"Parks has a culture of preservation as opposed to recreation," said Eric Lueder, who was removed from the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission by a state Senate committee earlier this month. "They don't want people using the land unless they're hiking or bird watching."
Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation, a nonprofit advocacy group, said no one is trying to slight off-roaders.
"We do not pick between our children here," she said. "This is a great park system because it's responsive to many different audiences."