NATIONAL TRAIL RECREATION GROUP PETITIONS AD COUNCIL TO PULL INFLAMMATORY ATV FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN
July 21st, 2008

Contacts:
Don Amador, BRC Western Representative
Phone: (925) 625-6287
Fax: (925) 625-5309
Email: brdon@sharetrails.org
Webpage: http://www.sharetrails.org/staff/#DonA
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US Forest Service approved spark arrestor.
Click image to enlarge.
The advertisement in question on SmokeyBear.com
Click image to enlarge. POCATELLO, ID (July 21) — A national trail recreation group is strongly urging the Smokey Bear program to revise its current ATV fire prevention campaign. On behalf of outraged OHV enthusiasts, the BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC) contacted the Ad Council last week strongly urging them to withdraw the inaccurate and inflammatory ATV-oriented public service advertisements.

BRC reviewed the ad material posted at www.smokeybear.com and found the PSA was sending the wrong message to riders operating their ATVs in a legal manner with functioning USDA Forest Service approved spark arrestors. The ad implied that the proper way for motorized recreationists to prevent wildfires is for them to load up their vehicles and go home.

Smokey Bear has historically cautioned the public against careless acts, such as tossing a lighted cigarette out of a moving automobile or not properly extinguishing a campfire. BRC feels this ad should be focused on educating the public about using approved spark arrestors on their OHVs and confining their use to legal roads, trails, and areas.

Don Amador, BRC spokesperson on the use of sound compliant mufflers and spark arrestors, states, "As an advocate for the use of legal exhaust systems on public and private lands, I found the current Smokey Bear ATV wildfire PSA to be offensive, unethical, and unprofessional. The ad should have been focused on encouraging enthusiasts to use legal spark arrestors on their OHVs and stay on designated routes."

"Smokey Bear is inappropriately using a mountain biker as a surrogate to tell members of the motorized trail community that the best way for them to prevent wildfires is to just stay home. This ad sends the wrong message at a time when many government and civic leaders are encouraging young people to step away from their video games and get out and enjoy the great outdoors," Amador continues.

"BRC has heard from a number of our recreation partners and agency staff who are equally outraged by this PSA. It is our hope the Ad Council, Forest Service, and National Association of State Foresters withdraw this ad and work with BRC and other stakeholders to develop a legitimate outreach program to the OHV community," Amador concludes.

BRC's response to the advertisement can be found here: http://www.sharetrails.org/files/BRC-Response-to-ATV-Ad-2008Jul16.pdf


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The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible use of public and private lands, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. It represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of over 600,000 recreationists nationwide. 1-800-258-3742. www.sharetrails.org

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Annie,

Looks like us riders have influenced with some pressure. Great start all.

Well done Boys and Girls...

Get-er-done !!

What really stinks is the damage is already done and the tree huggers are loving it!

It is wrong to take some one like Smokey and turn him into a Anti. Kids love him and respone to what he has to say. They need to make this right.

Tom

Still more on SmokeyBear.


Go to Google News©2008 Google - Map data ©2008 NAVTEQ™ - Terms of UseOff-road group says Smokey Bear is unfair
By MATTHEW DALY – 2 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — A group that advocates motorized recreation is asking the Forest Service to withdraw a public service ad featuring Smokey Bear. The group says the ad sends the wrong message that riders operating off-road vehicles in a legal manner can start forest fires.

In the ad, Smokey Bear tells two ATV riders not to start their vehicles in a national forest.

"ATVs give off sparks. You could start a wildfire," Smokey tells them. As the young men apologize and push their vehicles away, a narrator warns that nine out of 10 wildfires are caused by humans.

The BlueRibbon Coalition, an Idaho-based group that advocates for off-road vehicles, called the ad misleading and unfair.

"Smokey Bear is inappropriately telling members of the motorized trail community that the best way for them to prevent wildfires is to just stay home," said Don Amador, the group's Western representative.

The group wrote letters urging the Forest Service and the Ad Council, which produced the 30-second spot, to withdraw the ad.

Joe Walsh, a Forest Service spokesman, said the agency was aware of the complaints and apologized for any confusion. The ads are under review, he said.

Jim Bedwell, director of recreation for the Forest Service, said the ad was not intended to say that all ATV use causes fires. "The intent was to say that fire prevention is always important, especially at a time of high fire danger, as was indicated in the ad," he said.

The Forest Service supports responsible use of ATVs on public land and works closely with off-road enthusiasts, Bedwell said.

But Amador said the new ad — which began airing nationwide last month — implies that ATV riders could start forest fires merely by using their vehicles in a legal manner. ATV riders must use Forest Service-approved spark arresters when operating off-road on public lands.

Amador said his group supports the use of spark-arresters — which restrict sparks from escaping an exhaust system — on public and private lands. The ad should have focused on encouraging ATV riders to use proper exhaust systems and stay on designated routes, he said.

He also called the ad particularly unfortunate at a time when the Forest Service and other land-use agencies are encouraging young people to set aside video games and other indoor activities and enjoy the great outdoors.

More than 11 million visitors rode off-road vehicles in national forests last year. While most used designated trails, others churned up forest floors blazing their own trails. Such use damages root systems and accelerates erosion, leaving lasting scars on the landscape.

Widespread abuse of forest trails has prompted a backlash among some hiking groups and other recreation activists. But Amador said it was unfair to punish all ATV riders for the actions of a few.

On the Net:
Forest Service: http://www.fs.fed.us/
Smokey Bear ad: http://www.smokeybear.com/
Blue Ribbon Coalition: http://www.sharetrails.org/
Hosted by Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

I bet they can't even identify the "few" without going back a long time

What a gay commercial .... Nobody beats the king - nobody!

World Net Daily Gets into the act.

Headline: IS SMOKEY BEAR A TREE HUGGER



http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=70265


Oh my gosh, I think the Forest Service really pooped in their nest this time!

Way to go! We got their attention.

Kaye

As of this morning the ad is no longer avaiable on line and has been pulled off of you tube. Doug Morris from ATVA said that a meeting with the AD Council yeilded a commitment from them that they would pull the ad . YAHOO
Good job everyone ..... Bob

nother
Idaho

Annie.
These riders might want some info from you. I don't belong to em, I just found the site.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: hobbles,

ATV PSA
Ad pulled after many ATV and motorized access stakeholders alerted the agencies that the ad was inaccurate and was sending the wrong message to recreational trail users

The Ad Council, Forest Service, and National Association of State Foresters announced they are pulling the Smokey Bear "ATV" Public Service Announcement (PSA). In a July 28
updated email to the ATV community, the Office of the Chief of the Forest Service stated they have asked all media outlets to discontinue the airing of the ad.
The PSA was pulled after many ATV and motorized access stakeholders alerted the agencies that the ad was offensive and was sending the wrong message to the recreating public. This action was prompted by requests from many responsible motorized recreation interests to pull or modify the ad to make the message more relevant and accurate.
"Apparently what happened was the Ad Council and the Forest Service did not consult the right people before making this ad," said Russ Ehnes, the Executive Director of the National OHV Conservation Council (NOHVCC). "We never perceived the PSA as an intentional potshot at motorized trail users, but rather the result of a misunderstanding during its production process."
The ad shows Smokey (who magically transforms into a girl) on a mountain bike approaching a couple of ATV riders unloading their vehicles, suggesting they pack up and go home to eliminate the chance that their machines may start a forest fire.
"The PSA erroneously makes it appear that all OHVs should just forget about riding on any trails in the summer months, when in fact it is perfectly legal, and safe from a fire safety standpoint, for OHV riders to continue their recreational activities during dry periods as long as they follow the laws requiring spark arrestors on all machines and staying on the trail," said Ehnes. "We feel that those are the messages that should have been conveyed in the PSA in the first place."
Don Amador from the BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC) "thanks the agencies for listening to our collective concerns about this ad and for taking the responsible course of action by canceling the campaign. It is our hope the Ad Council and Forest Service consult with their trail recreation experts and the OHV community before launching another motorized recreation ad."
__________________________________________

The National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council, as a national body of OHV recreation enthusiasts, develops and provides a wide spectrum of programs, materials and information, or "tools", to individuals, clubs, associations and agencies in order to further a positive future for responsible OHV recreation.

Good deal that it is pulled. It is too bad that it ever aired in the first place as it fueled the fire for those who are against OHVs in the first place!

All they did was re-do the ad!!!

New Smokey da bear AD

Too funny.