TAHOE NATIONAL FOREST ROUTE DESIGNATION
PROCESS - UPDATE NUMBER 4
OHV Participation Requested
OHV Route Designation Update # 4
Tahoe National Forest
October, 2006
Hi all - This is our fourth Route Designation update and focuses primarily
on Step 3 with a bit of information on Step 2. As you read through this,
if you have any questions, please give us a call. Our phone numbers are
listed at the end.
During this past summer, we have been working on a variety of tools needed
to complete Step 3. As you remember, the purpose of Step 3 is to develop a
proposed OHV route system with help from the public. This involves
determining which of the unclassified/historic routes or user-created
trails should be added to the existing motorized system to enhance the
experience as well as to minimize environmental concerns and/or conflicts
among users.
—- Progress on Step 3 to Date —–
Trail Users On-Line Survey
This past spring, we initiated an on-line survey to determine what was most
important to trail users regarding the trails they use. The survey
results were used in developing the model to identify those route segments
that would have more positive OHV trail attributes. Over 800 people
responded to the survey and identified 3 factors as being most important:
trail length, physical characteristics of the trail and trail maintenance.
Other important factors included opportunities for exploration, remoteness
and solitude, scenic views, dispersed camping opportunities, and
surrounding vegetation.
UC Davis Modeling Tool
UC Davis has been designing a modeling system to help display route
desirability factors and environmental concerns that can be tied to
individual trail, route or road segments. This modeling tool coupled with
our GIS maps should be able to show which routes are most desirable as well
as which routes may have some environmental concerns. These maps can be
used as tools to help us grapple with what routes could become part of the
system or which ones should not be included. The model will be only one of
the tools used in recommending routes for inclusion in the established
system. Other factors that need to be considered are additional public
involvement, land management plan allocations, and specific environmental
factors not included in the model.
We Need Your Help
In this step, we’d like to have the public help as much as possible in
designing the actual proposal. We hope to tap into your ideas and
maximize the amount of collaboration while minimizing the impacts on your
time. This is a big order - so we asked for help in designing the process.
“Practice Session”
During the summer, we invited a few individuals in the Nevada City area to
give us ideas on how to involve trails users in a meaningful way. Three
individuals, one each from a 4-wheel group, a motorcycle group, and an
equestrian group, were able to attend and provide suggestions on how to
involve the public in step 3. They suggested we hold a practice session to
see if a group with diverse interests could actually agree on a proposal
and what factors would be important for the group to succeed. Based on
their suggestions, we initiated a “practice session” where about 20 people
representing a variety of interests met to “practice” the process. The
“practice session” seemed to work; the group was to be able to come to some
“practice” agreements and they provided valuable suggestions for convening
fair, civil, and successful meetings.
— Next Steps —-
Overview of Public Participation for Step 3
We will continue with a series of meetings where members of the public will
divide themselves into 3 smaller groups, with a variety of perspectives in
each group. Each group will work collaboratively to develop a proposed set
of motorized routes for a portion of a Ranger District. During the second
set of meetings, the groups will share their proposal with the larger
group. The Forest Service will then use this information to develop a
proposed action that will be carried into the NEPA (National Environmental
Policy Act) process for further analysis.
First Set of Public Meetings
Oct 19th - Nevada City - at the Madelyn Helling Library (980 Helling Way -
near the Rood Center) at 6:30 pm to discuss trails in the Yuba
River Ranger District
October 23 - Truckee, at the Truckee Donner PUD Office, (11570 Donner Pass
Rd) at 6:30 pm to discuss trails in the Sierraville and Truckee
Districts
October 26 - Foresthill, at the Foresthill Middle School (22888 Foresthill
RD in the Science Lab, Room # 11) at 6:30 pm to discuss trails in the
American River Ranger District
Meeting Topics and Agenda
At each of the meetings listed above, we will discuss what factors - both
from a trail desirability standpoint and environmental concern standpoint
should be considered in recommending routes. The Forest Service will
present some initial thoughts on what routes to include, as a starting
point for discussion. We will break into 3 smaller sub-groups at each
meeting and insure that each sub-group has a balance in terms of
participants (motorcycle, 4-wheel, ATV, hikers, mountain bikers,
equestrians, environmental perspectives, etc). Then each of the sub-groups
will begin to discuss the starting point ideas and route suggestions for
their sub-group area. Each group will only be looking at the historic,
unclassified, or user created routes to add to the existing motorized
system.
Sub-group Areas (see enclosed map):
. At the Nevada City meeting, groups will break up into sub-groups to
focus discussions on the routes in the North, Middle and South Yuba River
areas.
. At the Foresthill meeting, groups will break up into sub-groups to
focus discussions on the routes in the north, middle and south portions of
the District.
. At the Truckee meeting, groups will break up into sub-groups to focus
discussions on the routes in the Sierraville District, and in the north and
south portions of the Truckee District.
We anticipate that there will need to be additional sub-group meetings
before the proposals are ready to be shared with the entire group. These
will need to be scheduled by each of the sub-groups.
Tools Available for Meetings
A variety of maps will be provided for each sub-group or available on the
web. We may have a limited set of CD’s available with the maps. In
addition, a set of guidelines will also be provided to keep the groups
headed in the same direction.
Second Set of Meetings and Additional Comment Period
The second set of meetings are being scheduled for November and December.
These meetings are designed so that each of the subgroups can share their
ideas with the entire group. Tentatively, these meetings will be:
November 15 - Nevada City at 6:30 pm (location to be determined later)
December 5 - Truckee at 6:30 pm (location to be determined later)
December 7 - Foresthill at 6:30 pm (location to be determined later)
The Forest Service will then take the ideas from each sub-group and
formulate a Forest-wide proposal. This proposal will be shared again with
the public in a 60-day comment period in late winter/early spring.
— Step 2 - What Happened to It? —
As you remember, in Step 2, a Temporary Forest Order was to be issued to
stop cross-country travel and associated resource damage by wheeled
vehicles until the route designation process could be completed. Work on
this was delayed while the Regional Office and the Office of General
Council discussed how to design these Temporary Forest Order maps. With
the approved publication of the Sequoia National Forest Temporary Forest
Order map, other Forests are now moving ahead with their maps and Temporary
Forest Orders. We expect this to happen for the TNF this winter/early
spring.
— Mailing List Reminders —
Please remember to send us your new email address if you change addresses.
After each mailing we have many, many rejected messages. We re-mail each
update twice, but still get rejects. If your email rejects three times, we
take you off the mailing list. And if you know of others that would like
be part of this effort, please forward this update to them. This mailing
has been sent to you as a “bc” because many of you requested this. There
are several hundred people currently on our mailing list.
For More Information
If you have questions, please contact the following:
Forest Headquarters - David Michael (530) 478-6183; Phil Horning (530)
478-6210; or Ann Westling (530) 478-6205 (email address:
awestling@fs.fed.us)
East-Side - Rick Maddalena (530) 587-3558; Jeff Wiley (530) 994-3401 ext
6667; Susanne Jensen (530) 587-3558
Yuba River District - Joe Chavez (530) 288-3231
American River District - Jon George (530) 367-2224
Information is also available on the TNF website - www.fs.fed.us/r5/tahoe
Thanks for your interest and participation in this process - see you later
this fall at one of the public meetings!
Sub-Group Map (See attached file: SubUnits_vicinity2_map.pdf)
Ann Westling
Tahoe National Forest
Public Affairs Officer
(530) 478-6205
