Please Say No to Wild Sky (yes, again)

[dirtbikejunkie]

This bill just won't die... So far I believe Wild Sky has been blocked twice, but it keeps coming back up.

Again, the senate has passed the Wild Sky Wilderess act of 2005 and it will again attempt to go through congress.

The Wild Sky wilderness proposal would create a Wilderness area in eastern snohomish county that would likely threaten ORV recreation. The proposed area contains old logging roads, 4wd trails, old mining roads and mines, mill structures, and other artificats that conflict with the definition of "wilderness" (which by consensus is an area "untouched" by man).

Here is a map of the proposed area:

http://www.wawild.org/images/map_wild_sky.jpg

This area would at least border and possibly encompass portions of the Reiter Trails riding area and pose a great threat to losing Reiter. Further, there are several 4wd trails that fall in the proposed area (above and east to Index).


Please take the time to vote "NO" in the following online poll. Although these polls might not have significant meaning it is nice to show our voice whenever possible.


http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/2348...1_wildskyed.asp (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/234801_wildskyed.asp)

[4WheelingPlus]

I could be wrong, but the way I understand the Wild Sky Wilderness - Roadless area plan... it involves a lot more than just Snohomish.

Click on the Forest Service link for maps of the Manastash, Taneum, Quartz, and many more that appear to have some sort of Roadless area designation: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/colville/cow/review-irab.htm

If some one can decipher all this junk I would love to know exactly what it means.

Thanks,
Ron Dunn Jr
http://www.4WheelingPlus.com

[craig]

I could be wrong, but the way I understand the Wild Sky Wilderness - Roadless area plan... it involves a lot more than just Snohomish.

Click on the Forest Service link for maps of the Manastash, Taneum, Quartz, and many more that appear to have some sort of Roadless area designation: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/colville/cow/review-irab.htm

If some one can decipher all this junk I would love to know exactly what it means.

Thanks,
Ron Dunn Jr
http://www.4WheelingPlus.com

Yes, all of those areas have roadless areas designated. The Forest Plan requires the Forest Service to have a plan for each watershed. Watershed's are used as management units because each is typically unique ecologically. Within each watershed (Manastash, Taneum, Quartz, etc) they have a map that shows the past, current, and proposed roadless areas. It appears that since 1990 that the area designated as roadless in each of those watersheds has decreased. The 2005 proposal is also for a decrease in the amount of roadless areas. If I remember correctly (I'm not looking at the doc anymore), only one watershed in the Wenatchee NF had a proposed increase of land being designated as roadless.

--Craig

[4WheelingPlus]

Thanks for the reply Craig. That helps. :)

I am still concerned as the FS maps (link above) are very hard to decipher and it looks like parts of the areas most of us use are now shaded dark gray which means proposed roadless area. :confused:

Either way... I plan to visit the Cle Elum FS soon and get their version of what the maps mean.

Thanks again,
Ron Dunn Jr
http://www.4WheelingPlus.com

[dirtbikejunkie]

I could be wrong, but the way I understand the Wild Sky Wilderness - Roadless area plan... it involves a lot more than just Snohomish.

Click on the Forest Service link for maps of the Manastash, Taneum, Quartz, and many more that appear to have some sort of Roadless area designation: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/colville/cow/review-irab.htm

If some one can decipher all this junk I would love to know exactly what it means.

Thanks,
Ron Dunn Jr
http://www.4WheelingPlus.com


The Wild Sky Wilderness proposal is separate from the current roadless area review by the FS. It's a bill created by Patty Murray and Rick Larsen.

Here is a link with info on the bill (from our opponents):

http://www.wawild.org/campaigns/wild_sky.htm

[craig]

Thanks for the reply Craig. That helps. :)

I am still concerned as the FS maps (link above) are very hard to decipher and it looks like parts of the areas most of us use are now shaded dark gray which means proposed roadless area. :confused:

Either way... I plan to visit the Cle Elum FS soon and get their version of what the maps mean.

Thanks again,
Ron Dunn Jr
http://www.4WheelingPlus.com

I just looked at the manastash map. The grey areas are the old roadless areas and the new areas have an angled hash (not a diamond pattern). If that is the case, then all the proposed roadless areas are within the previous grey areas, and resulted in a decrease of roadless areas.

I didn't look at quartz or the other areas you mentioned. Is there one in particular you are concerned about?

--Craig

[spidertoy]

I just got this flyer from everett powersports, that states

OFF ROAD USERS:

IT'S TIME TO SHOW UP AND BE COUNTED IN SNOHOMISH COUNTY.

WHEN:
Thursday August 18 @11:30 am

WHERE:
Ed Hussman's Ranch 7/10 mi North of McDonalds on Rice Rd. just east of Sultan on US Hwy 2.

WHAT:
Congressman Richard Pombo, Chairman of the House Resource Committtee, will be stopping in by helicopter to review the resubmitted WILD SKY proposal. ( This is a wilderness designation for a large area north of Index.) Mr. Pombo will be accompanied by Doug Sutherland, State Public Lands Commisioner, and Senator Val Stevens.

[B]BE ON TIME, BUT BE THERE.
Questions? see Mike Leibold or call
425-347-4545 or 1-800-735-7031

unfortunately, I have to work, but I know that surely someone from this board will be able to go out and make our case known.

[4WheelingPlus]

The Wild Sky Wilderness proposal is separate from the current roadless area review by the FS. It's a bill created by Patty Murray and Rick Larsen.

Here is a link with info on the bill (from our opponents):

http://www.wawild.org/campaigns/wild_sky.htm
Thanks for the clarification.

- Ron

[olllllllo]

For those that subscribe to www.King5.com http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_081805WABwildskywildernessEE.8879e699.html

Republican lawmaker tours Wild Sky site

06:55 PM PDT on Thursday, August 18, 2005

Associated Press
Gary Chittim reports

SULTAN, Wash. - California Rep. Richard Pombo, a Republican lawmaker who has opposed a bill to create a Wild Sky Wilderness area in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, got a firsthand look at the territory during a helicopter tour Thursday.

The 106,000-acre area is at the center of a debate over the designation of public lands. A measure proposed by Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., would designate the land, about 40 miles northeast of Seattle on the west slope of the Cascades, as wilderness, the government's highest level of protection.

The Senate has approved the Wild Sky proposal three times in the past four years, but it has been repeatedly blocked from a vote on the House floor, mostly due to Pombo's opposition.

Pombo, chairman of the House Resources Committee, has argued that some of the land continues to be used by people and therefore does not meet the criteria set by the Wilderness Act of 1964. He said wilderness protection should extend only to lands untouched by humans.

Pombo indicated the tour hadn't changed his opinion.


During his half-hour flight, he said he spotted many old logging roads, bridges and areas still heavily used by outdoor enthusiasts - there's about 13,000 acres of area marked by human activity.

"There's a lot of camping... even right now," he said just minutes after stepping from one of two helicopters that shuttled Pombo and Wild Sky opponents Jeff Sax, a Republican Snohomish County Council member, and apple grower Ed Husmann.

Husmann hosted a barbecue fundraiser at his apple farm Thursday afternoon for the Snohomish County GOP. His farm is next to the land proposed for designation.

The area includes habitat for bears, bald eagles and other wildlife, as well as streams, hiking trails and camp sites. By designating it as wilderness, the measure would block development or other economic activity.

Pombo killed a proposed Wild Sky bill last year. He did, however, support a compromise plan that would have protected nearly 93,000 acres as wilderness, while designating 13,300 acres for backcountry management, a less restrictive federal designation allowing off-road vehicles.

Resources
Washington Wilderness Coalition

Wild Sky Wilderness Proposal

Patty Murray
Pombo sympathized with people's desire to protect the area, but said many fail to realize that a wilderness designation "basically locks it up and the only way you can get in is on foot."

Pombo rejected a suggestion that he's opposed to designating any areas as wilderness.

"There are areas that deserve to be protected. There are other areas that deserve to be protected but that we need to have public access to," Pombo said while speaking to the crowd attending the fundraiser.

Larsen appreciates that Pombo looked at the area, spokesman Jeff Bjornstad said during a telephone interview, and looks forward to further discussion with the chairman to move forward on his bill.

"Congressman Larsen is willing to sit down and address the chairman's concerns and pass Wild Sky," Bjornstad said. "Without Pombo's support, Wild Sky will not happen."

[jpfreak]

Saw that story on the news last night, I'm glad Pombo's on our side!


Unfortunately, when 4wheelers were mentioned in the story, they showed footage of 4wd quads sloshing around in thick mud! :WTF:

Not exactaly indicative of what we are doing in the woods. :mad:

Can't say that I was suprised though.