Pacific Southwest Region |
In 2003, the Forest Service in California outlined a strategy for establishing a sustainable system of designated routes for motor vehicle use, known as Route Designation. In 2005, the Forest Service issued a national framework for local forests to use in designating a sustainable system of roads, trails and areas for motor vehicle use. In order to align with the new national framework, Route Designation became Travel Management. The goal remains the same, to secure a wide range of recreation opportunities while ensuring the best possible care of the land. 
The Pacific Southwest Region of the U.S. Forest Service is engaged in a national travel management program to designate routes for wheeled motorized vehicle use. The purpose is to enhance management of National Forest System resources including motorized transportation systems. As a concerned member of the public engaged in Forest Service issues, we would like to work with you to ensure your participation in the process. To locate Route Designation contacts for a specific National Forest, please use their Route Designation home page or contact the Forest directly. For more information about Route Designation from the Region 5 (California) Office, please contact: U.S. Forest Service
Background InformationThe 2005 Travel Management Rule requires each National Forest to identify and designate those roads, trails and areas that are open to motor vehicle use. The final product is a Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM). Motor vehicle use on roads, trails and areas shall be designated by vehicle class and, if applicable, time of year on the MVUM. Travel off of designated routes for a specified distance may be allowed specifically for the purposes of dispersed camping or the retrieval of big game. However, we do not anticipate designations for big game retrieval in this Region. Our CommitmentThe Forest Service is committed to complete Travel Management decisions within a reasonable timeframe. The timeline for completion of the MVUM for National Forests in California is September 2008. This date was determined for Region 5 based on earlier initiation of a travel management/route designation Memorandum of Intent (MOI) with California State Parks. Next StepsThe majority of the National Forests in Region 5 will be preparing Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) to analyze for the prohibition of cross-country travel by motorized wheeled vehicles, and if needed, any changes, additions, or deletions of roads, trails or areas to the National Forest Transportation System (NFTS) as a part of Travel Management Rule Implementation. NEPA decisions and the implementation of the Travel Management NEPA actions are the short term objective. Decisions and MVUM maps represent the first in our long term objective of implementing the travel management rule to reduce the environmental impacts associated with public wheeled motor vehicle use on NFS lands and develop an affordable and sustainable system of roads, trails and areas for public motorized use. Monthly Events Calendar
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