Rogue River - Siskiyou Natl Forest: Forest Service Announces Final Decision on Motorized Vehicle Use

Forest Service Announces Final Decision on Motorized Vehicle Use


"Routes not shown on the Motor Vehicle Use Maps will not be open to public motor vehicle travel."


January 20, 2010


http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/rogue-siskiyou/news/2010/01-20-2010-fs-announces-final-decision-motorized-veh-use.shtml


Contacts:


Steve Johnson, Interdiciplinary Team Leader sjohnson02@fs.fed.us or 541-552-2900

Paul Galloway, Acting Public Affairs Officer pgalloway@fs.fed.us or 541-618-2113


Medford, Oregon The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest has recently completed a Travel Management Plan that shows roads, trails and areas open to motorized vehicles. This week the Forest released a Record of Decision for Motorized Vehicle Use on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. The Record of Decision designates Alternative 5 of the Final Environmental Impact Statement as the final decision on motorized vehicle use.

"This new strategy meets the purpose and need for the project, providing for a balanced, managed system of motorized use while addressing the environmental and social issues the agency heard from the public during the travel management process," said Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Supervisor Scott Conroy sconroy@fs.fed.us or 541-858-2210

"This decision provides for a diversity of motorized and non-motorized opportunities that reduces conflict between uses, improves public safety and maintains and protects important natural and cultural resources," said Conroy in signing the Record of Decision.

This planning effort and decision responds to the Forest Service s 2005 Travel Management Final Rule which calls for each national forest across the nation to provide for a designated and managed system for motorized use.

Under the Record of Decision, the Forest Service will be publishing Motor Vehicle Use Maps this spring, which will be free to the public. Routes not shown on the Motor Vehicle Use Maps will not be open to public motor vehicle travel. These maps will also include information such as the type of vehicle allowed on each route, season open for use and where off-road travel for dispersed camping is open.

The highlights of the motorized vehicle use strategy include the:


Designation of 3,176 miles of road where mixed use will be allowed. Motorized mixed use is a designation of a National Forest System Road which means that the road can be used by both highway-legal and non-highway-legal motor vehicles;

Construction of one motorized trail to provide loop route opportunities (approximately 1.2 miles);

Conversion of approximately 10 miles of National Forest System Road to motorized trails;

Prohibition of public motorized use on approximately 7 miles of roads and 37 miles of trail currently open to motorized use in order to minimize or reduce resource damage;

Designation of approximately 20 acres of where motorized cross country travel will be allowed. Prohibits all other cross country motorized travel.


The Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision for Motorized Vehicle Use on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest are available through a link on the Forest s web site located at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/rogue-siskiyou/projects/travel/


http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/rogue-siskiyou/news/2010/01-20-2010-fs-announces-final-decision-motorized-veh-use.shtml


Rogue River - Siskiyou National Forest

http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/rogue-siskiyou/