By releasing its 10 Common Beliefs document, the Trails Only Yukon Association (TOYA) is hoping to kick-start discussion around ATV regulations in the territory.

TOYA released the document at a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

While legislation for off-road vehicle use has been passed, the group noted, there are no regulations in place.

The Yukon government is set to do consultations on the regulations this summer.

As TOYA member Peter Harms described it, having legislation with no regulations is essentially like having a car without an engine.

The 10 beliefs focus on responsible ATV use, effective education and enforcement, and various levels of ATV management for different areas (including certain areas being designated as non-motorized from April 1 to Nov. 1).

They also touch on ATV registration and requiring ATVs to travel on hard-bottom trails in alpine and sensitive wetland areas.

"We went right to the core of why are we doing this,” TOYA's Philip Merchant said of drafting the 10 points in the document.

Harms stressed that TOYA is not anti-ATV, which he commented seems to be a misconception among the public. He and many other members enjoy getting out on their ATVs, but more and more damage to the land off the trails is becoming prevalent, he said.

"We are trying to prevent damage,” he said. "We have miles of trails in the Yukon. (Let's) use them.”

With the territory being one of the last regions in the country without ATV regulations, Harms said, there are many coming from Outside, adding to the damage on the land.

In one case, he came across a visitor whose truck had a hydraulic lift to load and unload off-road vehicles.

When Harms commented on the "nice rig,” the man told him he loves the Yukon, having heard about the lack of rules on ATV use.

But that doesn't necessarily mean good news for tourism.

As Chris Wilkinson of the Wilderness Tourism Association noted, while many operators use ATVs for their tours and many tourists rent or make use of ATVs as part of their Yukon experience, they come to enjoy one of the few pristine environments left.

Wilkinson's group considered the 10 Common Beliefs document carefully before agreeing to endorse it, Wilkinson said. Members soon realized the document is important for several reasons, including the need to protect wilderness.

It recognizes the territory's large trail network allows access to the wilderness, but keeping ATVs on the trails would limit damage to the environment, he said.

Also on hand to voice support for the document was Christina Macdonald, the Yukon Conservation Society's wildlife co-ordinator. She said it presents an opportunity to create good management on ATV use.

"ORVs (off-road vehicles) are facts of life here,” Macdonald said, emphasizing the importance of public engagement for off-road vehicle regulations.

Merchant said the group also reached out to other organizations like the Yukon Fish and Games Association, Wild Wise Yukon and similar groups.

While they share a number of the same concerns as TOYA, they weren't yet ready to endorse the document.

Merchant hopes TOYA can continue working with those groups.

After hearing support from many Yukoners for regulations around ATV use, TOYA is encouraging residents to contact their MLAs and attend any consultations done on the regulations in the coming months.