Post by: high country on September 24, 2011, 07:38:55 AM
I am not an anti-wildernes zealot, I just don't understand making it the priority when it limits access to the other users which are growing in numbers and does not create any "new" opportunities for the current non-motorized back country enthusiast. My perception so far is that wilderness eliminates mountain bikes, mechanical trail maint., forest management, fire response ability, any form of motorized shared use, and doesn't seem to play well with the cattle grazers or other land users. All this in trade for no new opportunity that doesn't exist today, and a rubber stamp of forever protection by congress that seems to be the catalyst for major fund raising for special interest groups. Imagine a congressionally approved forever protection for back country shared motorized use, what would that take?
If you want to make comment (hate to sound repetitive, but this is really important) the FS info can be found.... http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/ (http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/)!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPyhQoY6BdkOyoCAGixyPg!/?ss=110617&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=FSBDEV3_053653&navid=130100000000000&pnavid=130000000000000&position=Feature*&ttype=detail&pname=Okanogan-Wenatchee%20National%20Forest-%20Planning
Not to be a numbers Nazi, but Washington Wildernesses currently total 32 for 4
511,474 acres of land. Comparitively, there are 4 designated ATV trails on the Colville that total around 20 miles by 15' wide(being very generous, most is 6-8). Not sure how many acres that is, but I bet it's way less.
Post by: ICEMAN on September 24, 2011, 07:42:07 AM
Post by: high country on September 24, 2011, 07:54:30 AM
http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/ (http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/)!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPyhQoY6BdkOyoCAGixyPg!/?ss=110617&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=FSBDEV3_053653&navid=130100000000000&pnavid=130000000000000&position=Feature*&ttype=detail&pname=Okanogan-Wenatchee%20National%20Forest-%20Planning
Post by: high country on September 24, 2011, 07:55:29 AM
Post by: high country on September 24, 2011, 08:04:26 AM
The Colville and theOkanogan-Wenatchee NationalForestsare revisingtheir ForestPlans. These plans are near theend of their intended10-15-year life cycle. (The Colville Forest Plan was completed in 1988, theOkanogan in1989,andtheWenatchee in1990.).The planswill be revised to reflect resource andsocialchanges onallthree Forests, as well as new scientific information
The two national forests releaseda planrevision proposed action on June 30, 2011, which initiates a comment period that has been extended to September28, 2011.
The Proposed Action is thefirstformalsteptodevelopinga draft revised forest plan and the draft environmentalimpactstatement.
We invite you to participate in reviewing theProposed ActionPublic workshops are being planned for mid-July throughmid- August.
The first public meetings havebeen scheduled. See Public Meetings for dates and locations.
Important Note: All email or hardcopy comments on Plan Revision Proposed Action must be sent to the email or physical address on the Plan Revision Contact Us page
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on September 27, 2011, 07:30:45 AM