Thursday, September 12, 2013

NV Sage Grouse Update - OHV Concerns noted by State Grouse Council at Carson City Meeting

Don Amador Riding in Pine Nuts
*Area Noted as a High Value Sage Habitat Reserve
 
The Recreation HQ wanted to give OHVers and racers who ride in Nevada a quick update on today’s meeting of the Nevada Sagebrush Ecosystem Council in Carson City, Nevada.
 
As some of you know,  this State of Nevada effort is running concurrently with two other federal Greater Sage-grouse planning efforts.  
 

BRC remains concerned about the fact that motorized recreation was not afforded a seat on the council.  As you will see in BRC’s comment letter today, we reaffirmed that concern and noted our OHV casual use and permitted event-related comments submitted to the council in May 2013 had not been addressed in any of the staff reviews and/or related reports.
 
BRC Sept. 12, 2013 Comment Letter to the Council
 
While watching the meeting on a live video stream, it was gratifying to note that BRC’s comment letter today was referenced several times by agency staff and council members as providing important information regarding OHV use that had not been considered as of yet.
 
While the FS representative basically stated he did not anticipate significant impacts to existing OHV use on designated trails and areas, I continue to be concerned about unintended consequences to OHV recreation if we are not actively engaged on all three processes.
 
You can find meeting schedules and other info at the websites below:
 
ONE – State of NV
 
NV Sagebrush Ecosystem Council
 
NV Sagebrush Ecosystem Council Meetings/Documents
 
TWO – Forest Service
 
Humboldt-Toiyabe NF Bi-State Greater Sage-grouse Forest Plan (be sure and click on DEIS link)
 
THREE - BLM
BLM Greater Sage-grouse Conservation Planning Effort
 
BRC Greater Sage-grouse home page with updates, etc.
 
HQ wants to encourage NV OHVers to try and be engaged in these processes.  I will be up at the Ride Reno 200 DS Ride this weekend so feel free to stop by and visit me at the BRC booth on Friday night or catch me at the Sat. night dinner.

2 comments:

  1. Sage grouse issues have become the full employment act for a lot of BLM and USFS types....This kind of thing also eats up a large amount of federal revenue at a time when the country is rapidly going broke. In some places they still hunt the birds.

    )Perhaps they should consider shooting some of the raptors that find sage grouse a very easy and tasty meal. (They are going to be shooting bared owls to keep them from eating spotted owls) Another wacky idea from the feds!!

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  2. BLM has designated wilderness areas that has no wilderness values. California Fish and Game has deer habitat areas with no deer. We are headed to having a lot of Sage Grouse habitat areas closed to public access, but with no Sage Grouse. Lets not have the Sage Grouse protected by un-reasonable plans like we have in the past.

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