Coronado National Forest

Travel Management Rule Implementation Update

The Forest Service’s final travel management rule of November 9, 2005, revised regulations in 36 CFR, parts 212, 251, 261 and 295 to require designation of roads, trails, and areas for motor vehicle use on each national forest.

• Designation will include class of vehicle and, if appropriate, time of year. A given route, for example, could be designated for use by motorcycles, ATVs, or street-legal vehicles.

• Once designation is complete, the rule will prohibit motor vehicle use off the designated system or inconsistent with the designations.

• Designation decisions will be made locally, with public input and in coordination with state, local, and tribal governments.

The Coronado National Forest’s Land and Resource Management Plan as amended, already prohibits cross-country motorized travel.  Driving up to 300 feet to camp is allowed along most roads.  In many parts of the forest, topography limits the ability of campers to drive off the road, but the 300 foot designated distance corridor may not be appropriate on all roads.  On some roads the forest will propose that motorized camping only be allowed in designated sites.  These roads already have well established dispersed campsites that are easily identified.

Management of motorized use is an adaptive process and once Motor Vehicle Use Maps showing the entire public road system are in place, they will be updated on an annual basis.

Since December 2006, four open house meetings have been held forest-wide to give the public the opportunity to view maps of the existing road system and to provide input on individual routes.  Route information was collected on such things as unique recreation opportunities, specific vehicle class opportunities, access to significant locations, and dispersed camping opportunities.  We also collected information about environmental and safety concerns related to particular roads.  A diverse group of individuals, special interest groups, permitees, tribes and agencies have provided detailed information and input on the road system. The forest is also completing a transportation system analysis for each ecosystem management area.

The forest has also collected input relative to travel management through the forest plan revision process and this is being considered in the development of our proposed action for the motorized transportation system as well. Some preliminary issues include:

• Improvement of motorized recreation management, enforcement and education
  
• Preservation of quiet recreation opportunities
  
• Preservation of motorized recreation opportunities
  
• Protection of natural and cultural resources
  
• Implementation and enforcement of the travel management plan

Any changes to the motorized transportation system are subject to National Environmental Policy Act analysis.  A proposed action for the Santa Catalina and Nogales Ranger Districts is expected to be released for public comment by January 2009.  The proposed action for the Douglas, Safford and Sierra Vista Ranger Districts is scheduled to be available for comment in summer, 2009.

For more information, to provide comments, or to get on the mailing list contact Laura White, Travel Management Coordinator, 300 W. Congress, Tucson, AZ 85701
Ph: 520-388-8419
e-mail: travel_management@fs.fed.us

Links:
                   Coronado NF Travel Management: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coronado/travel/index.shtml

                   Forest Maps: http://maps.fs.fed.us/coronado/mapviewer.jsp

                   Forest Plan Revision: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coronado/plan-revision/index.shtml

USDA Forest Service - Coronado National Forest
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