Forest Service Planning Rule-changes might affect you

[BIG JAKE]

Apology in advance if there has already been a post on this already. I was talking to dad yesterday and he said the paper had an article in it about the US Forest Service. They are looking at changing the access rules on public lands, among others. One of the the changes is you can't go offroad anymore with your truck to retrieve game animals and may also affect getting firewood/milling lumber, and or camping too.
It seems like the strongest voice at meetings and with FS policy changes are orgs like the Sierra Club. I'd think it might be best if we help turn that around. While I do agree we should be good stewards of the lands, I don't condone eliminating access to the point where you fence it off so all you can do is look at it from a distance.

The new rules aren't set in stone, and the USFS is taking comments in written form, and they have meetings. Say what you think, but say something.
If you want input on the new policies, now is the time.

Planning Rule Home

 

[1harlowr]

I don't believe all Fed land needs "fenced off". I do believe four wheelers are ruining thousands of acres in the west. I do get burned up when I'm elk hunting miles from the nearest roads and having four wheelers zip by running the elk off the mountain.
If people were more responsible with their vehicles, groups like the Sierra Club wouldn't be involved. Problem is the one irresponsible out of 100 messes things up from the rest

 

[mtngun]

I do believe four wheelers are ruining thousands of acres in the west. I do get burned up when I'm elk hunting miles from the nearest roads and having four wheelers zip by running the elk off the mountain.

If people were more responsible with their vehicles, groups like the Sierra Club wouldn't be involved.

Exactly. If it were ONLY vehicles retrieving game, or going 50 feet off the road to load up firewood, it probably wouldn't be an issue.

Problem is the one irresponsible out of 100 messes things up from the rest

Maybe 1 out of 100 is irresponsible in your neck of the woods, but it's more like 99 out of 100 here.

I'd like to see MORE restrictions on off-road vehicles. It's a huge problem.

I admit, I bend the rules, too, and will often drive 100 feet or so off the road so I don't have to carry wood as far. But it's not like I'm buzzing around off road all day long, which is what the ATV crowd does.

 

[RPM]

The only problem that you run into with pushing for more restrictions on one user group (especially ATV) is that everyone loses the access.

In my experience, if the road is our responsibility/liability and there are issues over access we have resorted to deactivating road systems. These would be areas that we do not have timber harvesting plans for an extended time frame ...10-20 years out and so we pull the bridges, culverts and water bar / x-ditch everything so drainage courses are put back where they belong and then walk away. We are very mountainous in this area so when we are done the only way in is on foot....and no I don't work for the FS. Timber companies mostly build the logging roads here and are responsible for their use and maintenance and the inherent liabilities that go along with them.

Land ownership is different here as well though with the majority being crown land (public) vs private in the US. Less accessible land and more people I can appreciate that there are more bad apples to spoil the bunch.

Restricting ATV access is not possible without restricting vehicle access so be cautious with what you wish for. People always talk about educating the different user groups but unfortunately with some people you just cant fix stupid!

 

[mtngun]

There are few places the ATV's cannot and do not go, though current law restricts them to trails and roads.

I've seen ATV tracks on tops of mountains and ridges, far from the nearest trails and roads. They go cross country, even though it's against the law.

Worse, there are de-facto trails where no trails existed before, due to heavy ATV traffic.

Most of the ATV traffic is recreational riding or what passes for hunting. It's not retrieving game or collecting firewood.

 

[BIG JAKE]

Yeah, the ATV's (rather, the people)are a problem here too-same issues. I own one, by the way, but it rarely gets used. Not of much use when by law you must stick to the roads. I have a trailer I may have to use with the ATV down the road if my knee wears out completely. I'd give it up though if it meant eliminating all of em' from the forest, but I doubt if that will happen any time soon. I remember the days when the only thing you'd see is the occasional pickup truck, now many ATV's running around tearing things up on weekends, so I go during the week when I have the place largely to my self. In any case, I've RSVP'd the F.S. to attend a meeting to see what's going on.