OR Dunes Update -Major Dune Work Party - Sept. 21/22, 2013

The Recreation HQ wants to commend the Save the Riders Dunes organization for becoming an effective local force for protecting OHV recreation at, and promoting responsible resource management of, the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area in Oregon.

HQ's Don Amador on 2011 Dune Tour

 

 

Some of you remember our 2011 CORDRAM Tour up the Oregon Dunes to review important recreation and resource issues with local riders and the Forest Service.   Those tours included all three major riding areas, visiting with local OHV-related businesses, talking with county officials, and a one day field trip with the Forest Supervisor.

 

Blog on 2011 CORDRAM Tour 

http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2011/08/hq-announces-2011-cordram-tour.html

 

This effort has led to a substantive change of direction in the travel planning process.  The initial FS travel planning had no tenets to address the real danger to the dunes and that is destruction of the dunes by non-native vegetation.  Today the FS and users are working together on a resource project as cited below.

STRD Members ID Popular Riding Area on 2011 Tour

 

 

This weekend on Sept 21-22, 2013, STRD and US Forest Service are coordinating the start of the Oregon Dunes Restoration Project.  They are asking interested parties in the area to join them at Bullrun Staging Area, North Bend at 10am.  They are asking you to bring your work gloves and digging tools!

 

For more information on this weekend's project contact the event lead; Jody Phillips at

coleman.phillips@hospira.com

 

 

Kiosk at OR Dunes

This is a good case study of what happens when OHV recreationists organize and engage the agency and other user groups in the management of an area.   HQ salutes STRD for their effective advocacy and dedication to protect the sport and also champion responsible resource management.

 

STRD Website

http://www.savetheridersdunes.com/About-Us.html

 

Again, this story highlights the importance of OHV recreationists being engaged at a landscape level with the agency, county, green groups, businesses, and other user organizations. 

 

OR Dunes Update - Rally at Riley Ranch (Nov. 17)

The Recreation HQ wants to make sure all fans of the Oregon Dunes know about the Rally at Riley Ranch on Nov. 17 (1-4pm).   As many of you know, the Forest Service released their DEIS for travel management of the dunes last month.   HQ believes it ignores good science and best management practices by trying to implement the closure oriented 1994 Clinton-Gore era travel plan.

BRC Alert on DEIS Comment Period – Comment Period Ends Dec. 10

http://www.sharetrails.org/alerts/2012/10/22/oregon--siuslaw-nf-releases-deis-oregon-dunes-nra-10c-designated-routes-project

 

Here is a link for directions to the Coos County OHV Park at Riley Ranch (a cool place!)

http://www.co.coos.or.us/Departments/CoosCountyParks/RileyRanch.aspx

 

Here is link to HQ blog on Oct. 22 with more info on the proposed travel plan (video of proposed trails to be closed)

http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2012/10/siuslaw-nf-sticks-head-in-sand-in-odnra.html

 

SPECIAL OR DUNES DONATION INFORMATION

BRC has set up an "OR Dunes Account" at its main office where folks can donate via PayPal or snail mail.  This account will be used strictly to help fund BRC involvement with the two separate but related land use issues at the Dunes.

 

BRC Online donations

https://www.sharetrails.org/secure/join_or_contribute/?c=1

 

You are asked to click on the "General Fund" account which allows any funds collected to be used if needed in legal action.  Then you are asked to type in the blank space..."Oregon Dunes Account"

Again, these funds will be used for BRC work regarding Dune recreation.

 

Here is Facebook link to the event on Nov. 17 (1-4pm).  HQ understands that there will be special speakers including elected officials, business leaders, and other VIPs… including the most important VIPs (the riders who use the dunes!)

 

Here is link to the 2011 tour that BRC’s Don Amador took last summer of the dunes

http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2011/08/keeping-ohv-recreation-alive-is-worth.html

 

Thanks for your attention to this important riding area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keeping OHV Recreation Alive is Worth Effort at OR Dunes

STRD Leadership (L) with Don Amador (R)

On behalf of the BlueRibbon Coalition, I want to thank the Save the Riders Dunes’ leadership for hosting the 2011 CORDRAM Tour. The tour was a real educational experience for the Recreation HQ.

In a 3-day period, the tour covered much of the three main OHV riding areas in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area (ODNRA). On Sunday, Jerry Ingersoll, the Forest Supervisor for the Siuslaw National Forest, took personal time off and joined the group – in some “BBQ Diplomacy” (actually it was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches) - to discuss various recreation and resource issues.

Rodney Roberts, a Coos County Deputy Sheriff, also joined the group to share his views on law enforcement on the dunes. Rodney also mans the Sheriff’s substation at the Riley Ranch ATV Park. The tour got to observe the Dunes Patrol (a volunteer group) in action when they rescued a stranded 4wd enthusiast that got stuck.

It was an eye opener to see the scores of OHV dealerships and OHV-related businesses along the 40 miles of Highway 101 that runs the length of ODNRA. It was clear the local economy is strongly tied to OHV recreation.

HQ believes the Forest Service offers the public one of the premier destination OHV recreation sites in the country. It has well-developed camping and staging areas. Also, there are many private OHV camping areas that provide more developed facilities (pull-throughs, lodges, group camps, etc.) often popular with today’s recreational community.

The owner of the Oregon Dunes KOA campground gave the group a guided tour of his facility. He said that most of his customers come from WA, CA, and OR. However, there are riders that come from all 50 states and from overseas. Also, OHV recreation is a popular activity enjoyed by military families when the service member is on leave.

There is a lot of hard work ahead for both the agency and user communities. However, after meeting federal, county, and local recreation leaders, I am optimistic that the future of the dunes can be secured if those interests find ways to increase communications and cooperation.
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HQ Announces 2011 CORDRAM Tour

The Recreation HQ is proud to announce its 2011 California Oregon Dunes Recreational Access and Management (CORDRAM) Tour. CORDRAM goes from August 11 – 15. HQ’s Don Amador, on behalf of the BlueRibbon Coalition, will be headed to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area for a tour/review of the site with local recreationists, government officials, and other interests. 


As many of you know, BRC and local OHV representatives are concerned the Forest Service has wrongly focused on OHV closures over the last 40 years instead of addressing encroachment of non-native vegetation into the open dunes.

Thanks to an update from Save The Riders Dunes, HQ presents the following link to a 1994 Seattle Times article on the invasive beach grass taking over the dunes.

1994 Seattle Times Article
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19940925&slug=1932531


The Forest Service has extended the public comment period until September 1, 2011. After reviewing the site, HQ plans on submitting an addendum to our July 25, 2011 comment letter in which we basically stated the agency has failed in it mission to protect the open dunes by almost exclusively relying on OHV closures as a management tool instead of addressing vegetation encroachment.

Blog with Action Alert to Send in Comments
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2011/08/or-dunes-keep-sending-letters-and-join.html

HQ believes that OHV recreation can survive at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area if the agency takes action to address the encroachment issue. OHV recreation is not the problem… it is the solution.