Renamed the Thread - Review this thread for more info:

http://www.thumperta...t=703266&page=7

Loading up to go riding at Foresthill today and then attend the Chamber of Commerce Monthly Meeting tonight-
http://placerarts.or...rtal=foresthill
to create awareness of the Proposed Tahoe National Forest Plan to shut down for 4 months every year and how it will affect the local merchants:

This is the "Hand Out" I've prepared (cut n pasted so the bold & highlights don't show up but the content is there):

Action Alert

The Tahoe National Forest is currently reviewing the future use of the Forest and have given the Public only until November 26th 2008 to forward comments to be taken under consideration.

The Tahoe National Forest Service is reviewing 7 + plans of action for use of the forest starting January 1 2009.

Here is a link to the plans under consideration and, with public comments, we are likely to see some "Hybrid" plan be implemented which has a combination of more that one plan being merged into one.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/tahoe/


The biggest issue that is being considered is that they are seeking to have a Seasonal Closure Jan 1 through May 1, that is a third of the year during OHV-Motorcycle Riders peak recreational season. These proposed plans include closing the entire Tahoe National Forest to all OHV use (including Foresthill OHV designated riding area).

Foresthill and Auburn will be greatly affected by a Calendar Based Seasonal Closure with the reduction and loss of Tourism Dollars that the OHV Community spends while visiting these areas. All local merchants will see a severe drop in their incomes, for the period of Jan 1 through May 1, every year if the Seasonal Closure passes and is placed in effect.


The second biggest issue is that the firm contracted by the Tahoe National Forest Service to "Map" the Forest was instructed to NOT Map any trails that are less than 150' long and what this means is that many short trails that lead to "dispersed camping" areas will NOT make it to the Final Plan Map. So that trail that simply goes to your favorite little known personal Staging area or Camping area will NOT be Legal to Ride/Drive or Park on ANYMORE.



We only have until November 26th 2008 to Submit your SPECIFIC Comments to the Forest Service before they push this through and it is too late to have a say in the end result.

Tips & Points on Letter and Comments to Submit:
- Cover the key points as stated above in this letter specific to the Foresthill OHV Area which includes Sugar Pine, Parker Flat and China Wall
- Not to enact a “Calendar Based Seasonal Closure”
- How closing the Forest could affect you and/or your business.
- How the OHV-Motorcycle Community contributes to the towns of Foresthill and Auburn California with their Tourism Dollars.
- How the OHV-Motorcycle Community contributes to Trail Maintenance.
-How you use the Forest/trail/trails/area & -How long you have used it
- Detail the Activities you , your family and Friends do on the Tahoe Forest land, be it camping, OHV, hiking, biking, fishing, hunting - be descriptive and stress Human/Family Value to have continued access.
- Emphasize Seasonal Usage - Jan 1 through May 1 is within peak riding and tourism season for OHV users and how this seasonal closure will impact your recreational use of the forest with your family and friends.
-Detail your favorite areas, camping routes, why you choose them (views, access to trails, rivers, creeks lakes etc...)
-Summarize your feelings at the end, thank them for taking the time to read your comment, sign, date and include your name and address.

Important: Write one letter per Trail & subject because each letter counts as ONE Comment - so feel free to write as many letters as you can.

The link to the Tahoe "DEIS overview"
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/tahoe/ will allow you to view the detailed proposed trail maps and see if your trails are impacted. Keep in mind that if it is not on the map it will no longer be Legal to Ride or Use with an OHV. We suggest even printing the map section of concern and circling/marking the area and include it to the Forest Service with your comments.

All Comment Letters must be received no later that November 26th 2008 can be sent to
Email To: tnf_rte_desig@fs.fed.us and fotfa@fotfa.com or Mail To: Travel Management Team 631 Coyote Street Nevada City, CA. 95959

Aside from the fact that they hate us and want to eliminate off-road use, what are they saying is the reason for a "needed closure"? :banghead: :foul:

Correct me if i am wrong but issent there some thing about not being able to close the forest to one group and not to every one ?

I sent a letter to Don Amador - Western Region Blue Ribbon Coalition - BRC

I also sent a letter to D-36 and spoke directly to Dave Pickett.

Please Support BRC & D-36 - they are both working for our rights to ride and have been involved in this for many years now. If you are not a current member - PLEASE JOIN NOW !!!!!

http://www.ama-d36.org/join/

https://www.sharetra..._or_contribute/ (Blue Ribbon Coalition)

Comment to Fellow Riders:
I am feeling awfully lonely in my fight to keep Foresthill OHV Area Open year round with a "Rainfall Based" Closure instead of the proposed "Calendar Based" Closure from Jan 1 to May 1----------

Are you guys writing comments letters or doing anything to help ?

Please get out the letters.

I wrote and submitted a formal comment letter to the email address for DEIS comments

I also sent a private email to the FH rangers indicating our OHV volunteer displeasure with seasonal closures. My volunteer group, Sierra Trail Maintenance Volunteers,STMV, has an official adopt-a-trail agreement in place for loop 2 at FH. We have advised the FH rangers that full seasonal closures at FH will cause us to reconsider doing volunteer trail work at FH. Can't make it any more clear than that. With both the logging destruction of trails at FH and seasonal closure, we ain't gonna work on maggie's farm no more.

Thanks for writing Bob.



To All:

Letters should include "Strike the Calendar Based Seasonal Closure" statement.

CFC Motosports said:

You may also want to add something to replace it with. Have you ever delt with management in presenting a problem to them? Management should be happy to hear YOUR solution to the problem, instead of just the problem. (Get the monkey off their back).
The Tahoe NF doesn't want to try to do forest wide closures due to rain fall, but maybe something area specific would be considered. The Foresthill OHV area and some other OHV routes COULD be managed seperately from the whole forest. TELL them what you want.

Ride on
Brewster

Letter sent. Why is this not a sticky?

Brewster -
In every letter I have written so far I have used this type of verbage:

"Strike the Calendar Based Seasonal Closure" and adopt (or use, or implement) a "Rainfall Based Closure as already being used successfully in Stonyford, Cow Mountain and Rock Creek (Georgetown)".

In some letters I have also referenced the flaw in the way that they mapped the Forest by discluding any and all trails less than 150' in length which leaves all "dispersed campsites" off the approved trail map and this is unacceptable as many families simply pull off the main trail or road less than 150' with their RV to camp and enjoy the Forest with their children as they have for many years now.


Another issue is that the DEIS is some 1900 pages long and weighs over 11 pounds is it is NOT reasonable for the average off road recreationist to comprehend and write comments in response to the content.

We, as recreationists of the Forest, are entitled to obtain "hard copies" of the DEIS Report to read and attempt to understand - Go to the Forest Ranger Station and ask for your "Hard Copy' you have a right for them to PRINT IT for you to review it. You can also write and ask for a Printed Copy to be mailed to you - it is your right.

These are all some content material ideas for letters - please do not stop at just one letter - make a letter per issue comment - it all adds up.

Get your friends and family to write and/or sign letters for submital.

The deadline for comments is November 26th 2008.


Thank you - Dave Pickett of District 36 for taking the time to speak with me Today - I appreciate what D-36 is doing for us riders!

More info here on TT:

http://www.thumperta...ad.php?t=714153

Link to Tahoe Forest Plan:

http://www.fs.fed.us...inv/index.shtml

Comment period extended

Tahoe National Forest
Travel Management Draft Environmental Impact Statement
November, 2008

Public Comment Period Extended One Month

The comment period for Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Tahoe National Forest Travel Management process will be extended for one month until December 26, 2008 announced Forest Supervisor Tom Quinn. “Because we had so many individuals, interest groups, and elected officials ask to have the comment period extended, we decided to provide an additional month. We appreciate the depth and complexity of the document and recognize that reviewing it is a formidable job. This extension will, in total, provide 90 days for comment. Thanks to everyone who has sent in their comments already and to those that are currently in the midst of reviewing the DEIS,” stated Quinn. This may also extend the time frame for the release of the Final EIS until later in the spring.

Public comments need to be postmarked by December 26, 2008. Comments can be sent to the: Tahoe National Forest, Travel Management Team, 631 Coyote St, Nevada City, CA 95959 or via email to: tnf_rte_desig@fs.fed.us .

Please note - Many of you who attended the recent public meetings signed in with new email addresses. Some of these addresses were very hard to decipher. If you know of someone that signed in but did not receive this update, please forward to them as their email address may reject. Thanks!

Ann Westling
Tahoe National Forest
Public Affairs Officer
(530) 478-6205
...........................................

www.trailsintrouble.org Watch to Video and Pass it on - Get Involved

Quote:
Originally Posted by dirtflea
Check out this link, it is another way to get involved for under $10. Don't forget to watch the video.

http://www.trailsintrouble.org/

Nice Link DirtFlea - www.trailsintrouble.org

- Website & Video is really well positioned and has all kinds of usefull information to Write Letters to the Forest Service and Legislators before it's too late.

Really simple to include the link to Legislators to get involved with the high percentage of OHV users and thier right to enjoy responsible recreation in the National Forests.

Fellow Riders - Please get involved and write a few letters a day!

I am a lifetime member of BRC & AMA, and just sent a crapload of messages to my members of the congress, assembly, senate and also our Governor. Hopefully everyone who reads this thread will take a few minutes to speak to their representatives. That's the only way our voices will be heard, if we all join together and invest the necessary effort and time to keep our public lands and trails open.

Bump_/\_/\_/\_--------

didn't they just do this in El dorado NF? Elkins closed from jan-1 to april? it's usually snowed in any way, but this year no snow yet. probably going to be a good yr and it will be closed.

There is still some time (revised deadline is Dec 26th) to:

write letters of objection to the Tahoe Forest about changing at least the designated OHV areas (like Foresthill ) to a "Rain Fall Based Closure" like currently being used successfully in Stony, GT and CowMt and strike the plan for a "Calendar Based Seasonal Closure".

bump /\__/\__

Review this post and write some letters opposing the Proposed Seasonal Winter Closure before December 26th.................................

BRC is writing formal comments on the Tahoe DEIS including the request that Foresthill OHV Area remain open year round and that they use rainfall-based closures (such as they have a Stonyford and Cow Mtn, etc) plus addressing other issues as well. BRC will be launching a letter generator next week for folks to send in e-letters.

Stay involved,

Don (aka The General) Amador

I wrote my comment letter allready, if they move to seasonal closures, we will not do any OHV Volunteer trail Maintenance at FH again. THIS IS SERIOUS DON> I WANT BRC to MAKE a STAND here.

If we can stop seasonal closures here, then I will be a proponent of OHV Volunteering at FH again.