And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1999 10:27:13 -0700 To: "Wild Rockies Alerts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> From: Wild Rockies InfoNet <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Medicine Bow ORV Alert Support Closure of Illegal ORV Trail in the Deer Creek Roadless Area, Medicine Bow National Forest Your comments needed by JANUARY 11. THE ISSUE In 1995, off-road vehicle (ORV, or all-terrain vehicle or ATV) users illegally hacked a "trail" into the Deer Creek roadless area, on the Medicine Bow National Forest's Douglas Ranger District. Hundreds of trees were illegally cut to make the trail, which was routed through wet meadows and up steep slopes. As might be expected, ORV use of the trail has already caused some damage to these wet meadows and caused erosion on the steep slopes. All of this in one of the most pristine undeveloped areas left on the 'Bow. Since 1995, the Forest Service has flip-flopped on management of the trail. First they closed the trail to ORVs, then they proposed opening it, and now they are again proposing to do the right thing, to ban ORV's from the trail. The issue is simple: either protect the roadless and wildlife values by closing the illegal trail to motorized vehicle use OR reward the illegal cutting by opening it to ORVs and allowing resource damage. The most recent proposal involves closing the trail to motorized vehicles, keeping it open for nonmotorized recreation, and rehabilitating the wet meadows and erosion already caused by ORV abuse. This is a very positive shift which should be supported by citizens who care about wildlife and wild forests. SUPPORTERS OF A QUIET MEDICINE BOW MUST NOT BE SILENT In his December 9th "scoping statement," Douglas District Ranger Malcolm Edwards asked the public to comment on his proposal BY JANUARY 11. Ranger Edwards should be encouraged to follow through with his proposal. Closing the Deer Creek trail to motorized vehicle use will have numerous environmental benefits (a few are listed below), plus it will have the added benefit of discouraging creation of further illegal trails on the Medicine Bow. Despite the clear need to close the trail to ORVs, we can expect ORV user groups to oppose any restrictions to motorized use. These groups are very powerful politically and are well funded by ORV manufacturers. It is therefore particularly important that citizens speak out in favor of the closure to protect the Deer Creek roadless area, its wildlife, wetlands and water quality, and opportunities for quiet, nonmotorized recreation. SOME BENEFITS of Permanent Closure of the Deer Creek Trail to Motor Vehicles and the Rehabilitation of Existing Damage - Wildlife will not be disturbed by the presence and noise of ORV's. Both elk and goshawks are known to inhabit the Deer Creek area. - The natural and quiet character of the Deer Creek roadless area will be protected. - Further damage to wet meadows will be halted (Wyoming has already lost 38% of its wetlands). - Erosion on steep hillsides and resulting sedimentation in Deer Creek will be stopped. - The likelihood of forest, meadow, and stream damage from new, off-trail motorized vehicle use will be reduced. It is also important to recognize that if the illegally created trail is allowed to become an official open ORV trail, there will be a great incentive for ORV users to illegally create additional trails anywhere on the Forest, regardless of the environmental damage. On the other hand, if the illegal trail is closed to motorized use, this incentive for illegal behavior will not exist. WHAT YOU CAN DO Please write or call the Forest Service by January 11 to express your support for closing the illegally created Deer Creek trail to ORVs and rehabilitating the existing damage. Use the information provided above, and the additional info below. If you can, use your own words and include any experiences you may have had in the Deer Creek roadless area. Send your letters to: Malcolm Edwards, Douglas District Ranger Medicine Bow National Forest 2250 E. Richards Douglas, WY 82633 (307) 358-4690 (if you call, ask for Rob Schmitzer, Recreation/Engineering Staff) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Protecting the Deer Creek roadless area from ORV damage will protect its roadless characteristics and allow for the possibility of permanent protection in the upcoming revision of the Forest Plan. Such protection would also comply with the spirit of the USFS Chief's national proposal to prohibit road construction inside roadless areas. Over 3,500 miles of constructed roads already exist on the Medicine Bow N.F., plus untold hundreds of miles of two-tracks. There simply is no shortage of motorized recreation opportunities on the Forest. Enforcement of ORV travel restrictions (to protect wildlife, water, soil, etc.) is already lacking on the Bow. Adding more trails, particularly those created illegally, will only make the problem worse. The existing Medicine Bow Forest Plan did not anticipate the explosion of ORV use on the Forest. Thus, the existing plan did not anticipate the environmental damage caused by intensive use of these motorized vehicles, whether on-trail or off-trail. For these reasons, the Medicine Bow N.F. is currently reviewing its travel management plan. No new trails should be developed before these issues have been analyzed completely and the travel management plan has been issued. The USFS has already acknowledged that environmental damage is resulting from construction and use of the illegal Deer Creek trail. Executive Order No. 11989 issued by President Jimmy Carter (and still having the force of law) requires the Forest Service to halt this damage by closing the trail: "...whenever [the land manager] determines that the use of off-road vehicles will cause or is causing considerable adverse effects on the soil, vegetation, wildlife, wildlife habitat, or cultural or historic resources of particular areas or trails of the public lands, immediately close such areas or trails to the type of off-road vehicle causing such effects, until such time as he determines that such adverse effects have been eliminated and that measures have been implemented to prevent future recurrence." Executive Order 11989, May 24, 1977. This alert submitted by Jeff Kessler Biodiversity Associates and Friends of the Bow PO Box 6032 Laramie, WY 82073 (307) 742-7978 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ************************************************************************ List-Subscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> News Submissions or Problems: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> This list is a public service provided by WIN: http://www.wildrockies.org <<<<=-=-=FREE LEONARD PELTIER=-=-=>>>> If you think you are too small to make a difference; try sleeping in a closed room with a mosquito.... African Proverb <<<<=-=http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ =-=>>>> IF it says: "PASS THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW...." Please Check it before you send it at: http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/library/blhoax.htm
