Local USFS Planning Update

[Grumpy]

The Okanogan-Wenatchee and Colville National Forests have releasaed their first document for updating their Forest Plans.

Check this website for more information:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsint ... 9_AI8zPyhQ oY6BdkOyoCAGixyPg!/?ss=110617&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=FSBDEV3_053653&navid=130100000000000&pnavid=130000000000000&position=Feature*&ttype=detail&pname=Okanogan-Wenatchee%20National%20Forest-%20Planning

(sorry for the long website address, but this is the new way the USFS does their websites!)

For those of you who are not familiar with the Forest Plan, it is the document that provides general guidance for the management of a national forest. They are required to be updated at least every 15 years or sooner if needed.

The Proposed Action was issued on June 30th with comments due not later than August 29th.

It is available here:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsint ... 9_AI8zPyhQ oYAOUjMeXDfODy-HWHg-zDrx8kb4ADOBro-3nk56bqF-RGGGSZOCoCAPi8eX8!/dl3/d3/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS9ZQnZ3LzZfMjAwMDAwMDBBODBPSEhWTjJNMD AwMDAwMDA!/?navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=stelprdb5312516&navid=130100000000000&pnavid=130000000000000&ss=110617&position=Not%20Yet%20Determined.Html&ttype=detail&pname=Okanogan-Wenatchee%20National%20Forest-%20Planning

This is not the same as the ongoing Travel Management Planning the forests are working on. However, this document could effect future Travel Management Planning.

The forest plan does not address specific sites in the forest; rather it provides broad concepts as to the future management of an individual forest.

I have done a "first" read of the Proposed Action and do see some concepts that could effect future Travel Management Planning.

If you recreate in the Okanogan-Wenatchee or Colville National Forests, you should take a look at this proposal and submit your comments by the deadline of August 29th.
__________________
Paul
----
Spokane WA
=====================


Member of:
Washington Off Highway Vehicle Alliance (WOHVA http://www.wohva.org)
North Idaho Trail Blazers (NITB; http://www.nitrailblazers.org)

[Grumpy]

http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsint ... 20Planning





http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsint ... 20Planning

[Grumpy]

WA SAWS News: COW Forest Plan Revision Proposed Action - 238,800 acres recommended for additional Wilderness



WA SAWS Members,



I hope all of you have an enjoyable Independence Day with your family and friends! When your fun and good times are over for the holiday and it is back to the norm, I am requesting and need your help.



As I mentioned in my WA SAWS News email a week ago (Monday June 27), the Forest Service (FS) proposed action for the Colville, Okanogan and Wenatchee (COW) "will most likely contain thousands of acres of Recommended Wilderness Areas (RWA)." Well that turns out to be quite the understatement. It seems the actual number of RWAs is 238,800 acres additional land the FS is recommending for Wilderness. 125,800 acres – Preliminary Administratively Recommended Wilderness (Okanogan/Wenatchee), 12,000 acres - Wilderness Study Area (Okanogan/Wenatchee), and 101,000 Preliminary Administratively Recommended Wilderness (Colville).



This amount of RWAs are not only outrageous, but the fact that there is clearly not a need (as required by law and FS policy) for this amount of additional RWAs in these three forests makes me very angry that the FS would even propose so many acres for wilderness. If the FS had actually done any real planning and studied the facts in front of them during their effort, there would be very little to no areas proposed as RWAs. As a reminder, SAWS does not support ANY additional proposed wilderness in any forest, but clearly some areas in these forest will end up as RWAs in the final Record of Decision (ROD) no matter what SAWS or any other snowmobile pro-access organizations requests, so we need to concentrate on fighting to keep open the areas that are most important to us as snowmobilers. This approach is not a compromise, and does not indicate that some of these areas are OK to lose, but merely a fact that we need to concentrate our attention and time to those areas we care about most.



This is where I need your help. I cannot address this terrible proposal alone without active involvement from our SAWS members. We all need to fight this as a united and determined team or we will lose. It is not a good strategy for any of us to sit back and hope that others will take care of this proposal and that your favorite riding areas in the end will somehow through a miracle remain open to snowmobiling without any effort on your part.



I need your help to identify the areas, be it townships, ranges, sections, drainage basins, valleys, mountains, hills, etc., where you currently ride and why these areas are unique or important to you. This will allow me to not only submit a detailed SAWS comment opposing these areas as RWAs, but I can then also alert our members to some of these areas that could be lost that are of value to snowmobile enthusiasts. And most important; YOU need to tell the FS why these areas are important to you as a snowmobiler. I know the areas I ride that could be lost that are important to me and my family, but I do not have ESP to know the areas that are important to you.



Here is a link to the FS document titled “Preliminary Administrative Wilderness Recommendationâ€

[Grumpy]

U.S. FOREST SERVICE NEWS RELEASE

Colville and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests

Forest Plan Revision

Release Date: July 8, 2011

Contact(s):

Debbie Kelly, Forest Plan Revision Public Affairs Lead, 509-826-3275
Roland Giller, Okanogan-Wenatchee NF Public Affairs Officer, 509-664-9314
Franklin Pemberton, Colville National Forest Public Affairs Officer, 509-684-7177


Colville and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests
Announce Plan Revision Public Scoping Meetings

The Forest Service has scheduled a series of public meetings in July and August to share information about the Draft Proposed Actions for Forest Plan Revision for the Colville and the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests. The Draft Proposed Actions were released on June 30, 2011, initiating a 60-day public comment period that ends August 29, 2011.

The public meetings are intended to help the public become familiar with the proposed management of the Colville and Okanogan-Wenatchee Forests, said Margaret Hartzell, Team Leader for the Forest Plan Revision Team. “Our goal is to introduce people to the proposed action and help them understand the information so they can formulate their commentsâ€

[OldGreen]

How do we get on the list for the webinars? I'd like to be involved.

[Grumpy]

And the Sledders are doing a bang up job with the numbers on this. I seriously suggest we all pay attention! These are the forests we run in. Pay close attention to the fact the USFS makes virtually no mention of what we do...

http://news.snowmobilealliance.org/2011 ... ilderness/

[Danny]

The difference between them and us is that they are super organized, have backing and can afford a nice website to help publicize their situation.

WE, on the other hand.....have nothing!!!! From my perspective the PNWFWD should be the tip of the spear in organizing and fighting for us in the Northwest. Based on what I'm seeing, they do NOTHING!!! The last issue of Tri Power didn't have one word regarding what's happening with all the trail issues facing us....NOTHING! That is just not acceptable. If we want to stand a chance in all this mess they had better stand up to the plate and at lest take a swing at the huge ball of closures that are facing out sport.

[Grumpy]

Yup, you start a thread on PNW forums, and you might get one or two comments, then it just fizzles out. And I mean on stuff like this, or Juniper, or the ODNRA. Yet someone's kid goes to Colorado to school or whatever, and the thread is PAGES!!! Read the Region 4 minutes. Same stuff month after month. The favorite catch phrase to describe any "progress" is that "things are moving at government speed" Gawd, I get tired of that. Danny, have you spent any time on the PNW site? It's just silly. Like I said, if they're doing anything on our behalf, they sure are keeping it quiet...

[OldGreen]

Don't get me started on the mother ship.

[Danny]

We pulled the plug once...and then jammed it back it....what did we gain?

[OldGreen]

Yep.

[SPR]

Listen to you guys…. Excluding Dave's internet activities, what you have you guys done to promote/secure 4x4 access to public lands? Each year the PNW holds a public Eastside and Westside LandMatters meeting. These meetings bring the big dogs from the resources agencies upfront and center to address the PNW member's concerns. I haven't seen any of you at these meetings. Our PNW officers take an active part in important public/government steering and resource allocation groups. In Washington State, top resource managers seek out the PNW support and input on important land issues. Without the clout that the PNW has developed over the years, the mature 4x4 community would likely not be represented by wheelers like us. Some of these PNW folks have been at it for a long time and are looking for someone to step up and take their place. Now is your chance to move up from arm chair critic to productive participant. Attend the next Region 4 meeting and volunteer. Earl will get you dialed in. At the very lest, attend the next Region 4 meeting to learn more about what is going on. You don't get the total picture from the meeting minutes.

[Grumpy]

I know there are some very active people in PNW that are fighting the good fight! My problem is that they seem to be doing under the radar. The PNW forums are a good place for discussion, and thy're not being used to their fullest extent. There is almost NEVER any comment from the PNW officers about the activities that will affect our future. TriPower comes out too late to be of any use. Why are they seemingly so averse to the electronic media? Merrick Graves and Jim Putnam both had started good conversations in the forums, but nothing ever came of most of them! You hear the thing about face to face, which is good, but if you only have a handfull of meetings each year, the time lag is awful! In this age of "instant" everything, we need to be taking advantage of the tools available, and PNW is not doing that as they should. If an old curmudgeon like me can try to use the internet to glean what I need to keep the Putters aware of things, I see NO excuse for the PNW to not do the same thing! The have to establish, and maintain, a viable presence on the web, and start making more noise than they have been. The grenns have been in Olympia in force for years, and they blow their horn load and long. How much media attention do we get? Only happens when some cull gets his tit in a wringer!

Now, I think it's about time for some of the younger peeps to start raising a little hell, too. Part of the problem is that a number of PNW types ain't kids anymore. Most of you are 15 to 25 years younger than I am, and I'm not going to be able to keep some of this up forever! I would like to some of our young, bright, articulate members start taking a more active role. It may be time to have an actual "Land Use Committee" formed in the club, with each member asigned to a given agency. Might bet better coverage that way. Dunno, but we should maybe think on it!

[CleElum_Sledhead]

And the Sledders are doing a bang up job with the numbers on this. I seriously suggest we all pay attention! These are the forests we run in. Pay close attention to the fact the USFS makes virtually no mention of what we do...

http://news.snowmobilealliance.org/2011 ... ilderness/

The difference between them and us is that they are super organized, have backing and can afford a nice website to help publicize their situation.

WE, on the other hand.....have nothing!!!!

Thanks for the compliments folks. I am the WA SAWS Rep that wrote the above SAWS Alert and I am soon to be former SAWS Chairman. Not enough free time to do both.

I was searching the internet for some additional FS figures and stumbled across this thread so I joined so that I could make a few points. Not that I have time to post on another forum often....

Although we try to make our organization look larger and stronger than it really is, in truth we only have about a half dozen volunteers across the western states and only one rep in WA. That is me. But we do now have about 1000 SAWS members in WA and about 4000 total. That is due to the fact that we keep SAWS free to join and rely on donations to pay for fees such as website hosting and other expenses.

Since SAWS was formed in the summer of 2004, our main purpose is to fight new wilderness proposals across the western United States, be it from the FS, BLM or Congress. And although we talk snowmobile use in our alerts, as you know wilderness bans not only snowmobile use, but 4x4, OHV, Motorcycles, Mountain Bikes, Motor boats, etc.

Take care, and please submit a comment opposing the proposed Wilderness and Backcountry MAs in this Proposed Action.

[iaccocca]

Welcome!
Thanks for posting up here. We really do admire how well organized you guys are and hope we and all wheelers can work together with you; we have so many common goals.

[Grumpy]

Yup. Stick around, it could be some ride...

[Grumpy]

Guess we all best start cogitating on this one, too. This one will really have an affect on what we do and where we do it! Most of you are much more familiar with the lay of things on both the districts wheeled in, so may I ask who would be willing to take point on this? Time we start targeting areas, and maybe having one person lead the charge in that area...

[OldGreen]

Excluding Dave's internet activities, what you have you guys done to promote/secure 4x4 access to public lands?

I have built bridges, cleared trail, cut trail, picked up trash, given money, educated users, written letters, signed petitions and YES, I’ve held the PNW accountable. If that makes me an arm chair critic, then please print me up a T-Shirt. I’ll wear it with pride.

Each year the PNW holds a public Eastside and Westside LandMatters meeting. These meetings bring the big dogs from the resources agencies upfront and center to address the PNW member's concerns. I haven't seen any of you at these meetings.

And why would you? We elect representatives to go to these meetings so that our voice is heard. They are then to report back to us on progress made and the status moving forward. The fact is, regardless of the “addressing of our concernsâ€

[OldGreen]

I read through the proposed changes and then compared the map they provided in the Naches Area. It looks as though they are proposing that the entire area be designated as "Active Restoration 2", "Active Restoration 3", and "Back Country Motorized". Those designations, particularly AR2 and BCM, are in line with what is already there. AR3 allows for additional "roads". 3 miles per square mile v. 2 miles per square mile for AR2. From looking at the map, it appears as though they did the designations using Google Earth based on what is already there.

Liberty is mostly "Back Country Motorized".

At Rimrock, there is one tiny Roadless area west the 1000 road that they want to include in the Goat Rocks Wilderness (I don't think it is a new recommendation). Other than that, it looks like the same story as Naches.

Overall, I would defer to the snowmobilers on the Wilderness issue. I certainly agree that there is more than enough already out there and adding more is both economically and socially irresponsible.

The proposed changes don't make any specific recommendations or mandates for specific changes and they generally reflect the status by formalizing the de facto status of each parcel.

Anybody want to give it a second look?

[SPR]

Next year, go to the next Eastside Landmatters meeting and see what really is going on.

[Grumpy]

That's the problem, Steve! "Next year". This kind of thing won't wait till next year, and the officers and other members of the "cool kids" ain't telling us what's what! They won't use the forum for it's intended purpose, or don't use it at all!! The last two PNW Presidents have been glaringly absent fron any of the threads on the board. And, yes, I get my digs in and get roundly ignored. There have been attempts to wake them up, and they always get "point of ordered" out of the conversation. That's not helping the cause.

[Grumpy]

Comment Period Extended!!

Just received the following:


USDA FOREST SERVICE
NEWS RELEASE
Colville and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests
Forest Plan Revision Team
1240 Second Ave. South,
Okanogan, WA 98840
http:/www.fs.usda.gov/goto/okawen/plan-revision
E:mail: r6_ewzplanrevision@fs.fed.us


For immediate release: July 29, 2011
Contacts: Debbie Kelly, Plan Revision Team, Public Affairs Specialist, (509) 826-3275
Roland Giller, Okanogan-Wenatchee Public Affairs Officer, (509) 664-9314
Franklin Pemberton, Colville National Forest, Public Affairs Officer (509) 684-7177


Comment Period Extended for Forest Plan Revision
Proposed Action


OKANOGAN— In response to requests, the Colville and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests are extending the comment period for the Forest Plan Revision Proposed Action for an additional 30 days.

The original 60-day comment period was June 30 through August 29, 2011. With the extension, comments are now due no later than September 28, 2011. For more information please contact Debbie Kelly, 509-826-3275 or check out the project website where information on the proposed action, comment process, project timeline and public meeting schedule can be found: http:/www.fs.usda.gov/goto/okawen/plan-revision.



XXX


==============================================
Forest Plan Revision for Colville, Okanogan & Wenatchee National Forests
Okanogan Valley Office
1240 Second Avenue South
Okanogan, WA 98840
Email: r6_ewzplanrevision@fs.fed.us
Web site: www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/forest-plan
Contacts: Deb Kelly: Public Affairs Officer (509) 826-3275
Margaret Hartzell: Planning Team Leader (509) 826-3275
__________________
Paul
----

[Grumpy]

Okay, we have till the 28th on this!! And if we don't get comment in, we have NO standing in the next go round! I think that's a crock, but they make the rules to suit themselves...And, no mater how many of us sign on to something, it only counts as one comment. Sooo, start sending e-mails over your own sig!