Yolo County Board to Vote on New OHV Park (Tue. April 23)

Road to New County OHV Park?

(100 acre proposal is on the other side of the levee at end of the road)

 

The Yolo County Board of Supervisors will be meeting in Woodland to consider passing a resolution in support for creation of a NEW OHV county park on about 100 acres of unused land N.E. of the city.

 

Currently there is not a single acre of legal OHV opportunity in the county.  This project would serve the recreational needs of the area by providing a managed OHV facility.

 

The Board of Supervisors is meeting at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday (April 23) at the Yolo County Administrative Building, 625 Court Street, Woodland, CA 95695.

 

Link to Agenda (OHV Park is item #27)

http://yoloagenda.yolocounty.org/agenda_publish.cfm?dsp=ag&seq=144

 

 

Site of Proposed County OHV Park

 

 

I hope to see you there.  Not too often we get a chance to support a new OHV facility.

 

 

Stonyford/Mill Fire Salvage Project Comments Due March 24

The Recreation HQ wants to alert OHV users who ride at Stonyford to the recent release of the Draft Environmental Assessment for the Mill Fire Salvage and Hazard Tree Removal Project.  The 30-day public comment period appears to have started on Feb. 22, 2013 which means that our comments should be delivered to the agency by March 24, 2013.

Link to Mill Fire Salvage EA and supporting documents (we used a tiny URL)

http://brc1.us/mill-fire-salvage


HQ first wants to thank all of you who submitted initial scoping comments on the Project.  Many of you attended a meeting in December on the proposal and got actively involved in the process.  You made a huge difference!

Dec. 18 Blog on Mill Fire Salvage Project

http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-update-on-mill-fire-salvage.html

 

HQ believes the agency has incorporated our collective concerns in the Draft EA including the additions of OHV recreation staff into the project design and implementation.  This benefits both casual OHV use and the permitted OHV events this year.  HQ will be recommending to BRC that it supports the project provided the agency sticks to its commitment to protect and restore the OHV recreational opportunity that we all enjoy there.

 

HQ encourages all of you to read the Draft EA, Appendix A, and the Recreation Report.  There are many key pro-OHV tenets that we should be supporting.  HQ also encourages you to submit your own personal letter with your own specific comments and concerns.  However, for those of you who are short on time, we have created a short letter that you can use as a template.

 

SAMPLE LETTER******************************************

 

Eduardo Olmedo

Responsible Official

Mendocino National Forest

825 N. Humboldt Ave.

Willows, CA 95988

Attn: Jeanette Williams

Email: jeanettewilliams@fs.fed.us

FAX: 530.934.7384

Re: Draft Environmental Assessment Mill Fire Salvage and Hazard Tree Removal Project

 

Dear Mr. Olmedo:

 

As an OHV recreationist, I am writing this letter in support for the Draft Environmental Assessment Mill Fire Salvage and Hazard Removal Project (Project).  The Forest, Project Team, and Recreation Staff should be commended for working in a collaborative manner to address concerns articulated by the OHV community during the initial scoping period.

 

I support this project as a method to restore a safe environment for public use by motorized vehicles on designated roads, trails, and areas impacted by the Mill Fire.

 

I have reviewed the Draft EA and supporting documents.  Here are my key comments and suggestions.

 

1 - As practical, please retain merchantable sized dead trees and all green trees likely to survive along OHV trails to be used as barriers, trail delineators, and route anchors.

 

2 - Keep OHV routes open for weekends, holidays, and permitted events. Temporary closures correctly should be limited to the weekdays and only on the segment of routes where active logging operations are underway.

 

3 - OHV trails that will be used as temporary haul roads or skid routes must be returned to their current trail state after use.

 

4 - Avoid trails where possible during tree felling, skidding, and hauling operations,

 

5 - OHV Manager(s) and Timber Sale Administrators should coordinate and identify any areas where trails need to be crossed or used. These areas must be returned to pre-harvest trail conditions. OHV trails and roads should remain open except when active logging operations are occurring. Alternate routes should  be made available and clearly signed/identified.

 

6 - There are 4 special use permitted events that take place within the Stonyford OHV area each year; one in late May, one in late October and two in November. These events use the majority of the OHV trail system. Please ensure that designated OHV trails and Level II roads within the project area are open for these events, and that equipment is not left along or near trails and/or roads that could pose a danger to the public.

 

7 - Since the unit’s OHV staff have other duties and ongoing trail projects not related to the salvage sale, I urges the agency to consider alternate resources (i.e. trail crews from other units such as Chappie-Shasta OHV Area, OHMVR/SVRAs, and other Forests) to expedite post-project restoration of affected haul and skid routes back to their pre-project condition/classification including the installation of new or reconstructed rolling dips, sediment catch basins, trail delineators, or construction to restore sinuosity of the route.

 

8 - I also urge the Forest to secure non-OHMVR grant funds to aid in the reconstruction of OHV routes directly impacted by hauling or skidding operations. The use of OHMVR grant funds to restore haul/skid routes would be an unauthorized use of said funds.

 

Thanks in advance for considering my comments and for your efforts to protect OHV recreational opportunity during the project.

 

Best regards,

 

Joe Rider

 

 

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The Recreation HQ wants to thank all of you who have volunteered up at the Stonyford work projects and looks forward to working and riding with you once again at one of the best riding areas in the state.

 

 

 

 

RAC Members Needed for OR Dunes/Siuslaw NF

The Siuslaw National Forest which oversees the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area recently announced they are reconvening (absent for many years) their Resource Advisory Committee (RAC).   Applications are due Feb. 28, 2013.

RAC Announcement including Application Form

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/siuslaw/news-events/?cid=STELPRDB5408349

 

According to a Forest News Release on Jan. 31, 2013, The Siuslaw Resource Advisory Committee consists of 15 members and three non-voting alternates representing a wide array of interest. Committee duties include reviewing proposed land management projects on, or adjacent to, the Siuslaw National Forest. The committee recommends funding up to $1 million of forest management projects and coordinates with land management agency and county officials.

 

Committee members serve upon appointment by the Secretary of Agriculture without compensation, but may be reimbursed for travel expenses. Members must be Oregon residents, preferably, but not necessarily, living in Yamhill, Tillamook, Lincoln, Benton, Lane, Douglas or Coos counties.

 Interim Forest Supervisor George Buckingham emphasized, “I am very interested and committed to ensuring members of the Siuslaw Resource Advisory Committee represent the diversity of our communities.”

The geographic boundary of the Siuslaw Resource Advisory Committee covers the entire Siuslaw National Forest.

 

The Recreation HQ believes the agency is being motivated to restart the RAC based on a large number of comment letters from various stakeholders (e.g. OHV groups, county govt., civic orgs, businesses, etc.) which cited the lack of outreach (and no RAC) by the Forest at the Oregon Dunes and elsewhere.

 

HQ  encourages civic minded leaders and advocates in the following categories to send in an application to serve on the RAC.

 

Category A: (five regular members and one replacement) who represent one or more of the following interests:

 Organized labor or non-timber forest product harvester groups

 Developed outdoor recreation, off-highway vehicle, commercial recreation
 Energy and mineral development
 Commercial or recreational fishing
 Commercial timber industry
 Federal grazing permit holders or land use permit holders with the Resource Advisory Committee area.
 

Category B: (five regular members and one replacement) who represent on or more of the following interests):

 Nationally recognized environmental organizations

 Regionally or locally recognized environmental organizations
 Dispersed recreation
 Archaeological and historical interest
 National or regionally recognized wild horse or burro groups, wildlife or hunting organizations or watershed associations

Category C: (five regular members and one replacement) who represent one or more of the following interests):

 State-elected office holders

 County or local elected officials
 American Indian tribal representatives from tribes within or adjacent to Resource Advisory Committee areas
 School officials or teachers
 Citizens representing the affected public at large

 

We get the government we deserve and right now it is important for those of you in the affected area to get involved with good government.   Be part of the solution!

Chamber of Commerce Joins Fight at the OR Dunes

The "Future" of OHV at OR Dunes if You Don't Join the Fight

 

The Recreation HQ wants to remind fans of the OR Dunes to send in your comment letters by Jan. 24, 2013.  BRC has created a letter generator to make it easy to send in comments.  They will be routed to the Forest Service official email address and you should get a confirmation that your letter was received.

 

Direct Link to BRC’s OR Dunes Letter Generator (you can add your own specific comments about how you use and enjoy the Dunes)

http://www.sharetrails.org/issues/rapid-response-center

 

Also, HQ wants to let you know that a number of businesses and/or their associations have sent in letters about how important OHV recreation is to the local economy.

 

Roseburg Area Chamber of Commerce Comment Letter

http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Roseburg_chamber_OR_dunes_SEIS.pdf

 

Again, please send in your comment letter and fwd this alert to your rider network.  If you are a business that depends on OHV recreation at the Dunes… please have all your employees send in a comment letter.

 

Let’s all continue the fight to protect responsible OHV recreation at the OR Dunes!

CODE RED OR DUNES ALERT - Comment Letters Needed Today!

The Recreation HQ is issuing its first CODE RED Action Alert for 2013.  HQ is asking all riders and OHV businesses that depend on recreational access to the OR Dunes, to STOP what you are doing and take 2 minutes to send a comment letter to the Forest Service’s travel planning process at the OR Dunes. OHV dune enthusiasts from across the county (even Europe and Asia) make the OR Dunes a destination site to visit.  Active military often spend their entire leave with their families and friends at the dunes.

 

Between 1972 and 2011, the acreage available for open OHV use has been reduced from 28,000 acres down to just below 6,000 acres.  Just 20 percent of the NRA is available for legal OHV use today.  Over time, that number will dwindle to practically nothing if you don’t act now.

 

BRC is making it easy for you (and your network) to send in a comment letter which is due January 24, 2013.  Anti-access groups are flooding the agency with requests to close the dunes to OHV --- we must blunt that attack with our own counter-offensive.  HQ understands that the agency is counting each closure-oriented form email as one distinct letter.  We will demand the same treatment.

 

BRC Action Alert with link to Letter Generator – the generator will send letter to the Forest Service
http://www.sharetrails.org/alerts/2013/01/15/oregon--comments-needed-on-oregon-dunes-10c-designated-routes-project-deis
 

OHV is not alone in our battle for access at the OR Dunes.  Coos County has joined us in the fight for responsible access for our families and passed a resolution in Dec.

 

Coos County Resolution in Support of OHV Recreation

http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Coos_County_Resolution_Dec.4.2102.dunes.pdf

  

Douglas and Lane Counties are also considering passing resolutions that favor responsible recreation and resource management at the dunes.

 

Again, please send in your comment letter today and ask your riding and business network to do the same.

 

Thanks!!!

 

The Recreation HQ

 

 

 

Merry Xmas from QWR and 2013 Sponsorship Opportunities

Very warm Merry Christmas and Happy New Year wishes to all the readers at the Recreation HQ and supporters of QWR.

Here is a Christmas Card and info on 2013 Sponsorship Opportunities for Users and Small Business Owners.

QWR Merry Christmas and Sponsorship Info
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Merry-Christmas-and-2013-Sponsorship-Opportunites.html?soid=1109092517671&aid=wylWGU6fX7k


Merry Christmas!

Don Amador

Counties Join OR Dune Access Battle - Pass Resolution

The Future of OHV at OR Dunes?

 

The Recreation HQ believes that the Coos County Resolution (see below) articulates a well thought out foundation for a desired future condition for the OR Dunes.   HQ believes the agency has underestimated the resolve of the counties/users/small business owners to fight back against their effort to implement the 1994 Management Plan (actually that is a misnomer since it only focused on areas to close to OHV recreation and did not address the most important issue impacting the dunes and that is the encroachment of non-native vegetation).

 

Dec 4, 2012 Coos County Resolution

http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Coos_County_Resolution_Dec.4.2102.dunes.pdf

 

One option for the counties is to ask  the FS to do a supplemental DEIS because they failed to properly analyze and create alternative(s) that address the real environmental crisis that is impacting the dunes nor did he vet the economic impact that the decision will have on OHV tourism. 

 

Another option is for the counties to engage the OR congressional delegation to help direct (i.e. new legislation, direct talks, etc.) the FS to develop a travel plan that fosters both a robust OHV program and a dune restoration program that deals with the encroachment of non-native vegetation that is taking over the open sand dune areas.   

 

Getting the congressional delegation involved on another Forest’s travel plan was key to having the Wallowa-Whitman NF withdrawn their proposal due to a massive closure of routes.  Their help may be needed to encourage the FS to push the “reset button” on the current dunes travel planning process.

 

Link to article on travel plan withdrawn on Wallowa-Whitman NF

http://www.lagrandeobserver.com/News/Local-News/FOREST-ROADS-PLAN-Access-to-firewood-big-fear

 

Many of the key tenets below were stated in the Coos County Resolution.  They should be non-negotiable going forward for the long-term protection and restoration of the OR Dunes to their 1972 condition of being mostly open dunes.

 

·         Re-designate all 10C areas to 10B open riding areas – for about 11K total acres open for OHV

·         Reestablish the Resource Advisory Council

·         Aggressively attack the encroachment of non-native vegetation in the non-motorized areas and utilize OHV recreation as a veg. management tool as well.

·         Cooperate and formally consult with the counties

 

Also, here is a great TV news story that recently ran on the Dunes issue.  One of the best OHV TV stories ever done on our sport.

 

TV Video/News Story on OR Dunes

http://www.kcby.com/news/local/Counties-join-fight-to-save-the-dunes-182460552.html

 

Thanks for your interest in the OR Dunes!

 

 

 

GREAT NEWS - FS Extends Comment Period for OR Dunes

Great News from the Recreation HQ!  As many of you know, HQ and other riders are concerned about the current proposal by the FS to severely restrict OHV recreation (particularly in the sand trail areas) at the OR Dunes.  The public comment period for the Travel DEIS was supposed to end on Dec. 10.

 

BRC Alert with Copy of FS Letter to Counties

http://www.sharetrails.org/alerts/2012/12/06/comment-period-on-oregon-dunes-10c-designated-routes-project-deis-extended

 

However, because of a lot of hard work by Save the Oregon Dunes club with help and support from BRC, local businesses, and county officials the Forest Service extended the public comment period until Jan. 24, 2013 to give Coos, Douglas, and Lane counties a chance to place the DEIS for the Oregon Dunes Travel Plan on their county commission agendas as an action item.

 

HQ believes the current preferred Alternative 4 in the DEIS is simply a recipe for disaster because it does not recognize the important role that OHV recreation has in managing encroachment of non-native plant species into the open dune areas.   Over time, new portions of the open dune riding area would have to be fenced off each year to provide habitat for species such as the Snowy Plover (it needs open sand to nest).  In 15-20 years, there would be no OHV recreation because of the need to continually close off more open sand areas for the plover.  OHV recreation as we know it would go extinct at the Dunes.

 

Stay tuned as this issue continues to develop.  Let’s hope the FS, local users, and the counties can come up with a long-term strategy (modified Alt. 5?) that will protect both OHV recreation and natural resources for generations to come.

 

Has Travel Planning Become a Mental Squirrel Cage?

Bruce Babbitt, former Secretary of the Interior (Clinton Admin), once said, “The Planning Process IS the Product.”  After spending the last few weeks on various federal units working events and reviewing their OHV management prescriptions, I could not disagree more with Babbitt’s statement.

It has been my experience over the last 22 years that often times travel planning processes have and are being used as a tool to restrict or ban legitimate OHV use.  In other cases, agency staff has crafted plans in a futile effort to avoid lawsuits from environmental groups.  Sometimes, federal officers have worked hard to designate a functional trail system that both protects the resource while providing a quality OHV recreational experience, but don’t have the resources to implement the plan.

Sadly, the common thread between the aforementioned planning scenarios is that it has diverted agency staff and resources away from what I feel the goal of any travel planning process should be – on the ground management of the trail.   What good is a planning effort if there is no staff or money to maintain, construct, or reconstruct a trail? 

Sure, planning efforts are important as they help guide or direct the unit when it comes to management of the area.  However, it appears that in some cases…the planning effort has simply become a mental squirrel cage where people look busy (and they are) as the previous planning process has led to yet another planning process that drains precious staff time away from actually getting out-on-the-ground and taking care of the trail.

I think it would be wise for agency staff and stakeholders to remember that the travel planning product is on-the-ground management of our route system vs. an endless cycle of planning.

# # #

HQ ACTION ALERT - Send in Comments on NV Pine Nut NRA Designation - Due Jan. 6!

                                    Let's Designate this OHV site as a National Recreation Area!
OK you guys and gals, vacation is over and its time to hit trail access issues again. Our good friends over at the Pine Nut Mountains Trail Association have been working hard on a multi-faceted land-use proposal near Carson City, NV. It is what I call your newer 21st Century land bill that should have something in it for all interest groups.

Info on Douglas County Lands Bill
http://www.douglascountynv.gov/sites/main/lands_bill.cfm

On the West side of Douglas County there is a proposal for watershed conservation-protection and on the East side is a Wilderness proposal. However, right in the middle is the popular Pine Nut Mountains where there is a lot of historic OHV recreation. Off-roaders also come from CA and OR to ride there.

PNMTA has come up with a proposal so that OHV recreation is protected by asking Congress to designate that site as a National Recreation Area where OHV use is a prescribed use. They are asking riders who frequent the area to contact Douglas County officials and the project’s facilitators. Yes, I FAXed and emailed in my letter already – it was easy.


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SAMPLE LETTER (add your own personal information such as where you live, etc)


Douglas County Commission
PO Box 218
Minden, NV 89423
FAX: 775.782.6255

Dear Douglas County Commissioners,

I live in XYZ and enjoy riding OHVs in the Pine Nut Mountains. I support your efforts in creating the Douglas County Conservation Bill. I believe that a win-win land-use bill can be created by the Douglas County Commission. Douglas County can accomplish this by requesting the BLM Pine Nut Mountains Management Area be designated by Congress as a National Recreation Area.

Motorized OHV recreation should be a prescribed use based on the current existing road and trail network. Without this designation, I am concerned that a future Congressional Bill could enlarge the proposed Burbank Canyon Wilderness into the current OHV riding area

I believe this will permanently protect Douglas County’s reputation as a top quality outdoor recreation area. It will also provide long-term financial benefits to the local economy.

Best regards,

John Q OHVer

Addresss
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Send to:


Douglas County Lead
Lisa Granahan - lgranahan@co.douglas.nv.us

Dominique and Jacques are the contractors collecting the comments.

dominique@legacylandandwater.com
jacques@legacylandandwater.com


Douglas County Commissioners.
Gregg Lynn - glynn@co.douglas.nv.us
Lee Bonner - lbonner@co.douglas.nv.us
Doug Johnson - dougnjohnson@charter.net
Nancy McDermid - nmcdermid@co.douglas.nv.us
Mike Olson - molson@co.douglas.nv.us

Thanks for taking time to weigh in on this important issue.

Happy New Year!

ROV Online Course - Get Educated About Side by Sides

The Recreation HQ spends a lot of time alerting riders to various land-use issues as they relate to OHV recreation. Recently, HQ came across an online educational program designed to promote responsible ROV recreation.
*

PHOTOs: Upper Left - E-Course Test Certificate, Upper Right - ROVs/ATVs on Kipu Ranch Tour

*
Link to News Release with Online Course
http://www.rohva.org/PressRoom.aspx

Trail and vehicle education is important at HQ. The Quiet Warrior took this test today and feels it offers the ROV/UTV newbie some valuable "rules of the trail" to help keep users safe. Even experienced ROVers will benefit from taking the course. TG and his wife are big fans of ROVs and while on vacation on Kauai took an ROV/ATV tour of the Kipu Ranch.

Kipu Ranch ROV/ATV Tours
http://www.kiputours.com/

HQ believes ROVs are a great way for families to enjoy the great outdoors and getting boned up on the right way do use these vehicles makes a lot of sense. The Quiet Warrior suggests this course will be of benefit to the recreational users as well as agency and law enforcement staff who are new to ROV use.

OHV Recreation, Tourism, and Land Trusts

Every once in a blue moon, some good news comes to the OHV community. According to a Wall Street Journal article today, a growing number of counties and states are warming to OHV/ATV/UTV tourism and are designating trails and access corridors to facilitate said use.

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Photo is of ATV/UTV Tour Program at

Kipu Ranch in Hawaii - Don and Ellen Amador drove a UTV on this tour

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WSJ Article (quote from BRC)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124831007584074147.html#mod=todays_us_page_one

The General has long believed that managed OHV recreation can bring real dollars to local economies and is an activity that should be encouraged by lawmakers, users, and government officials.

Another concept that should be embraced by the OHV community is the development of
a recreation-oriented land trust that can acquire and/or manage high quality lands that are coming on the market (i.e. surplus timber lands and other properties). The goal of the conservation/recreation land trust would be to acquire/manage lands in a manner that protects resources and critical habitat while allowing some form of recreation (motorized and/or non-motorized as appropriate) and public access to occur. The land trust could also act as a holding entity until a government agency could get legislation passed and monies appropriated to purchase the property.

In the midst of all the gloom, maybe there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

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