Creek
03-24-2010, 10:54 PM
Saw this on thenewx...figured I should post it here...
From the SEMA Action Network:
OFF ROAD NEWS
Tell the Forest Service to Keep Your Trails Open!
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is the steward and manager of more than 193 million acres of public lands included in the 155 national forests and 20 grasslands that make up the National Forest System. These vast areas are managed in accordance with the “land management planning rule,” which among other things, has not changed since 1982. The plan needs to balance demands for multiple uses, from recreational access to forest restoration, timber harvesting, mining and wildlife protection. Previous attempts to update the planning rule were not used due to the complexity of the changes (2000) or were invalidated by a federal judge (2008).
The Forest Service is seeking to engage the public in the planning process. This presents both opportunity and danger for off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts because the environmental lobby is working hard to influence the rule to close off more and larger areas of public land to motorized recreation. On the other hand, it also gives OHV enthusiasts the ability to make their voices heard and help keep public lands open to responsible off-road recreation.
The Forest Service is now hosting a series of roundtable discussions in April to gather additional public feedback. Unless OHV enthusiasts take part and let the Forest Service know that this is a responsible, family-focused hobby that deserves access to public lands, these changes could negatively affect access to OHV recreation areas managed by the Forest Service.
Regional Round TablesApril 6, 2010–Pacific Northwest Region (Region 6), Portland, Oregon
April 6, 2010–Pacific Southwest Region (Region 5), Sacramento, California
April 8, 2010–Intermountain Region (Region 4), Salt Lake City, Utah
April 12, 2010–Rocky Mountain Region (Region 2), Lakewood, Colorado
April 13, 2010–Northern Region (Region 1), Missoula, Montana
April 13, 2010–Northern Region (Region 1), Billings, Montana
April 13, 2010–Northern Region (Region 1), Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
April 13, 2010–Alaska Region (Region 10), Juneau, Alaska
April 14, 2010–Rocky Mountain Region (Region 2), Cheyenne, Wyoming
April 16, 2010–Southern Region (Region 8), Atlanta, Georgia
April 21, 2010–Rocky Mountain Region (Region 2), Rapid City, South Dakota
April 28, 2010–Southwestern Region (Region 3), Albuquerque, New Mexico
April 28, 2010–Eastern Region (Region 9), Chicago, Illinois
For an expanded list of roundtable events and for information on meetings times and locations, visit www.fs.usda.gov/planningrule (http://echo.bluehornet.com/ct/3342159:1728193234:m:1:65611416:06A6E2426BA510C304 3421551232C447).
From the SEMA Action Network:
OFF ROAD NEWS
Tell the Forest Service to Keep Your Trails Open!
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is the steward and manager of more than 193 million acres of public lands included in the 155 national forests and 20 grasslands that make up the National Forest System. These vast areas are managed in accordance with the “land management planning rule,” which among other things, has not changed since 1982. The plan needs to balance demands for multiple uses, from recreational access to forest restoration, timber harvesting, mining and wildlife protection. Previous attempts to update the planning rule were not used due to the complexity of the changes (2000) or were invalidated by a federal judge (2008).
The Forest Service is seeking to engage the public in the planning process. This presents both opportunity and danger for off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts because the environmental lobby is working hard to influence the rule to close off more and larger areas of public land to motorized recreation. On the other hand, it also gives OHV enthusiasts the ability to make their voices heard and help keep public lands open to responsible off-road recreation.
The Forest Service is now hosting a series of roundtable discussions in April to gather additional public feedback. Unless OHV enthusiasts take part and let the Forest Service know that this is a responsible, family-focused hobby that deserves access to public lands, these changes could negatively affect access to OHV recreation areas managed by the Forest Service.
Regional Round TablesApril 6, 2010–Pacific Northwest Region (Region 6), Portland, Oregon
April 6, 2010–Pacific Southwest Region (Region 5), Sacramento, California
April 8, 2010–Intermountain Region (Region 4), Salt Lake City, Utah
April 12, 2010–Rocky Mountain Region (Region 2), Lakewood, Colorado
April 13, 2010–Northern Region (Region 1), Missoula, Montana
April 13, 2010–Northern Region (Region 1), Billings, Montana
April 13, 2010–Northern Region (Region 1), Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
April 13, 2010–Alaska Region (Region 10), Juneau, Alaska
April 14, 2010–Rocky Mountain Region (Region 2), Cheyenne, Wyoming
April 16, 2010–Southern Region (Region 8), Atlanta, Georgia
April 21, 2010–Rocky Mountain Region (Region 2), Rapid City, South Dakota
April 28, 2010–Southwestern Region (Region 3), Albuquerque, New Mexico
April 28, 2010–Eastern Region (Region 9), Chicago, Illinois
For an expanded list of roundtable events and for information on meetings times and locations, visit www.fs.usda.gov/planningrule (http://echo.bluehornet.com/ct/3342159:1728193234:m:1:65611416:06A6E2426BA510C304 3421551232C447).