in ONF-
Feds eyeing gopher tortoise protection
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The review “gives hope [the government] … has taken the first step towards ensuring adequate protections and recovery plans,” said a statement e-mailed from WildLaw, a nonprofit environmental law office.

WildLaw, a regional group called WildSouth and a group focused on the Ocala National Forest filed a petition for the review in 2006. But the request gathered dust until recently, when Fish and Wildlife budgeted money for the review at the same time activists were threatening to sue.

[durangojeeper]

Meh..ONF is nothing more than a Sunday dirt road drive virtually ANYONE could make in Grandma's Olds...They can have it. If I'm going to take a 4 wheel drive vehicle out....I'd much rather not take it somewhere a front wheel drive Saturn could go....just seems pointless to me. It's called 4wheelin'...not 2wheelin'...

[Little_Red_TJ]

I would agree that ONF is hardly a "wheelin'" place. Sally and I did enjoy an occasional Sunday picnic there. However, Ranger Rick's new rules would have made us federal criminals if we had spread our brunch blanket over forbidden land. Looks like the Gopher tortoise may be used to increase the penalties for outdoor dining to felony levels.