ALL ROADS IN ELDORADO NATIONAL FOREST (CA) TO BE CLOSED...

[Liz ODell]

note from Liz; they want to close the roads from January til March (so have fun cat and fox hunting) its not too late to do something about it, meetings are listed toward the end of this letter...this will prbably be happening on alot of Federal lands

Eldorado National Forest Motorized Routes Designated
Placerville, CA….. Today, Forest Supervisor Ramiro Villalvzao signed his decision designating a total of 1,847 miles of roads and trails open for motorized public use in the Eldorado National Forest. The decision follows two and one half years of environmental analysis and public involvement.

The long anticipated decision also creates a seasonal closure of dirt roads from January 1 to March 31 and allows visitors to safely park their vehicles one car length off a designated route. Villalvazo’s decision adds to the environmental protection of meadows, watersheds, wildlife habitats, and other sensitive areas, and provides quiet recreation opportunities.

“I am pleased to say that we have a new starting point for travel management within the Eldorado National Forest,” said Villalvazo. “My decision is designed to provide access where it is important to Forest visitors and to protect Forest resources. I know we won’t get it exactly right the first time, however, one key to implementing the plan is the opportunity to make changes.”

The newly designated route system will add to the conservation of the Forest environment and provide motorized access for the public. Villalvazo says his final decision met the standards and guidelines found in the Forest’s Land and Resource Management Plan, minimized impacts to meadows, and reduced impacts to stream courses and riparian habitat.
MORE
“The selected routes will add to visitor’s recreational experience in the Forest,” said Villalvazo. “We worked to create a diversity of public motor vehicle opportunities for visitors with ATVs, motorcycles, four wheel drives and other high clearance vehicles, and passenger cars. We created loops where we could, with the use of existing routes; we gave attention to maintaining access to interesting areas, and we provided access for dispersed recreation where it was environmentally possible.”

This summer the Forest Service will continue to allow motor vehicle use on routes displayed on the same free Motor Vehicle Use Restriction map that’s been available at all Eldorado National Forest offices since August 2005. Villalvazo said changing maps after the summer recreation season is over will be the least disruptive to visitors and give them more time to learn about the changes.

The new 2009 motor vehicle use map will display the 1,847 miles designated today plus 334 miles of county roads and state highways and 311 miles of routes previously designated in the Rock Creek area near Georgetown.

Today’s decision allows public motorized use on 1,002 miles of dirt roads and 210 miles of trails; and 635 miles of paved roads suitable for passenger cars. Cross country travel is prohibited. The decision also prohibits public wheeled over the snow travel on the following routes: all designated snow mobile routes and cross country ski trails in the Eldorado National Forest; Mormon Emigrant Road from the junction of Silver Fork Road southeast to the Iron Mountain SnoPark at Highway 88; and Loon Lake Campground Road; Chipmunk Bluff Road and Robbs Peak Road.

Villalvazo said that the three month closure of dirt roads during the historically wet months (January through March) is intended to protect road surfaces and prevent other environmental damage. The Forest Supervisor has the option of closing the roads sooner or leaving them closed longer if weather conditions warrant a change.

MORE


“One of our goals during the environmental analysis was to be responsive to what we learned from the thousands of people who took time to share their insights and information,” said Villalvazo. “Comments and suggestions we received were used to refine our analysis and guide the modification of an alternative which I selected for my decision.”
.
The Forest Service will continue to recruit and welcome people to join the many individuals and organizations currently volunteering to help care for Forest routes.

Four open houses are planned for anyone interested in learning more about the decision at the following locations: El Dorado County Fairgrounds, Placerville –April 5, 9 AM – 3 PM; South Lake Tahoe Community College – April 10, 3 PM – 8 PM; Diablo Canyon Community College, Pleasant Hill – April 12, 9 AM – 3 PM; Amador County Board of Supervisor Office, Jackson – April 17, 3 PM - 8PM.

The Forest Supervisor’s decision, final Environmental Impact Statement, maps, and details about the open houses are posted on the Eldorado National Forest website at: www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado.

[cecil j.]

note from Liz; they want to close the roads from January til March (so have fun cat and fox hunting) its not too late to do something about it, meetings are listed toward the end of this letter...this will prbably be happening on alot of Federal lands

Eldorado National Forest Motorized Routes Designated
Placerville, CA….. Today, Forest Supervisor Ramiro Villalvzao signed his decision designating a total of 1,847 miles of roads and trails open for motorized public use in the Eldorado National Forest. The decision follows two and one half years of environmental analysis and public involvement.

The long anticipated decision also creates a seasonal closure of dirt roads from January 1 to March 31 and allows visitors to safely park their vehicles one car length off a designated route. Villalvazo’s decision adds to the environmental protection of meadows, watersheds, wildlife habitats, and other sensitive areas, and provides quiet recreation opportunities.





Humm, I thought there was big sighns sayen at the bottems of National Forests/ lands of many uses ! I supossed it was because both state,county,federal TAX PAYERS MONEYS WAS USED TO CUT THEM RDS IN THERE and as part of the public that pays tax`s they cant lock ya out by federal law/ if ya can prove just $ 1 us tax payer dollare went in too it !? What do ya think...maybe ????






“I am pleased to say that we have a new starting point for travel management within the Eldorado National Forest,” said Villalvazo. “My decision is designed to provide access where it is important to Forest visitors and to protect Forest resources. I know we won’t get it exactly right the first time, however, one key to implementing the plan is the opportunity to make changes.”

The newly designated route system will add to the conservation of the Forest environment and provide motorized access for the public. Villalvazo says his final decision met the standards and guidelines found in the Forest’s Land and Resource Management Plan, minimized impacts to meadows, and reduced impacts to stream courses and riparian habitat.
MORE
“The selected routes will add to visitor’s recreational experience in the Forest,” said Villalvazo. “We worked to create a diversity of public motor vehicle opportunities for visitors with ATVs, motorcycles, four wheel drives and other high clearance vehicles, and passenger cars. We created loops where we could, with the use of existing routes; we gave attention to maintaining access to interesting areas, and we provided access for dispersed recreation where it was environmentally possible.”

This summer the Forest Service will continue to allow motor vehicle use on routes displayed on the same free Motor Vehicle Use Restriction map that’s been available at all Eldorado National Forest offices since August 2005. Villalvazo said changing maps after the summer recreation season is over will be the least disruptive to visitors and give them more time to learn about the changes.

The new 2009 motor vehicle use map will display the 1,847 miles designated today plus 334 miles of county roads and state highways and 311 miles of routes previously designated in the Rock Creek area near Georgetown.

Today’s decision allows public motorized use on 1,002 miles of dirt roads and 210 miles of trails; and 635 miles of paved roads suitable for passenger cars. Cross country travel is prohibited. The decision also prohibits public wheeled over the snow travel on the following routes: all designated snow mobile routes and cross country ski trails in the Eldorado National Forest; Mormon Emigrant Road from the junction of Silver Fork Road southeast to the Iron Mountain SnoPark at Highway 88; and Loon Lake Campground Road; Chipmunk Bluff Road and Robbs Peak Road.

Villalvazo said that the three month closure of dirt roads during the historically wet months (January through March) is intended to protect road surfaces and prevent other environmental damage. The Forest Supervisor has the option of closing the roads sooner or leaving them closed longer if weather conditions warrant a change.

MORE


“One of our goals during the environmental analysis was to be responsive to what we learned from the thousands of people who took time to share their insights and information,” said Villalvazo. “Comments and suggestions we received were used to refine our analysis and guide the modification of an alternative which I selected for my decision.”
.
The Forest Service will continue to recruit and welcome people to join the many individuals and organizations currently volunteering to help care for Forest routes.

Four open houses are planned for anyone interested in learning more about the decision at the following locations: El Dorado County Fairgrounds, Placerville –April 5, 9 AM – 3 PM; South Lake Tahoe Community College – April 10, 3 PM – 8 PM; Diablo Canyon Community College, Pleasant Hill – April 12, 9 AM – 3 PM; Amador County Board of Supervisor Office, Jackson – April 17, 3 PM - 8PM.

The Forest Supervisor’s decision, final Environmental Impact Statement, maps, and details about the open houses are posted on the Eldorado National Forest website at: www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado.

[cecil j.]

note from Liz; they want to close the roads from January til March (so have fun cat and fox hunting) its not too late to do something about it, meetings are listed toward the end of this letter...this will prbably be happening on alot of Federal lands

Eldorado National Forest Motorized Routes Designated
Placerville, CA….. Today, Forest Supervisor Ramiro Villalvzao signed his decision designating a total of 1,847 miles of roads and trails open for motorized public use in the Eldorado National Forest. The decision follows two and one half years of environmental analysis and public involvement.

The long anticipated decision also creates a seasonal closure of dirt roads from January 1 to March 31 and allows visitors to safely park their vehicles one car length off a designated route. Villalvazo’s decision adds to the environmental protection of meadows, watersheds, wildlife habitats, and other sensitive areas, and provides quiet recreation opportunities.

“I am pleased to say that we have a new starting point for travel management within the Eldorado National Forest,” said Villalvazo. “My decision is designed to provide access where it is important to Forest visitors and to protect Forest resources. I know we won’t get it exactly right the first time, however, one key to implementing the plan is the opportunity to make changes.”

The newly designated route system will add to the conservation of the Forest environment and provide motorized access for the public. Villalvazo says his final decision met the standards and guidelines found in the Forest’s Land and Resource Management Plan, minimized impacts to meadows, and reduced impacts to stream courses and riparian habitat.
MORE
“The selected routes will add to visitor’s recreational experience in the Forest,” said Villalvazo. “We worked to create a diversity of public motor vehicle opportunities for visitors with ATVs, motorcycles, four wheel drives and other high clearance vehicles, and passenger cars. We created loops where we could, with the use of existing routes; we gave attention to maintaining access to interesting areas, and we provided access for dispersed recreation where it was environmentally possible.”

This summer the Forest Service will continue to allow motor vehicle use on routes displayed on the same free Motor Vehicle Use Restriction map that’s been available at all Eldorado National Forest offices since August 2005. Villalvazo said changing maps after the summer recreation season is over will be the least disruptive to visitors and give them more time to learn about the changes.

The new 2009 motor vehicle use map will display the 1,847 miles designated today plus 334 miles of county roads and state highways and 311 miles of routes previously designated in the Rock Creek area near Georgetown.

Today’s decision allows public motorized use on 1,002 miles of dirt roads and 210 miles of trails; and 635 miles of paved roads suitable for passenger cars. Cross country travel is prohibited. The decision also prohibits public wheeled over the snow travel on the following routes: all designated snow mobile routes and cross country ski trails in the Eldorado National Forest; Mormon Emigrant Road from the junction of Silver Fork Road southeast to the Iron Mountain SnoPark at Highway 88; and Loon Lake Campground Road; Chipmunk Bluff Road and Robbs Peak Road.

Villalvazo said that the three month closure of dirt roads during the historically wet months (January through March) is intended to protect road surfaces and prevent other environmental damage. The Forest Supervisor has the option of closing the roads sooner or leaving them closed longer if weather conditions warrant a change.

MORE


“One of our goals during the environmental analysis was to be responsive to what we learned from the thousands of people who took time to share their insights and information,” said Villalvazo. “Comments and suggestions we received were used to refine our analysis and guide the modification of an alternative which I selected for my decision.”
.
The Forest Service will continue to recruit and welcome people to join the many individuals and organizations currently volunteering to help care for Forest routes.

Four open houses are planned for anyone interested in learning more about the decision at the following locations: El Dorado County Fairgrounds, Placerville –April 5, 9 AM – 3 PM; South Lake Tahoe Community College – April 10, 3 PM – 8 PM; Diablo Canyon Community College, Pleasant Hill – April 12, 9 AM – 3 PM; Amador County Board of Supervisor Office, Jackson – April 17, 3 PM - 8PM.

The Forest Supervisor’s decision, final Environmental Impact Statement, maps, and details about the open houses are posted on the Eldorado National Forest website at: www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado.

Did ya look at the idea of the blm sighns and USF sighns / land of many uses and the law reads if ya can prove just one us tax dollar was spent on putting in that rd ya have the right too access it because the land is for all uses includeing hunting by persuite not just dispatch.

Ronnie Monroe weighd that and brought it up at the big game commission meeting for our club and for CHC in repersenting it and we won because of the intent of the government for the tax payers uses of the BLM & National Forest vas holding belongs too the tax payers/ exempt from special interests groups and behond touch too change by DFG .
Good luck with fighting the proposed change for the huntwers in Ca. and the onlyest reasons they have too try too change hings is DFG has somehow learned about the migratory biggame trail in the mtns and how the lion,bear feed along it mygrateing back in forth following the food chain deer,pig,elk, etc in their own myrgration schedualling movements !
Icred the proposed DFG state thinkings on southern Ca too santuaryize it all of limits for the same reasonings and its animals rights again and they are seaking too lobby the biggame comission in this attempts to shutdown hunting with hounds. Your fighting a planned movement but ya can use their own figures on em to show game is doing just fine the preditors are in large numbers and the hound hunters arn`t they dispatching out of season, nor when there is no dispatch season/pursuite is fair and a heritage sport right thing and all that!
good luck

[Liz ODell]

The best thing to do in this case is to go to all the 'open house' meetings that the feds will hold for their OHV designation process and voice your opinions - and of course get other folks to do this as well. Also letter writing to the Forest Supervisor of each forest and the BLM land manager of each unit...if they continue and you/we don't like it then we get into the realm of formal appeals, injunctions and lawsuits. That is the only way you can get the feds to listen. These new OHV designations have nothing to do with the Fish and Game departments or any other agency other than the United States Department of Agriculture which runs USFS and BLM. The head Washington office told all federal lands to come up with a new OHV route designation plan...basically they are claiming they are broke (gee, I wonder why?) and need to spend less money on roads...the clincher is that it costs less to maintain a road than it does to 'decommission' (destroy) a road. Every National Forest and the BLM has a website and if you go to the website you can find out what is going on with the OHV route designation on that forest or unit. You can also find out who to comment to and when meetings will be. This is going on nation wide...

[easttenngator]

Liz I will have to look it up but Bush just passed a new act allowing more acess to fed land to hunt, not to let them close it to us. Around here only one park road is closed to us, the rest of the gate stay open until after bear season and we are going to talk to them about leaving open till the end of coon season