The Forest Service

Rack

Rack

I received this email from Stewards of the Sierra National Forest.

http://www.sotsnf.org/

The Forest Service held their first open house meeting for the release of the Record of Decision (ROD) which is the blueprint for the future use of the forest and only 21 people showed up at the Oakhurst Community Center.

If you value the ability to keep using the Forest as a place to take your families you may want to go the www.sotsnf.org and find out when and where the next three meetings are going to be held this week and show up in force to let the Forest Service know you care about your PUBLIC ACCESS TO PUBLIC LANDS.

We need to stay engaged in the public process because believe it or not just one person can make all the difference in the world.
 
M

MikeinFresno

I went to the 2nd meeting in Clovis. 50 or so were there, including a local County Supervisor. We are screwed. only 20mi of trail out of 67 that is considered good will be open. The rest needs MITIGATION to open, like repair or reroute. The other 200 mi that were ID are in the next phase and have not even been looked at yet, they ran out of time to get this thing done. It goes into effect early 2011 when maps are issued. Til then ride it while you can.
 
Rack

Rack

Here is a cut and paste on the public forums.........

Public Workshops and Webinar:

May 17, 2010 Oakhurst Community Center, 39800 Road 425B, Oakhurst, 6:30-9pm (Optional open houses begins at 5pm for those who would like to stop in and talk with Forest Service Staff).

May 18, 2010 Clovis Veterans Memorial Building, Liberty Rm, 808 4th Street, Clovis, 6:30-9pm (Optional open houses begins at 5pm for those who would like to stop in and talk with Forest Service Staff).

May 20, 2010 Foothill Middle School, Multi-Purpose Rm, 291147 Auberry Rd, Prather, 6:30-9pm (Optional open houses begins at 5pm for those who would like to stop in and talk with Forest Service Staff).

May 26, 2010 Virtual Webinar-Join us on-line for an overview of the Decision, 7-8:30pm. To sign-up for the webinar please visit the following website: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/539264808

May 27, 2010 Mariposa County Board of Supervisors Chambers, 5100 Chambers Street, Mariposa 6:30-9pm (Optional open houses begins at 5pm for those who would like to stop in and talk with Forest Service Staff).


Highlights of the Decision:


  1. The decision provides 2,189 miles of roads and 127 miles of trails for motorized travel on the Sierra National Forest.


    Trails added to the System:
    • 67 Total miles of Trails in the Motorized System.
    • 88 miles open to All Vehicles.
    • 33 miles open to vehicles less than 50” .
    • 6 miles open to motorcycles only.
    Roads added to the System:
    • 15 miles (logging roads and spurs to dispersed campsites)
    • Total miles of roads in the System:
    • 1,665 miles open to all vehicles.
    • 524 miles open to highway vehicles
    Areas added:
    • 20 areas added for 105 acres (7 acres-parking/staging and 98 acres of areas)
    • Total number/acres of parking/staging facilities open to all vehicles = 64 (49 acres)
    • Total number/acres of motorized areas open to all vehicles = 15 (173 acres)
    Definitions of an Area and Parking/Staging areas:
    • Area: An area is open to all vehicles for motorized recreation
    • Parking/Staging Areas: Parking for Highway Legal Vehicles
  2. The decision prohibits cross country travel by motor vehicles on the Sierra National Forest.
    • Parking is allowed within one vehicle length (includes a towed vehicle) of a road, trail or area, unless otherwise prohibited.
  3. The decision protects the Natural and Cultural Resources.
    • Protects watersheds, cultural resources, endangered, threatened and sensitive species (including plants, animals and their habitat) and adds no new roads or trails in inventoried roadless areas.
  4. The decision provides a Season of Use for roads, trails and areas for the Sierra National Forest.
    • Changes to the Season of Use were made to 1,688 miles of roads and 43 miles of trails.
    • 460 miles of roads have no restrictions.
    • The decision establishes 20 Seasons of Use to allow access to the greatest extent possible.
    • Over Fifty percent of the roads and trails are (1,317 miles) open for motorized travel from May 20th to December 1st.
    • Nearly twenty percent (464 miles) is open year around for motor vehicle travel.
  5. The decision maximizes recreation opportunity by changing 178 miles of roads which were open to highway legal vehicles only to a new designation allowing mixed use. Also converts 12 miles of roads to trails allowing for additional motor vehicle opportunities.
    • Changing the vehicle class to mixed (green/red sticker) use allows for both highway legal and non-highway legal vehicles (as defined by the California Vehicle code) to use NFTS roads.
    • Results in uninterrupted connectivity between key roads, trails and areas, enhancing motorized recreational opportunities
  6. The decision changes the Maintenance Levels and Use on some Forest Roads.
    • In order to be in compliance with Forest Service policy, 181 miles of Maintenance Level (ML) 1 roads will be opened as ML 2 roads, which will allow public use by green/red sticker vehicles.
    • 65 miles of ML 2 roads, previously closed, will also be open for public use.
Appealing the Decision

This decision is subject to appeal pursuant to 36 CFR 215. In accordance with the April 24, 2006 order issued by the U.S. District Court for the Missoula Division of the District Court of Montana in Case No. CV 03-119-M-DWM, for those individuals and organizations who provided comments during the comment period are eligible to appeal [36 CFR 215.11(a), 1993 version]. Appeals must be filed within 45 days from the publication date of the legal notice in the Fresno Bee (Monday, May 10, 2010). The appeal period ends June 23, 2010. Detailed procedures for appealing the decision are located in the ROD.

We look forward to seeing you.

Betty
Betty Mathews
Acting Forest Supervisor
 
Rack

Rack

Here is an update email that i received from the Sierra National Forest.

Dear Interested Party:

We have finished all of the scheduled public workshops and webinars for the final decision on Motorized Travel Management on the Sierra National Forest. Thanks to all of you who were able to join us and hear about the decision. If your group or organization would like a presentation, please respond back to this email or send a request to the following email: sierra.route@fs.fed.us

If you did not receive a copy of the document and would like one please let us know by responding to this email. We have hard copies and CD's available of the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision. Please include your mailing address with your request.

Additional Maps
At the public meetings there was a request for maps that provided the roads trails and areas as well as the recreation map displaying geographical reference points. Those maps are now available at Sierra National Forest - Projects & Plans. There was also a request for a google earth file (.DML) with all of the roads, trails and areas to download for public to use. Unfortunately the google earth file was to large and most people would not be able to open it from the internet. If you would like the google earth file, we will be glad to send it to you. Again, just respond back to this email or send a request to sierra.route@fs.fed.us and we will be glad to send a CD to with the information to you.

Appealing The Decision
This decision is subject to appeal pursuant to 36 CFR 215. In accordance with the April 24, 2006 order issued by the U.S. District Court for the Missoula Division of the District Court of Montana in Case No. CV 03-119-M-DWM, only those individuals and organizations who provided comments during the comment period are eligible to appeal [36 CFR 215.11(a), 1993 version]. Appeals must be filed within 45 days from the publication date of the legal notice in the Fresno Bee(Monday, May 10, 2010). Detailed procedures for appealing the decision are located in the ROD.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your efforts in helping us to develop a sustainable system of roads, trails and areas for motorized recreation on the Sierra National Forest. On Monday, June 7th, Scott Armentrout will be reporting as the new Forest Supervisor for the Sierra National Forest and I know you will enjoy working with him.


Betty
Betty Mathews
Acting Forest Supervisor
 
Rack

Rack

an email from the sierra national forest serice that I received today.


Dear Interested Party
I wanted to share with you a couple of things happening here on the Sierra National Forest. First, let me introduce myself I’m Scott Armentrout the new Forest Supervisor for the Sierra National Forest. I recently moved here from the Shasta-Trinity National Forest in Redding, California where I was the Deputy Forest Supervisor. As both Ed Cole and Betty Mathews shared with you, it is our goal to have a sustainable system of roads, trails and areas that provide access for OHV use and for recreational opportunities.

Grant Funding
The Sierra National Forest was successful in securing a $1.2 million dollar grant from the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division for improvements to roads, trails and areas. The grant funding was approved for the following projects:

Project Name: Amount Awarded:
Ground Operations - Forest wide $576,000
Development of Lone Sequoia Staging Area-
Miami Motorcycle Area $211,000
Planning - Adding Roads, Trails & Areas-
Sierra National Forest $189,000
Planning - OHV Use Areas $166, 000
Planning - White Bark Vista Trailhead $18,000
Planning -Dusy Ershim $27,000
Planning - Red Mountain Parking $14,000
Restoration - Dusy Ershim $36,000

Total: $1,237,000

This funding is approximately 80% of the total amount that the forest applied for and represents a major boost for the Sierra National Forest OHV program. I want to thank those who provided input and assisted us with developing the grant proposal. The funding is a great start to a continued strategy to restore, enhance and sustain a system of roads, trails and areas for motorized travel.

What Trails and Roads Should I be Using
We have heard from many of you that you would like to go riding this summer but are unsure what roads, trails and areas are open. We are not implementing the Motorized Travel Management decision until next year. So, all of the places you have been riding are still open for your use this summer. Our goal is to have a map available this winter that provides information on what roads, trails and areas are open for motorized travel.

Finally, the appeal period for the Travel Management decision closes tomorrow, June 23, 2010 and I look forward to working with you to implement this important decision.



Scott
Scott G. Armentrout
Forest Supervisor
 
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