G_Stratton
11-17-2004, 03:17 PM
Good day all,
Well, the North Fork of the Nooksack is in the spotlight again.
If you recall, in 2000 the Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) community was threatened with closure of Department of Natural Resources (DNR) managed lands adjacent the North Fork of the Nooksack River in Whatcom County. The basis of the closure was impacts to salmon spawning habitat and water quality. The closure would have eliminated ORV use in that area. To avoid closure, DNR staff worked with user groups, the Department of Ecology (DOE), and the Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to develop a strategy to protect water quality and wildlife habitat. That strategy included the following actions:
1. The DNR would close all trails north and west of the S-1100 road and gravel pit that provided access to the river, river bars, meander channels or wetlands.
2. Close all trails south and east of the S-1100 road that cross flowing streams.
3. Install one or more signs that inform recreationists of the rules for responsible use of the area.
4. Increase patrol of the area by our public use Education and Enforcement staff to educate users and ensure compliance with trail closures and use rules.
5. Reestablish contacts with user groups to seek their assistance with education of users, patrolling and voluntary enforcement of tail closures and reporting of serious violators to enforcement agencies.
The DNR implemented the above actions by:
1. Closing all trails that met the criteria in items 1 & 2. This was accomplished through signage, blocking trails with ecology blocks or tank-traps, increased education orientated patrols by the region’s education and enforcement (E&E) officer, and voluntary compliance from users.
2. Installing a sign at the entrance to the forest block informing users of Off-Road Vehicle related regulations.
3. Increasing patrol of the area by the region’s E&E officer. Patrols were maintained while the E&E officer position was funded. In 2001, funding for the E&E officer was cut and patrols were drastically reduced.
4. Communicating issues to organized user groups and individual users. This was accomplished through bi-monthly user group meetings, field contacts, and signage. The message delivered was that the area below the S-1100 road was closed to all wheeled vehicles, wet stream crossings were prohibited throughout the area, and no new trails were to be built. Further, the users had to be responsible for patrolling themselves and educating each other.
During the ensuing months and years the situation was under control and continued ORV use was allowed. Occasionally, signage was refreshed and trails were blocked as users reopened them.
In the Spring 2004, the DOE contacted DNR staff to let them know that WDFW was again concerned with ORV use in the North Fork area but did not have specifics. A meeting was scheduled with the DNR, DOE, and WDFW to discuss issues and conduct a site visit. The spring meeting was canceled. A new meeting was scheduled for this past October. This time we all got together. The conversations were rather detailed and the site visit was very informative.
The outcome of this meeting is an understanding that our previous actions have failed. ORV use below the S-1100 has continued and access had been restored to trails of concern. ORV trails continue to cross streams in the area and new trails are being built.
Today as in the past, the three agencies involved have serious concerns regarding ORV use in the North Fork area. These concerns include:
· Impacts to water quality and fish and wildlife habitat
· User-built trails causing extensive erosion and damage to soil productivity and individual trees in young forest stands
· Damage to roads and drainage systems along roads
· Efforts to close unneeded forest roads and reduce sedimentation have been compromised by continued ORV use of closed roads, as well as unauthorized trail construction in sensitive areas.
In an effort to continue allowing ORV use in the North Fork area the DNR, in cooperation with DOE and WDFW, has begun increasing education and enforcement in the North Fork area to protect sensitive environmental resources.
To help, you can keep the following in mind if you use the North Fork area and other lands managed by the DNR:
· The area below the S-1100 road and the S-1100 pit is closed to Off-Road Travel
o Violators may be cited for Trespass
· Wheeled vehicles are not to cross streams
o Violators may be cited for violation of water quality regulations
· Do not build new/unauthorized trails
o Violators may be cited for damage to resources
· Abandoned roads are closed to ORVs and are not trails
o Violators may be cited
It is important that all users of the North Fork area be responsible stewards to ensure continued use. This applies to ORVs as well as mountain bikers. Remember, ORV use is encouraged in the Walker Valley ORV Management Area, located east of Mount Vernon off Highway 9!
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for your continued support of DNR management activities.
Sincerely,
Christ Thomsen
Public Use and Natural Areas Manager
Department of Natural Resources
919 N Township Street
Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284
(360) 856-3500
Christ.Thomsen@wadnr.gov
Well, the North Fork of the Nooksack is in the spotlight again.
If you recall, in 2000 the Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) community was threatened with closure of Department of Natural Resources (DNR) managed lands adjacent the North Fork of the Nooksack River in Whatcom County. The basis of the closure was impacts to salmon spawning habitat and water quality. The closure would have eliminated ORV use in that area. To avoid closure, DNR staff worked with user groups, the Department of Ecology (DOE), and the Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to develop a strategy to protect water quality and wildlife habitat. That strategy included the following actions:
1. The DNR would close all trails north and west of the S-1100 road and gravel pit that provided access to the river, river bars, meander channels or wetlands.
2. Close all trails south and east of the S-1100 road that cross flowing streams.
3. Install one or more signs that inform recreationists of the rules for responsible use of the area.
4. Increase patrol of the area by our public use Education and Enforcement staff to educate users and ensure compliance with trail closures and use rules.
5. Reestablish contacts with user groups to seek their assistance with education of users, patrolling and voluntary enforcement of tail closures and reporting of serious violators to enforcement agencies.
The DNR implemented the above actions by:
1. Closing all trails that met the criteria in items 1 & 2. This was accomplished through signage, blocking trails with ecology blocks or tank-traps, increased education orientated patrols by the region’s education and enforcement (E&E) officer, and voluntary compliance from users.
2. Installing a sign at the entrance to the forest block informing users of Off-Road Vehicle related regulations.
3. Increasing patrol of the area by the region’s E&E officer. Patrols were maintained while the E&E officer position was funded. In 2001, funding for the E&E officer was cut and patrols were drastically reduced.
4. Communicating issues to organized user groups and individual users. This was accomplished through bi-monthly user group meetings, field contacts, and signage. The message delivered was that the area below the S-1100 road was closed to all wheeled vehicles, wet stream crossings were prohibited throughout the area, and no new trails were to be built. Further, the users had to be responsible for patrolling themselves and educating each other.
During the ensuing months and years the situation was under control and continued ORV use was allowed. Occasionally, signage was refreshed and trails were blocked as users reopened them.
In the Spring 2004, the DOE contacted DNR staff to let them know that WDFW was again concerned with ORV use in the North Fork area but did not have specifics. A meeting was scheduled with the DNR, DOE, and WDFW to discuss issues and conduct a site visit. The spring meeting was canceled. A new meeting was scheduled for this past October. This time we all got together. The conversations were rather detailed and the site visit was very informative.
The outcome of this meeting is an understanding that our previous actions have failed. ORV use below the S-1100 has continued and access had been restored to trails of concern. ORV trails continue to cross streams in the area and new trails are being built.
Today as in the past, the three agencies involved have serious concerns regarding ORV use in the North Fork area. These concerns include:
· Impacts to water quality and fish and wildlife habitat
· User-built trails causing extensive erosion and damage to soil productivity and individual trees in young forest stands
· Damage to roads and drainage systems along roads
· Efforts to close unneeded forest roads and reduce sedimentation have been compromised by continued ORV use of closed roads, as well as unauthorized trail construction in sensitive areas.
In an effort to continue allowing ORV use in the North Fork area the DNR, in cooperation with DOE and WDFW, has begun increasing education and enforcement in the North Fork area to protect sensitive environmental resources.
To help, you can keep the following in mind if you use the North Fork area and other lands managed by the DNR:
· The area below the S-1100 road and the S-1100 pit is closed to Off-Road Travel
o Violators may be cited for Trespass
· Wheeled vehicles are not to cross streams
o Violators may be cited for violation of water quality regulations
· Do not build new/unauthorized trails
o Violators may be cited for damage to resources
· Abandoned roads are closed to ORVs and are not trails
o Violators may be cited
It is important that all users of the North Fork area be responsible stewards to ensure continued use. This applies to ORVs as well as mountain bikers. Remember, ORV use is encouraged in the Walker Valley ORV Management Area, located east of Mount Vernon off Highway 9!
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for your continued support of DNR management activities.
Sincerely,
Christ Thomsen
Public Use and Natural Areas Manager
Department of Natural Resources
919 N Township Street
Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284
(360) 856-3500
Christ.Thomsen@wadnr.gov