Beware: WDFW new recreation Plan HORRIBLE

[optic2]

Public lands belong to all of us and everyone's right to use them should be respected.

There are cases where limiting the use of public land is the best course. River permits like the middle fork salmon come to mind. Maybe it is time to limit some kinds of use in some areas. For example popular hiking areas within striking distance of Seattle get hundreds and hundreds of users on the same trail every weekend in the summer. Maybe 500 people trying to day hike the enchantments every Saturday makes the experience not great and has a very high impact. I don't know, I avoid the popular stuff.

You are in luck then because that is exactly what the WDFW is proposing.

WDFW will analyze options for developing and testing permitting systems for WDFW-managed lands that limit recreation activities and access based on an area’s carrying capacity for seasonal and year-round use

They can't even keep losers from dumping trash and abandoning cars on DNR land. How are they going to enforce permits.

[bigtex]

Public lands belong to all of us and everyone's right to use them should be respected.

There are cases where limiting the use of public land is the best course. River permits like the middle fork salmon come to mind. Maybe it is time to limit some kinds of use in some areas. For example popular hiking areas within striking distance of Seattle get hundreds and hundreds of users on the same trail every weekend in the summer. Maybe 500 people trying to day hike the enchantments every Saturday makes the experience not great and has a very high impact. I don't know, I avoid the popular stuff.

You are in luck then because that is exactly what the WDFW is proposing.

WDFW will analyze options for developing and testing permitting systems for WDFW-managed lands that limit recreation activities and access based on an area’s carrying capacity for seasonal and year-round use

They can't even keep losers from dumping trash and abandoning cars on DNR land. How are they going to enforce permits.

Enforcing permits is about as easy as it gets. See a guy, got a permit? No. Ok here's your ticket

Finding out who dumped the trash or dumped the car can be difficult.

[Platensek-po]

Public lands belong to all of us and everyone's right to use them should be respected.

There are cases where limiting the use of public land is the best course. River permits like the middle fork salmon come to mind. Maybe it is time to limit some kinds of use in some areas. For example popular hiking areas within striking distance of Seattle get hundreds and hundreds of users on the same trail every weekend in the summer. Maybe 500 people trying to day hike the enchantments every Saturday makes the experience not great and has a very high impact. I don't know, I avoid the popular stuff.

You are in luck then because that is exactly what the WDFW is proposing.

WDFW will analyze options for developing and testing permitting systems for WDFW-managed lands that limit recreation activities and access based on an area’s carrying capacity for seasonal and year-round use

They can't even keep losers from dumping trash and abandoning cars on DNR land. How are they going to enforce permits.

Enforcing permits is about as easy as it gets. See a guy, got a permit? No. Ok here's your ticket

Finding out who dumped the trash or dumped the car can be difficult.

I would agree buuuut… I run quite a fewmpermitted rivers in Oregon and IDaho and always see people out there with no permits. In order to catch guys without permits there has to be someone there checking them. It’s doesn’t happen very often outside the busiest weekends. I also see people with campfires during burn bans in the NF every year. It will be so Smokey out you can’t see very well and 80degrees at night and guys will have huge camp fires in camp. Never seen them get tickets either.

[Wphunt]

Public lands belong to all of us and everyone's right to use them should be respected.

There are cases where limiting the use of public land is the best course. River permits like the middle fork salmon come to mind. Maybe it is time to limit some kinds of use in some areas. For example popular hiking areas within striking distance of Seattle get hundreds and hundreds of users on the same trail every weekend in the summer. Maybe 500 people trying to day hike the enchantments every Saturday makes the experience not great and has a very high impact. I don't know, I avoid the popular stuff.

You are in luck then because that is exactly what the WDFW is proposing.

WDFW will analyze options for developing and testing permitting systems for WDFW-managed lands that limit recreation activities and access based on an area’s carrying capacity for seasonal and year-round use

They can't even keep losers from dumping trash and abandoning cars on DNR land. How are they going to enforce permits.

Enforcing permits is about as easy as it gets. See a guy, got a permit? No. Ok here's your ticket

Finding out who dumped the trash or dumped the car can be difficult.

I would agree buuuut… I run quite a fewmpermitted rivers in Oregon and IDaho and always see people out there with no permits. In order to catch guys without permits there has to be someone there checking them. It’s doesn’t happen very often outside the busiest weekends. I also see people with campfires during burn bans in the NF every year. It will be so Smokey out you can’t see very well and 80degrees at night and guys will have huge camp fires in camp. Never seen them get tickets either.

True, enforcement is an issue. I have to imagine this is mostly targeting boat ramps, but probably anything wdfw owns. They will probably come up with some automated internet reservation system with your license plate number for parking. If the officers show up and check that day and you don't have a reservation, you'll get a ticket. Probably sold inside as a revenue source for them, Im sure parking won't be free.

[Platensek-po]

Public lands belong to all of us and everyone's right to use them should be respected.

There are cases where limiting the use of public land is the best course. River permits like the middle fork salmon come to mind. Maybe it is time to limit some kinds of use in some areas. For example popular hiking areas within striking distance of Seattle get hundreds and hundreds of users on the same trail every weekend in the summer. Maybe 500 people trying to day hike the enchantments every Saturday makes the experience not great and has a very high impact. I don't know, I avoid the popular stuff.

You are in luck then because that is exactly what the WDFW is proposing.

WDFW will analyze options for developing and testing permitting systems for WDFW-managed lands that limit recreation activities and access based on an area’s carrying capacity for seasonal and year-round use

They can't even keep losers from dumping trash and abandoning cars on DNR land. How are they going to enforce permits.

Enforcing permits is about as easy as it gets. See a guy, got a permit? No. Ok here's your ticket

Finding out who dumped the trash or dumped the car can be difficult.

I would agree buuuut… I run quite a fewmpermitted rivers in Oregon and IDaho and always see people out there with no permits. In order to catch guys without permits there has to be someone there checking them. It’s doesn’t happen very often outside the busiest weekends. I also see people with campfires during burn bans in the NF every year. It will be so Smokey out you can’t see very well and 80degrees at night and guys will have huge camp fires in camp. Never seen them get tickets either.

True, enforcement is an issue. I have to imagine this is mostly targeting boat ramps, but probably anything wdfw owns. They will probably come up with some automated internet reservation system with your license plate number for parking. If the officers show up and check that day and you don't have a reservation, you'll get a ticket. Probably sold inside as a revenue source for them, Im sure parking won't be free.

Actually parking isn’t free now. It’s just that they include the parking pass with any permit you buy.

[Broomd]

Washington S U C K S...there I said it.

[fireweed]

Heres a link to the report WDFW is using to base many of these decisions on.  Some parts of the tribal plan were essentially "cut and pasted" into the  WDFW plan.  From this article click recent report, paragraph two to see whole report/plan.

https://nwtreatytribes.org/how-does-the-recreation-boom-affect-treaty-resources/#:~:text=The%20Tulalip%20Tribes%E2%80%99%20report%20is%20part%20of%20an,elk%2C%20deer%2C%20black%20bears%2C%20mountain%20goats%20and%20birds.

[elkboy]

Does anyone know when the plan will be made public?  Thanks to fireweed for putting this on the radar screen.

[Fishmaker57]

Interesting read. Might shed some light as to how the plan was developed.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-09/conservation_policy2fkreview.pdf

[Platensek-po]

Heres a link to the report WDFW is using to base many of these decisions on.  Some parts of the tribal plan were essentially "cut and pasted" into the  WDFW plan.

https://nwtreatytribes.org/how-does-the-recreation-boom-affect-treaty-resources/#:~:text=The%20Tulalip%20Tribes%E2%80%99%20report%20is%20part%20of%20an,elk%2C%20deer%2C%20black%20bears%2C%20mountain%20goats%20and%20birds.

I mean this isn’t a plan or report. It’s an op Ed. There is literally 0 information just anecdotal accounts from 2 people. One of whom admits to not participating since the 90s. Not that I disagree that our woods are crowded especially in the vicinity of Seattle (Shocking!!) but that’s all it is.

[fireweed]

Heres a link to the report WDFW is using to base many of these decisions on.  Some parts of the tribal plan were essentially "cut and pasted" into the  WDFW plan.

https://nwtreatytribes.org/how-does-the-recreation-boom-affect-treaty-resources/#:~:text=The%20Tulalip%20Tribes%E2%80%99%20report%20is%20part%20of%20an,elk%2C%20deer%2C%20black%20bears%2C%20mountain%20goats%20and%20birds.

I mean this isn’t a plan or report. It’s an op Ed. There is literally 0 information just anecdotal accounts from 2 people. One of whom admits to not participating since the 90s. Not that I disagree that our woods are crowded especially in the vicinity of Seattle (Shocking!!) but that’s all it is.

You have to click on the imbedded link RECENT REPORT paragraph two in the article to see the Tulalip plan.

[fireweed]

Finally Found it on the WDFW website in SEPA center
https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2022-01/draft_plan_2022_draft_wdfw_recreation_strategy.pdf

and here:
https://wdfw.wa.gov/licenses/environmental/sepa/open-comments

[Wphunt]

Public lands belong to all of us and everyone's right to use them should be respected.

There are cases where limiting the use of public land is the best course. River permits like the middle fork salmon come to mind. Maybe it is time to limit some kinds of use in some areas. For example popular hiking areas within striking distance of Seattle get hundreds and hundreds of users on the same trail every weekend in the summer. Maybe 500 people trying to day hike the enchantments every Saturday makes the experience not great and has a very high impact. I don't know, I avoid the popular stuff.

You are in luck then because that is exactly what the WDFW is proposing.

WDFW will analyze options for developing and testing permitting systems for WDFW-managed lands that limit recreation activities and access based on an area’s carrying capacity for seasonal and year-round use

They can't even keep losers from dumping trash and abandoning cars on DNR land. How are they going to enforce permits.

Enforcing permits is about as easy as it gets. See a guy, got a permit? No. Ok here's your ticket

Finding out who dumped the trash or dumped the car can be difficult.

I would agree buuuut… I run quite a fewmpermitted rivers in Oregon and IDaho and always see people out there with no permits. In order to catch guys without permits there has to be someone there checking them. It’s doesn’t happen very often outside the busiest weekends. I also see people with campfires during burn bans in the NF every year. It will be so Smokey out you can’t see very well and 80degrees at night and guys will have huge camp fires in camp. Never seen them get tickets either.

True, enforcement is an issue. I have to imagine this is mostly targeting boat ramps, but probably anything wdfw owns. They will probably come up with some automated internet reservation system with your license plate number for parking. If the officers show up and check that day and you don't have a reservation, you'll get a ticket. Probably sold inside as a revenue source for them, Im sure parking won't be free.

Actually parking isn’t free now. It’s just that they include the parking pass with any permit you buy.

I know, I’m saying they will likely make you pay per day or at least some kind of reservation or administrative fee.

[fireweed]

Here's a few things they want to make illegal in some fashion:
dispersed camping across all WDFW
shed collecting
pack goats
dogs
drones
streamside use
and (YES THIS IS IN THERE) walking, horseback riding, or any non-permitted use of an old road!

 In consultation with tribes and other government partners, all informal roads and trails should be closed or designated for public use and the use of undesignated routes made illegal except for permitted dispersed uses. WDFW will propose a rule for designating routes and prohibiting the creation or use of
undesignated roads and trails except for permitted use. 

[Wphunt]

Finally Found it on the WDFW website in SEPA center
https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2022-01/draft_plan_2022_draft_wdfw_recreation_strategy.pdf

and here:
https://wdfw.wa.gov/licenses/environmental/sepa/open-comments

Thanks for digging this up.
The biggest thing I see in there that is a major threat is the Undesignated Roads and Trails Rule on page 29-30. Making people stay on authorized trails and roads could make hunting and/or scouting unlawful. I'm all for preventing people from developing new bike trails all over the woods but making it illegal to be off the trail is just wrong and discriminating to many users. This is a big issue to make noise on IMO.