Motor Vehicle Route Designation
Update - February 21, 2006
Forest Supervisor's Message
OHV riding is one of the most popular recreational activities on the Mendocino National Forest and many people have strong interest in how our program is managed. We are currently in the middle of a nationwide Forest Service process that will enable all national forests to designate and maintain a route system that is environmentally and economically sustainable and manageable.
We are actively reaching out to our Forest users and other people who have an interest in the Mendocino National Forest to help us identify how to adjust and improve our current designated route system. Your input is very important to us and there are many ways for you to participate. We'll be having some public workshops and will also be glad to hear from you through email, in writing, or in person.
I hope you will take the time to get involved in this process. Please join us and stay involved.
Gabe Garcia
Acting Forest Supervisor
Status of Inventory Validation
Back in 2004 we had contractors inventory routes that showed evidence of use by wheeled vehicles, but which were not part of either our classified road or designated OHV trail systems. We put what they found onto maps in 2005, and asked the public to identify any routes that may have been missed.
We initially asked that people get back to us by July, but the unusually long, wet spring prompted us to extend the deadline to October. By October we had received tentative "missing route" information from eight individuals and groups.
We completed the process of validating that information in December 2005. Validation involved reviewing the information and determining whether the submitted "missing routes" met the criteria for being added to the inventory. In order to be added, there must be evidence of wheeled vehicle use that extends for at least 200 feet.
The final route inventory maps are now available on our web site. http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/mendocino/projects/ohv/maps/
What is the Next Step?
Between January and September we will be working with interested people to develop a "proposed action". This proposed action, along with reasonable alternatives, is what will go through the environmental analysis process.
The Mendocino National Forest already has a designated motorized route system. So, our proposed action will take the form of proposed changes to that system, rather than starting from scratch.
We will hold two rounds of public workshops this year to help with the process. For each round, workshops will be held at both Ukiah and Willows, on separate Saturdays. Hopefully this will give most people who are interested a chance to attend. People who can't make it to the workshops will be able to provide input to us by mail or email, as usual. If you can't make it to a scheduled workshop, you can contact us to get copies of any informational materials that were provided (see contact information at the end of the newsletter).
The first round workshops are scheduled for February 25th in Ukiah, and March 4th in Willows. We will be doing two basic things. First, we will provide some basic background information, such as budget history, desired conditions, known improvement needs, and applicable management standards. Second, we will break into groups to discuss what needs there are for making changes to the existing system.
The second round of workshops will probably be held in early summer. These workshops will focus on developing a pool of specific activities that can address the needs for change that were identified at the round-1 workshops and from other sources, such as mailed-in public input.
The Forest Supervisor will then select some of the feasible and timely activities from this pool to be the proposed action. If all goes well, this should happen by October.
Access to Dispersed Camps
One important need for change is to provide access for dispersed camps. These are the undeveloped spots where people have pulled their vehicles off the road and camped over the years. Many of these camps are accessed by short routes that are not currently designated for motorized use.
If motorized access routes to such camps are not designated, people will not be able to continue to access them legally with their vehicles. This could have quite a negative impact on our capacity to provide dispersed camping opportunities. We would like to minimize such impacts by designating access during this process to the extent that is practical and environmentally sound.
You can help by letting us know the locations of your favorite dispersed camp sites. You can print off the quarter quad map(s) that are posted on our route designation web page, mark the location(s), and send the map(s) in to us.
Public Involvement Design Team
We have enlisted several volunteers from last year's public meetings to assist with planning and conducting public involvement. If you have suggestions for better involving the public in the process, please let us know (see contact information below).
Let Us Hear from You
Do you -
- Have an issue or information that is important to consider regarding route designation?
- Have a comment on something in this update?
- Want to check out a rumor that you have heard?
If so, please contact Mike Van Dame:
Telephone - (530) 934-1141
Email - mvandame@fs.fed.us
Address - 825 N. Humboldt Avenue, Willows, CA 95988
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