USFS MOVES TO DEVELOP MOTORCYCLE TRAIL IN PROPOSED
WILDERNESS
Alert date: November 2, 1999
ALERT: USFS MOVES TO DEVELOP MOTORCYCLE TRAIL IN PROPOSED
WILDERNESS
LETTERS NEEDED BY DECEMBER 1
This alert contains six items:
1) What's At Stake
2) What You Can Do
3) Points to Make
4) Sender/More Information
5) Background
6) Sample Letter
Please forward this alert to interested parties.
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WHAT'S AT STAKE
The US Forest Service's Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre-Gunnison (GMUG)
National Forest is preparing to release their Final Environmental
Impact Statement (FEIS) for Travel Management on the Uncompahgre
National Forest, including the Unaweep proposed wilderness. In spite
of numerous requests by citizens and federal wilderness legislation
which seeks permanent protection for this area, Bob Storch (GMUG
forest supervisor) is planning to develop a motorcycle trail through
the heart of Unaweep as well as establishing two other motorized
routes in important roadless areas--Longs Canyon and Dallas Creek.
The proposed Unaweep wilderness is an incredible area which forms an
ecological transition from cactus and sage into aspen and spruce. The
proposed wilderness includes both Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and
US Forest Service lands. The Unaweep Canyon includes steep granite
cliffs, and a diversity of vegetation from Ponderosa pine to
cottonwoods, willows, gambol oak and pinion-juniper woodlands. From
atop the canyon ridge, visitors enjoy spectacular views of Utah's La
Sal and Abajo Mountains, Lone Cone Peak, and Unaweep Canyon. The
proposed wilderness area includes at least three occurrences of rare
and sensitive species.
The Unaweep area is included in federal wilderness legislation (HR
829), the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1999. The Forest Service should
manage this area to protect its wilderness suitability.
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WHAT YOU CAN DO
Please send a letter to the GMUG supervisor Bob Storch asking that he
provide true recreational balance on the Uncompahgre Plateau, protect
potential wilderness, and act to preserve the little intact large
habitat which remains in the Uncompahgre National Forest.
The FEIS is expected out in December, please get your letters in by
December 1.
Send or email your letter to:
Bob Storch, Forest Supervisor
Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre-Gunnison National Forest
2250 Highway 50
Delta, CO 81416
EMAIL: frontdesk/r2_gmug@fs.fed.us
Please also send a copy of your comments to:
Lyle Laverty, RegionalForester
Rocky Mountain Region, U.S. Forest Service
Box 25127
Lakewood, CO 80225
and to: Colorado Environmental Coalition West Slope Office
1000 N. 9th Street #29
Grand Junction, CO 81501
Or EMAIL: Pete1@cecenviro.org
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POINTS TO MAKE
· TELL MR. STORCH THAT YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS NEED NON-MOTORIZED
AREAS ON THE NATIONAL FOREST. Developing motorized trails in the last
few non-motorized areas threatens your backcountry opportunities,
including hunting, fishing, quiet hiking, camping, picnicking, etc.
Your family and friends deserve opportunities to escape the dangers
and damage of motor vehicles. A plethora of motorized opportunities
will remain on the Uncompahgre Plateau. Demand that the USFS provide
meaningful recreational balance.
· REMIND MR. STORCH THAT DEER POPULATIONS ON THE PLATEAU HAVE
PLUMMETED IN THE LAST DECADE. Wildlife need security zones where they
can escape the stress of motor vehicles. Roadless and non-motorized
lands provide important habitat for deer, elk and other wildlife.
Demand that the USFS keep the few roadless and non-motorized areas
that way, for wildlife and the other values such areas protect.
· MENTION THAT THE USFS IS REQUIRED BY LAW AND EXECUTIVE ORDER TO
AVOID ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE AND USER CONFLICTS FROM OFF-ROAD VEHICLES.
Most of us who spend time on public lands have seen the increasing
impacts from motorized vehicles. Ask that the USFS mitigate this
problem through keeping motor vehicles out of ALL non-motorized and
roadless areas on the forest. Clearly the majority of this and all
our public lands will remain open to motorized use. Demand balance on
our public lands.
· THE UNAWEEP IS PART OF FEDERAL WILDERNESS LEGISLATION. The Unaweep
area is included in the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1999 (HR 829).
Only Congress can designate wilderness. The Forest Service should not
thwart Congressional authority through developing a motorized trail
through the heart of a proposed wilderness area. Demand that the USFS
respect the authority of Congress and manage this area to protect its
wilderness character.
· LOCATE MOTORIZED ROUTES TO MINIMIZE RESOURCE DAMAGE, USER CONFLICT
AND WILDLIFE IMPACTS. Federal law requires agencies to carefully
locate motorized routes to avoid impacts to potential wilderness and
other adverse effects. Motor vehicles and wilderness are simply
incompatible. Developing a motorcycle trail through one of the few
remaining roadless areas on the Uncompahgre Plateau is BAD MANAGEMENT.
Demand better from you public agencies!
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SENDER - For more information contact:
Pete Kolbenschlag--West Slope Field Director
Colorado Environmental Coalition
1000 N. 9th St. #29
Grand Junction, CO 81501
970-243-0002
970-243-0413 (fax)
EMAIL: Pete1@cecenviro.org
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BACKGROUND
The Plateau portion of the Uncompahgre National Forest has few
non-motorized areas where people (and animals) can escape motor
vehicles. And even fewer which could become wilderness. The Forest
Service plan will develop motorized routes through two of the three
unprotected roadless areas on the Plateau (Unaweep and Longs Canyon)
and through an important roadless area on the Mountain portion of the
Uncompahgre National Forest.
Motorized impacts on public lands are growing at an alarming rate.
While some offices of federal agencies are working to get a hold on
the problem, others are seeking to open yet more areas to motorized
recreation. At the behest of well-funded motorized interest groups,
some public land officials are working to push into the few remaining
roadless and non-motorized public lands.
Motorized vehicles cause significant damage to our public lands and
wildlife. Proximity to motorized routes have been shown to adversely
impact everything from deer and elk populations to archeological
sites. For Coloradans who enjoy quiet in the outdoors, who want to
escape the noises and stress of motor vehicles, and for wildlife which
need non-motorized "security zones" to survive, there is perhaps no
more important issue than ensuring our few roadless public lands stay
roadless and non-motorized.
Polls and user surveys in Colorado have consistently shown that
non-motorized trails are in higher demand than motorized trails. On
whole, more Coloradans enjoy hiking, biking and other non-motorized
forms of recreation than those who enjoy off-roading. And yet
motorized use continues to take precedent in most land use planning
processes. The Uncompahgre Plateau offers a telling example. Only
four roadless areas of significant size remain on the Plateau. With
the release of the FEIS for travel management, the USFS is expected to
develop motorized trails through the heart of two of these areas.
For members of the public who support wilderness, the plans for the
Unaweep Motor Cycle trail is particularly disturbing. Unaweep is
included in federal wilderness legislation (HR 829). Developing a
motorcycle trail not only potentially threatens the wilderness
character (naturalness, wildlife values, solitude, backcountry
recreation), but also encourages a constituency which then asserts a
"right" to motorized use of the areas. The Forest Service should know
this, but so far they refuse to acknowledge this basic fact.
In addition to developing a motorcycle trail through Unaweep, the
Forest Service also plans to develop a trail through Longs Canyon (one
of the other two unprotected roadless areas on the Plateau). On the
Mountain portion of the Uncompahgre National Forest, the FEIS would
develop a motorcycle trail in the Dallas Creek area, providing
motorized access up to the base and boundary of the Mt. Sneffels
wilderness.
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SAMPLE LETTER
This letter provides an example of how comments might incorporate the
main points listed above. Remember, it is always best to write in
your own words and illustrate your argument with your own experiences.
Also, provide a little background on yourself and describe why you
think protecting natural landscapes, roadless lands or opportunities
for primitive recreation is important.
Bob Storch, Forest Supervisor
Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre-Gunnison National Forest
2250 Highway 50
Delta, CO 81416
Dear Supervisor Storch:
Please accept and fully consider my input into the upcoming travel
management plan for the Uncompahgre National Forest. Although the
public comment period has ended, I hope you will carefully consider
the needs of the non-motorized public in formulating a balanced and
well-reasoned range of recreational opportunities for the forest.
Unfortunately it seems a minority of forest users--the motorized
crowd--has your ear. This is particularly the case on the Plateau
portion of the Uncompahgre National Forest. I am worried that the few
remaining roadless areas on the Plateau will be forever degraded by
USFS plans to develop motorcycle trails in the Unaweep and Longs
Canyon areas.
My family and I need places where we can enjoy the backcountry free
from the dangers, noise and damage of motor vehicles. These places
are becoming more rare and harder to find. And while many motorized
users are responsible, many others are not. Damage from irresponsible
motorized use is growing at an alarming rate. Please keep our
roadless lands non-motorized to mitigate the impacts to other areas.
Do not wait until the roadless portions of our public lands become
scarred and damaged before acting to address this problem. Please
provide now for a reasonable balance of uses on our public lands.
Already motorized use is allowed on the vast majority of our public
lands. My family has fewer and fewer places to go to escape the
over-bearing presence of motor vehicles. We enjoy backpacking,
camping and picnicking on our public lands, in places where we do not
need to fear for our safety or peace of mind. Federal law requires
the USFS to minimize user conflicts on public lands. Developing a
motor cycle trail through one of the few remaining roadless areas is
simply not the way to accomplish this mandate. Rather the USFS should
move to close remaining roadless areas to all motor vehicles.
Plentiful opportunities will remain for motorized users on our public
lands. I believe my family and friends deserve an opportunity to
enjoy these lands as well.
The Unaweep area is proposed for wilderness in federal legislation, HR
829. Only Congress can designate wilderness. The USFS should manage
this area to protect its wilderness character and the authority of
Congress. To develop a motorized trail through this area not only
threatens the wilderness character (naturalness, wildlife values,
solitude, backcountry recreation) but also creates a motorized
constituency which then asserts a "right" to this land. I would hope
that you and your staff are astute enough to realize this obvious
fact.
Once again, I must emphasize my strong objections to your plans to
develop motorized trails in the heart of the roadless lands on the
Uncompahgre Plateau, particularly in the Unaweep area. The spreading
damage to public lands from irresponsible motorized use is painfully
clear. And yet the USFS seems intent on opening yet more pristine
areas for the benefit of this vocal minority. The Dallas Creek trail
on the forest portion of the Uncompahgre national Forest is another
case in point. Here the USFS plans to develop a motorcycle trail up
to the very boundary of the Mt. Sneffels Wilderness. It is only
predictable that soon the USFS will complain about its inability to
monitor this area from illegal motorized trespass. Please manage for
balance on our public lands, and keep motorized use out of all
roadless areas. Thank you for your consideration of my concerns.
Please let me know how all this is decided.
Sincerely,
Your name and address
This document was prepared by Wild
Wilderness. To learn more about ongoing industry-backed congressional
efforts to motorize, commercialize, and privatize America's public lands,
contact:
Scott Silver, Executive Director,
Wild Wilderness
248 NW Wilmington Avenue, Bend OR 97701
Phone (541) 385-5261 E-mail: ssilver@wildwilderness.org