If you have a favorite motorcycle, 4x4, ATV, or mountain bike trail on “US Forest Service” land it may be closed forever in the very near future if you don’t get involved now. This is especially important for roads and trails that are easily overlooked, seldom used, overgrown, SECRET, etc.
The Chief of the Forest Service has identified “unmanaged recreation”, especially the undesirable impacts from OHVs, as one of the key threats facing the Nation's Forests and grasslands today. That is the opening sentence from the January 7th “On the Right Trail” a USFS online article you should read.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/districts/sitka/ohv_policy.html
The article briefly states the policy development for three key issues:
What does this means to you? Basically that the days of open forest use are over. The USFS is currently mapping existing roads and trails in all of the National Forests. I’ve been told cross-country travel will be anything not on this map. A local USFS field office will designate which trails in your area will be OHV and eventually enforce the ban on cross-country travel which will include your favorite trail if it is not on their map. All forests are amending their plans similar to this report from the Seirra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment. It states their mapping process to be 100% complete by end of 2004.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/snfpa/implementation/ohv-route-report.html
What can you do? GET YOUR ROAD OR TRAIL ON THE MAP! Then “most importantly” get involved and ensure your trail becomes OHV or Bicycle designated. Access groups such as the Blue Ribbon Coalition and International Mountain Bicycling Association will be able to help.
How can you do this? Most Forest Districts have released press releases indicating meetings for public input on these maps and the process, similar to this one from Plumas NF.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/plumas/news/2003/11/nov7_ohv_workshops.shtml
You will need to visit the Ranger District in the Forest your trail resides within and look at their map. If your trail is not on the map you can request that they put it there. I’m not sure how exactly this is done yet since my NF is just getting their maps available to the public today, March 11, 2004. Call your National Forests Supervisor’s office and talk to the person in charge of the “OHV mapping and trail designation process”. Visit the USFS website and search for your forest or call the Washington office (202) 205-8333 and ask for your Forests’ phone number.
http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/national.shtml
The above facts I believe are accurate and up to date but your local forest may be slightly different. I’ve been told by the Blue Ribbon Coalition that if it’s on the Forest Service Map we will have a chance to save it first through communication and collaboration with the Forest Service then possibly through legal action as a last resort.
I’ve chosen to get involved now because I’ve seen first hand what happened to my local challenging mountain bike trails with many being old motorcycle trails. I stayed uniformed and ignorantly left a non biker majority to make the decision on what I can ride in the bay area, mostly wide paths carved from a small bulldozer. I am very disappointed that it is may come to this as well at the national forest I’ve been riding in for over 20 years. Especially disappointing is that this USFS policy is being inacted due to lawsuits and urban encroachment, 1 and 2 on Sierra Nevada’s list. For a good example check this link. Apologies for the big download.
http://dorringtoninstruments.com/core/Documents/Interface_Appeal_Final.pdf
These types of lawsuits leverage so called environmental impacts against motorcycles, mountain bikes, 4x4’s, ATV, etc. If you’re a motorcyclist, doesn’t your trail area look just like the pictures at the end of this document? If you’re a Mtn Biker, 4x4, or ATVist I’m sure you’ve heard of people complain as well. It doesn’t matter if that trail has been like that for years, many of my trails look just like that and most of them are 20 years old. Please don’t harrass CORE, they just conviently posted their appeal on the internet as an example for us all. If you’re upset after reading this, then please get involved in these planning stages and then write a letter to your political representatives and give them your two cents on what you want in your land.
I’m working to save my trails for you and I hope you’ll do your part so I can visit your trails someday.
Best regards,
Doug Teeter
yourtrailnext@yahoo.com
Titus Switchblade pedaler
KTM 520 EXC trail rider and part time AMA District 36 enduro racer
Blue Ribbon Coalition Member, and you should be too! www.sharetrails.org
The Chief of the Forest Service has identified “unmanaged recreation”, especially the undesirable impacts from OHVs, as one of the key threats facing the Nation's Forests and grasslands today. That is the opening sentence from the January 7th “On the Right Trail” a USFS online article you should read.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/districts/sitka/ohv_policy.html
The article briefly states the policy development for three key issues:
- Moving the agency to a system of designated routes for OHV activity to minimize or eliminate the impacts from current un-managed use
- Generally prohibiting cross-country travel by OHV's
- Completing OHV designation decisions at the field level
What does this means to you? Basically that the days of open forest use are over. The USFS is currently mapping existing roads and trails in all of the National Forests. I’ve been told cross-country travel will be anything not on this map. A local USFS field office will designate which trails in your area will be OHV and eventually enforce the ban on cross-country travel which will include your favorite trail if it is not on their map. All forests are amending their plans similar to this report from the Seirra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment. It states their mapping process to be 100% complete by end of 2004.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/snfpa/implementation/ohv-route-report.html
What can you do? GET YOUR ROAD OR TRAIL ON THE MAP! Then “most importantly” get involved and ensure your trail becomes OHV or Bicycle designated. Access groups such as the Blue Ribbon Coalition and International Mountain Bicycling Association will be able to help.
How can you do this? Most Forest Districts have released press releases indicating meetings for public input on these maps and the process, similar to this one from Plumas NF.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/plumas/news/2003/11/nov7_ohv_workshops.shtml
You will need to visit the Ranger District in the Forest your trail resides within and look at their map. If your trail is not on the map you can request that they put it there. I’m not sure how exactly this is done yet since my NF is just getting their maps available to the public today, March 11, 2004. Call your National Forests Supervisor’s office and talk to the person in charge of the “OHV mapping and trail designation process”. Visit the USFS website and search for your forest or call the Washington office (202) 205-8333 and ask for your Forests’ phone number.
http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/national.shtml
The above facts I believe are accurate and up to date but your local forest may be slightly different. I’ve been told by the Blue Ribbon Coalition that if it’s on the Forest Service Map we will have a chance to save it first through communication and collaboration with the Forest Service then possibly through legal action as a last resort.
I’ve chosen to get involved now because I’ve seen first hand what happened to my local challenging mountain bike trails with many being old motorcycle trails. I stayed uniformed and ignorantly left a non biker majority to make the decision on what I can ride in the bay area, mostly wide paths carved from a small bulldozer. I am very disappointed that it is may come to this as well at the national forest I’ve been riding in for over 20 years. Especially disappointing is that this USFS policy is being inacted due to lawsuits and urban encroachment, 1 and 2 on Sierra Nevada’s list. For a good example check this link. Apologies for the big download.
http://dorringtoninstruments.com/core/Documents/Interface_Appeal_Final.pdf
These types of lawsuits leverage so called environmental impacts against motorcycles, mountain bikes, 4x4’s, ATV, etc. If you’re a motorcyclist, doesn’t your trail area look just like the pictures at the end of this document? If you’re a Mtn Biker, 4x4, or ATVist I’m sure you’ve heard of people complain as well. It doesn’t matter if that trail has been like that for years, many of my trails look just like that and most of them are 20 years old. Please don’t harrass CORE, they just conviently posted their appeal on the internet as an example for us all. If you’re upset after reading this, then please get involved in these planning stages and then write a letter to your political representatives and give them your two cents on what you want in your land.
I’m working to save my trails for you and I hope you’ll do your part so I can visit your trails someday.
Best regards,
Doug Teeter
yourtrailnext@yahoo.com
Titus Switchblade pedaler
KTM 520 EXC trail rider and part time AMA District 36 enduro racer
Blue Ribbon Coalition Member, and you should be too! www.sharetrails.org
