Though many people walk, jog and take in all of nature’s beauty on the many trails on open space land in Hanover, not all outdoor activities are permitted there.

A few which have recently caught the attention of town officials are resulting in destruction of some of these scenic nature paths and may pose a safety hazard to the land’s users.

When it comes to conservation land, the town is looking to stop the riders of off-road vehicles in their tracks. But, according to some town officials, that’s not going to be easy.

The Hanover police, the conservation department and the open space committee are working together to raise awareness about riding motorcycles and off-road vehicles on the town’s conservation land.

“We’re collaborating in order to get the message out to individuals that the operation of off-road vehicles is illegal on conservation land,” Hanover Police Lt. Walter Sweeney said.

The town is beginning a campaign to raise awareness about the consequences of the illegal activity. Signs will be posted on conservation land, Sweeney said, and information will also be available on the town Web site. After that, “we’ll go to the next step, which is enforcement,” Sweeney added.

Violators will be issued tickets and fined and if a rider does not have a license, they would be arrested, Sweeney said. He did not specify the amount a fine could be.

Though off-road vehicles have reportedly been used on conservation land for years, it seems that this year more people have been riding, and both the police department and the conservation office have received phone calls from residents complaining about the noise and reporting use of the vehicles.

Most of the calls have reported off-road vehicles riding on the property off of King Street in Hanover, as well as property surrounding the power lines near Old Farm Road and Plain Street and in the area of Plymouth Road and Broadway. The town does not own any approved trails for off-road vehicles.

Sweeney said the main reason police are concerned about this is public safety. Someone could get injured far from a road, he said, and it could take a long time for a possible injury to be reported. Conservation land, Sweeney added, is also open to horseback riders and a horse could be frightened by the noise or site of an off-road vehicle, which could result in injuries.

Hanover Conservation Agent Patrick Gallivan said riding ATV’s on conservation land results in the widening of the paths. “It gets harder and harder to walk on, so that people get further and further out on the trail,” he said. “A lot of people say, ‘hey what’s the big deal,’ but the town does own them and we do do the maintenance.”

Gallivan said the goal of the public awareness campaign is to reduce the number of people who are riding. “I don’t think we’ll ever stop it completely,” he said.

“The problem is there’s no place for the kids to ride,” Gallivan said. The nearest sites where off-road vehicles are allowed are the Freetown/Fall River State Forest, which has 25 miles of off-road trails and the 8-mile F. Gilbert Hills Wrentham/Franklin State Forest. Both parks have a motorcycle only restriction, according to the state Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Gallivan said education is the key. “Parents are going to have to be the ones that say ‘look, don’t ride out there’,” he said.

Gallivan suggested a person who wants to join an off-road riding club ask about clubs when they purchase an off-road vehicle. Information on these clubs, he said, is usually available where off-road vehicles are sold and the clubs usually have land that’s available for use. Gallivan said people should also familiarize themselves with the rules that go along with riding.

To find out more about rules and regulations for off-road vehicles, check out www.mass.gov/dcr/recreate/orv.htm.