We must formally appeal the White River plan - NOW!!!

[Stephen]

Hi folks. The "final" White River forest plan was recently released, and I was shocked to find out that some 4wd roads are already destined for closure. I had been led to believe that there would be a separate "travel management" plan developed--and involving public input on specific roads--after the final forest management plan was released.

It turns out that they changed the "zoning" of parts of the forest, and those changes will automatically close some roads--without public input, and regardless of the "travel management plan" yet to be developed.

While the list is not large, it is still a matter of principle that we have no public input on this. The list also happens to include one of my favorite trails, a short 1 mile spur into Horseshoe Basin near Keystone/Montezuma. It is slated to be closed on July 8, 2002.

Please take the time to read pages 43-45 of the "signed Record of Decision" for the White River Plan. You can find it at

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/whiteriver/rfp/ROD/signed_ROD.PDF

The main White River Plan documents are at

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/whiteriver/rfp/White_river.htm

The trail I am interested in is 260.1 and its derivatives. It's not a hard trail or a long trail, but it is one of the best places I know along the Front Range where you can drive to such a high concentration of summer wildflowers. If anyone has been there, and seen how nice it is, please let me know.

I feel so strongly about this, that I am going to formally file an appeal, but I'm sure my lone voice won't make a difference. (The appeal process is explained on page 46 of the above document.)

Even if "my" trail isn't your favorite trail, there is still a principle at stake here. Please let me know if you will help with this, and also if there are other important or influential people or forums you know of that I should contact about this issue.

I believe all formal appeals must be filed by the end of June, so we don't have much time.

Thanks.

--Stephen

[TTBlows]

I'd gladly help, but already took a hit in atty's fees from the failed Fee Demo appeal (financially speaking at least).

I'd contact BRC or maybe USA-ALL, but I don't think they operate outside of Utah.

[TTBlows]

.... but I do understand that any individual can appeal. LMK what you come up with

[Stephen]

honney,

Thanks for the replies.

Based on the lack of other responses, I'd say this board is either complacent or burned out on land issues. I can understand the latter, but complacency is a bad thing.

I've done some research, and I intend to file a formal appeal, hopefully using the Forest Service's own guidelines as my defense (or offense, I suppose).

I'd say all offroaders would do well to at least browse the White River Forest plan documents found at

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/whiteriver/rfp/White_river.htm

There are a bunch of documents there, but I think
the 3 most relevant ones are

The "Forest Plan"
The "Record of Decision"
The maps

The Forest Plan document (combined with the maps--which unfortunately are very large files) describes the "zoning" (aka "Management Prescriptions") for each area of the forest. With my intimate knowledge of some of the forest areas, I believe they have improperly zoned several areas. In this particular case, they applied a zoning that should only be relevant when there is very little evidence of human activity in the area.

Well, that is not true here! There are many mines in the area, there is a very established road in the area--and it's used regularly, and there is private property, and a water diversion tunnel through the Continental Divide in this area. The private property and the water diversion tunnel mean that at least some people will continue to use the road, but now under permit. However, for this zoning to apply, any roads in the area must be decommissioned. Clearly, that will not be happening!

This is an example of why I think all offroaders would do well to look at these 3 documents. While it's impossible for any single person to be intimately familiar with all 2 million acres of the White River Forest, together, we can combine our knowledge of specific areas, and at least check if they've zoned things appropriately.

This may sound complicated, but it's approaching the subject based on the Forest Service's own rules, and I think if they are even somewhat honest, they'll have to take a second look at contested areas.

It's certainly more compelling than just jumping up and down and saying, "I really want this particular area to stay open!"

Unfortunately, the appeal deadline is imminent, so anyone who's interested has to act fast. I intend to file my appeal early next week.

From now on, I plan to stay more on top of this stuff, so that deadlines don't catch me by surprise again....

--Stephen