Ben W
05-31-2006, 03:23 PM
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/news/newsmain.htm
Date : May 26, 2006
Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests Begin Travel Management Rule Implementation— Public Meetings Scheduled for June
Contact: Paul Hart, Public Affairs Group Leader, (509) 664-9314, Debbie Kelly, Public Affairs Specialist, (509) 826-3396, Jim Archambeault, Outdoor Recreation Planner, (509) 997-9738, Marge Hutchinson, South Zone Engineer, (509) 653-1430
A four year process that will decide where motorized use will be allowed on the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests will begin with June public workshops in Okanogan, Ellensburg, and Cashmere.
“We are beginning to implement a new national Travel Management Rule (also called the OHV Rule) which calls for designation of routes for motorized use and prohibits motorized cross country travel,” said Jim Boynton, Forest Supervisor. All National Forests will be going through the process to designate roads, trails and areas which will be available for all motorized uses (except snowmobiles). Each forest will publish a Motor Vehicle Use Map by 2009 showing those designated routes, including seasonal restrictions. After the designations are in place the remainder of the Forest will be closed to cross country motorized travel, Boynton said.
To encourage public involvement in this initial phase of the Travel Management route designation process, three Saturday public workshops are being offered in June, all from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Meetings are scheduled for: June 10th in Okanogan at the Okanogan County PUD auditorium, 1331 N. Second Avenue; June 17th in Ellensburg at the Hal Homes Center, 201 N, Ruby Street; and June 24th in Cashmere at the Events Center meeting room located in the new Apple Annie’s Antique Mall building located at the junction of Highway 2 and Eels road. Workshops will begin with a formal presentation on the process and rule, followed by an opportunity to talk with forest representatives to ask questions, review maps and offer comments. Information needs, such as instructions for providing global positioning (GPS) input, will be covered at the meeting. The same information will be presented at all three meetings. “In this initial phase, we are asking the public to provide feedback on the current road and trail system to find out if all the routes that they would like to see open for motorized use are shown on our maps,” Boynton said. “It will not be feasible to add all non-system routes that exist, however if a route makes sense to improve the overall system it could be analyzed for inclusion in the system. Any non-system roads or trails not reviewed in the analysis process will automatically be closed. The objective will be to provide a system of roads and trails that minimize resource impacts and costs, but makes sense on the ground for recreation.” The team would also like assistance in identifying routes currently on the system that might provide some safe dual-use opportunities (passenger cars and truck use mixed with quad use); and information about any existing non-system or “user-built” routes the public would like considered for designation. For this initial phase, public input on routes will be accepted until September 1, 2006. Then over the next twelve months the Forest Service will analyze all identified proposed routes. A second round of public meetings will occur in late 2007 to share which routes could be designated and to gain public input. Between 2007 and late 2008, any new routes proposed to be added to the system may require additional site specific environmental review before being added to the system, and included in the Motor Vehicle Use Map in 2009.
“Essentially, unless designated as available for use on the map, a road or trail will then be closed to motorized travel,” said Boynton. “Exemptions to the prohibitions in the Motor Vehicle Use Map would be available to holders of existing authorizations that cover activities such as mining, grazing, summer homes and other special uses.”
This will be a fundamental change in the way traffic and motorized uses are managed and permitted on the National Forest. Instead of relying on a system of signed routes, backed by individual closure orders, all the information on routes open to public use will be on the Motor Vehicle Use Map. The map will be free and will be updated yearly. After publication the map will be the basis on which citations for illegal use will be made. All visitors will be expected to know where they are and understand which routes they may or may not use for motorized use, Boynton said. Unmanaged recreation is listed as one of the four main threats to the National Forests by the Chief of the Forest Service. The new Travel Management Rule was developed in 2005 after considerable public comment nationally, due to concerns about impacts from a rapid increase in the numbers of OHVs being sold and the increase in cross country travel by those users. OHVs include all-terrain vehicles called quads, off-highway motorcycles and off-road vehicles such as 4-by-4 trucks or Jeeps. Additional information on the ‘Travel Management Rule’ may be found at: http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/ohv/ The Forests offer about 8000 miles of road and over 5000 miles of summer trails. Of those 5000 miles of trail, about 2000 miles are open to both motorized and non-motorized uses, including mountain bicycles. Of those, approximately 840 miles designed and built to accommodate motorcycles. About 600 miles of trails were designed and built to accommodate 4WD ('jeeps') or 4 wheel ATVs.
For more information about recreation opportunities on the Okanogan and Wenatchee Forests, or for more information about the Travel Management route designation process, contact one of the offices on the Forest or visit the Forest website at www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee or www.fs.fed.us/r6/okanogan.
Date : May 26, 2006
Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests Begin Travel Management Rule Implementation— Public Meetings Scheduled for June
Contact: Paul Hart, Public Affairs Group Leader, (509) 664-9314, Debbie Kelly, Public Affairs Specialist, (509) 826-3396, Jim Archambeault, Outdoor Recreation Planner, (509) 997-9738, Marge Hutchinson, South Zone Engineer, (509) 653-1430
A four year process that will decide where motorized use will be allowed on the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests will begin with June public workshops in Okanogan, Ellensburg, and Cashmere.
“We are beginning to implement a new national Travel Management Rule (also called the OHV Rule) which calls for designation of routes for motorized use and prohibits motorized cross country travel,” said Jim Boynton, Forest Supervisor. All National Forests will be going through the process to designate roads, trails and areas which will be available for all motorized uses (except snowmobiles). Each forest will publish a Motor Vehicle Use Map by 2009 showing those designated routes, including seasonal restrictions. After the designations are in place the remainder of the Forest will be closed to cross country motorized travel, Boynton said.
To encourage public involvement in this initial phase of the Travel Management route designation process, three Saturday public workshops are being offered in June, all from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Meetings are scheduled for: June 10th in Okanogan at the Okanogan County PUD auditorium, 1331 N. Second Avenue; June 17th in Ellensburg at the Hal Homes Center, 201 N, Ruby Street; and June 24th in Cashmere at the Events Center meeting room located in the new Apple Annie’s Antique Mall building located at the junction of Highway 2 and Eels road. Workshops will begin with a formal presentation on the process and rule, followed by an opportunity to talk with forest representatives to ask questions, review maps and offer comments. Information needs, such as instructions for providing global positioning (GPS) input, will be covered at the meeting. The same information will be presented at all three meetings. “In this initial phase, we are asking the public to provide feedback on the current road and trail system to find out if all the routes that they would like to see open for motorized use are shown on our maps,” Boynton said. “It will not be feasible to add all non-system routes that exist, however if a route makes sense to improve the overall system it could be analyzed for inclusion in the system. Any non-system roads or trails not reviewed in the analysis process will automatically be closed. The objective will be to provide a system of roads and trails that minimize resource impacts and costs, but makes sense on the ground for recreation.” The team would also like assistance in identifying routes currently on the system that might provide some safe dual-use opportunities (passenger cars and truck use mixed with quad use); and information about any existing non-system or “user-built” routes the public would like considered for designation. For this initial phase, public input on routes will be accepted until September 1, 2006. Then over the next twelve months the Forest Service will analyze all identified proposed routes. A second round of public meetings will occur in late 2007 to share which routes could be designated and to gain public input. Between 2007 and late 2008, any new routes proposed to be added to the system may require additional site specific environmental review before being added to the system, and included in the Motor Vehicle Use Map in 2009.
“Essentially, unless designated as available for use on the map, a road or trail will then be closed to motorized travel,” said Boynton. “Exemptions to the prohibitions in the Motor Vehicle Use Map would be available to holders of existing authorizations that cover activities such as mining, grazing, summer homes and other special uses.”
This will be a fundamental change in the way traffic and motorized uses are managed and permitted on the National Forest. Instead of relying on a system of signed routes, backed by individual closure orders, all the information on routes open to public use will be on the Motor Vehicle Use Map. The map will be free and will be updated yearly. After publication the map will be the basis on which citations for illegal use will be made. All visitors will be expected to know where they are and understand which routes they may or may not use for motorized use, Boynton said. Unmanaged recreation is listed as one of the four main threats to the National Forests by the Chief of the Forest Service. The new Travel Management Rule was developed in 2005 after considerable public comment nationally, due to concerns about impacts from a rapid increase in the numbers of OHVs being sold and the increase in cross country travel by those users. OHVs include all-terrain vehicles called quads, off-highway motorcycles and off-road vehicles such as 4-by-4 trucks or Jeeps. Additional information on the ‘Travel Management Rule’ may be found at: http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/ohv/ The Forests offer about 8000 miles of road and over 5000 miles of summer trails. Of those 5000 miles of trail, about 2000 miles are open to both motorized and non-motorized uses, including mountain bicycles. Of those, approximately 840 miles designed and built to accommodate motorcycles. About 600 miles of trails were designed and built to accommodate 4WD ('jeeps') or 4 wheel ATVs.
For more information about recreation opportunities on the Okanogan and Wenatchee Forests, or for more information about the Travel Management route designation process, contact one of the offices on the Forest or visit the Forest website at www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee or www.fs.fed.us/r6/okanogan.