Use of Motorized Vehicles on National Forest Lands

by Greg Mumm

July 2004

 

Well, most of you should know me by now. What you might not know is that I represent the TLCA on the Board of Directors of the Blue Ribbon Coalition. As such, I am always happy to take the opportunity in a venue such as this (gathering of concerned wheelers) to get a word or two in about what is going on with Public Land Use issues. I am also encouraging you to comment on the following issue in specific. This might be the single most important issue to affect our sport that has come along in a decade.

 

The US Forest Service recently released draft regulations concerning the use of motorized vehicles on National Forest Lands.  These regulations will restrict motorized vehicles to designated roads, trails, and areas, and will require each National Forest to inventory roads and trails, and then after involving the public in the inventory and analysis of the inventory, to eventually designate roads, trails, and areas for motorized vehicle use, and eliminate cross-country travel.  The Blue Ribbon Coalition supports the concept of restricting use of motorized vehicles to designated roads, trails, and areas, but we have serious concerns about some of the details of the draft regulations, as well as questions about implementation of the regulations.

 

Motorized recreation has grown dramatically in the last 30 years, and it is appropriate that the Forest Service restrict indiscriminate cross-country travel by wheeled vehicles, except in certain, specific areas where such use may be appropriate.  The Blue Ribbon Coalition also supports making motorized recreation management a higher priority of the agency to sustain existing opportunities, as well as working to enhance and expand opportunities when and where appropriate.  After reviewing the draft regulations, we have the following concerns about the regulations and how they will be implemented:

 

  • With no additional funding, we question the ability of the agency to complete the process in a timely and thorough manner.
  • Base inventories must be comprehensive, and include all routes.  Sacrificing accuracy for expediency is unacceptable
  • The public should be involved in the inventory process as early as possible
  • Consumer GPS data and maps provided by the public must be considered
  • Designation of all unpaved roads should be automatic
  • No arbitrary timelines should be applied.
  • Implementing this process should be done at landscape levels smaller than a Ranger District to facilitate faster progress. 
  • Efforts should focus first on areas with high levels of use, and move towards areas with low use or minimal issues.
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    It is very important that you get engaged in this process. There are two ways to do that:

  • When you get home, look up the regulations on the Forest Service Website, read it and comment on it. If you have questions, pay attention to our website (www.dakotacruisers.com) and to that of the BRC (www.sharetrails.com). Both will have information to help you along with your commenting. It is important that we ALL weigh in on this during the comment period and we only have about 30 days left to comment.
  • When you get home, get your club involved at a local level. Contact your nearest Forest Service Office and find out where you can start plugging in. You need to start mapping out your local trails and areas. When this process begins, you will need to be able to communicate with the FS about what roads, trails and areas you want on their inventory. If it doesn’t get there, you will loose them.
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    This can either be an opportunity or a total loss for us in the Four Wheeling Community. At the Dakota Territory Cruisers, we see it as an opportunity. We are working currently very closely with the FS to establish an entire trail system through the Black Hills of SD and the Forest Service is welcoming our involvement.  That planning ahead is going to allow us to be ahead of the curve and it is essential you do the same.

    One last thing: If you have questions, seek me out. I am always there to try to help you with Land Use Issues.

    Greg Mumm