EUGENE, Ore.— The Center for Biological Diversity warned the U.S. Forest Service today that it intends to sue the agency for failing to protect coastal martens from destructive off-road vehicles in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Coastal martens are protected as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

“Thousands of off-road vehicles are roaring through the dunes, driving coastal martens to the brink, but the Forest Service is doing next to nothing to save them,” said Tala DiBenedetto, a carnivore conservation staff attorney at the Center. “The agency needs to act fast to protect these cute little carnivores in one of the last places they call home.”

In a single weekend, thousands of off-road vehicles can drive through and damage marten habitat in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Off-road vehicles create noise disturbances, destroy habitat and could run over or strike coastal martens. These risks increase during special riding events permitted by the Forest Service — like Coos Bay’s “UTV Takeover,” held annually in June.

Today’s notice says that the Forest Service must analyze and mitigate the risks to martens. This could include fencing to keep off-road vehicles in designated riding areas, enforcing existing decibel limits and limiting the number of off-road vehicles allowed in the National Recreation Area at a given time.

Fewer than 400 coastal martens remain in four highly isolated populations in Oregon and California. Approximately 71 of those individuals live in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, which the Forest Service manages. Scientists warn that the fragile marten population in the Oregon Dunes could be wiped out if just two or three of the imperiled animals are killed by people in a single year.

“If the Forest Service doesn’t take immediate action to protect these vulnerable martens, they could disappear from the Oregon Dunes forever,” said DiBenedetto. “The agency has a duty to these martens and to the many Oregon Dunes visitors and community members who care about them.”

Today’s notice gives the Forest Service 60 days to correct its legal violations. If the agency fails to do so, the Center is prepared to file a lawsuit to protect coastal martens.

Background

Martens are small, stealthy carnivores in the weasel family with long, slender bodies, large triangular ears and bushy tails. They grow up to 2 feet long but weigh under 3 pounds and must eat one-quarter of their body weight daily to support their high metabolism. Martens eat small mammals, birds, berries, reptiles and insects and are eaten in turn by larger mammals and raptors.

Coastal martens were thought to be extinct until they were rediscovered in the 1990s in northern California. The Center first petitioned the Service to protect coastal martens nearly 15 years ago. After multiple lawsuits by the Center, the agency listed the martens as threatened in September 2020.

The Service later proposed approximately 1.4 million acres of critical habitat for the marten, including on the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, but has yet to finalize these protections.