Press Room

FOREST SERVICE CLARIFIES ROUTE DESIGNATION PROCESS

Contacts:

• Don Amador, BRC Western Representative
  • Phone: (925) 625-6287
  • Fax: (925) 625-5309
  • Email: brdon@sharetrails.org
  • Webpage: http://www.sharetrails.org/staff/#DonA
• Paul Turcke, Esq.
  • Phone: (208) 331-1800
  • Fax: (208) 331-1200
  • Email: pat@msbtlaw.com
• Brian Hawthorne, BRC Public Lands Policy Director
  • Phone: 208-237-1008 (x102)
  • Fax: 208-237-9424
  • Email: brbrian@sharetrails.org
  • Webpage: http://www.sharetrails.org/staff/#BrianH

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VALLEJO, CA (March 27) — In a Memo dated March 23, 2006, the USDA Forest Service clarified the process used to designate roads, trails and areas available for motorized vehicles and mountain bikes. The Memo responds, in part, to concerns raised last year by the BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC), a national trail based advocacy group, about the potential for abuse of "interim" Forest orders and for road and trail designation decisions to occur outside the lawful public planning process. The Memo was addressed to Forest Supervisors and issued by Regional Forester Bernard Weingardt, who oversees the agency's Pacific Southwest Region, which includes National Forest System lands in California.

The Memo states that the purpose of "interim" Forest Orders is to stop resource damage from cross-country travel by prohibiting wheeled vehicles off existing roads and trails. The Memo further explains that Forest Orders "should not be used to close existing roads and trails." BRC supports wheeled vehicles being limited to designated roads, trails and areas but does not support such decisions being made outside the required public planning process.

Paul Turcke, lead counsel for BRC, stated in a letter responding to the Memo, "[u]nfortunately, anti-access interests and even some planners had apparently hoped to feature the use of "interim" orders to restrict vehicle travel on a large-scale basis and as a substitute for proper public involvement and analysis..." and expressed relief that the Memo "properly refocuses on the importance of public planning to address management challenges, and should clearly establish that 'interim' orders are not designed to close 'existing' routes which have historically received vehicle access...."

Turcke's statement concluded by observing, "BlueRibbon and its partners support managed and responsible outdoor recreation, and believe that effective management can often best be attained through communication, cooperation and collaboration between diverse private and public entities. We hope that your recently-issued clarification, along with proper implementation of the Final Rule, will create a planning foundation upon which to create such solutions."

Copies of the above-referenced documents can be downloaded HERE.

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The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible use of public and private lands, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. It represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of over 600,000 recreationists nationwide. 1-800-258-3742. www.sharetrails.org

NOTE TO PUBLISHERS: A higher resolution version of the picture above is available for download at:

http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/PL/RouteDesPic032706