I agree completely on the fact that we don't really destroy that much. The sad part is we are a bigger target due to our relative size compared to a hiker.
I go a lot farther back in the woods on a trail then 95% of the hikers will/are capable of. So if a hiker wants to get to the same spot they need to build a road to cover over half the trail I would have traversed in an unmaintained state. Once the road is build and a well maintained trail is put in then the amount of vehicles/people in the area increases due to the ease of access. Thus you actually have more people in the area doing more damage and more likely to step off the trail. This isn't a problem, but we are. Seriously, WTF.
My sister's law firm does a lot of environmental work with the power companies so when a case comes up that would set a precidence in the Environmental world I usually hear about it and the ramifications. When a group tried to force Utah to shut down all the 4x4 trails based on the fact that since the state didn't enforce rules it was being negligent they showed pictures of these "black rubber streaks" running everywhere. The same day I sent her pictures from running trails in Moab earlier that day. Then I explained that the black marks mean people are staying on the trail and not off destroying the environment and the Eco group was saying. Oh yea, the state supreme court decided that the government decided that regulation was not needed was a valid responce and turned down the request to close all the trails.
