BRC ALERT:Stanislaus NatlForest To Release Draft Travel Plan

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BLUERIBBON COALITION ACTION ALERT!

STANISLAUS NATIONAL FOREST TO RELEASE A "DRAFT" TRAVEL PLAN FOR CALAVERAS, MI-WOK AND GROVELAND RANGER DISTRICT AT PUBLIC MEETINGS IN FEB. AND MARCH

Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,

Attention California Recreationists!

The Stanislaus National Forest will host a series of community meetings during the months of February and March. These meetings relate to Step 3 of the Forest's Route Designation process, the next step in the process and will provide the public additional opportunity for continued discussion on the designation of the forest's Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Recreational Trails system.

As you know, the FS published a new rule requiring the agency to formally designate a system of roads, trails and areas where motorized vehicle use would be allowed. Forest Service regulations and other laws require the agency to conduct a planning process in collaboration with the public to help design the designated system.

The continued discussion relates to the Forest transportation and recreational trails system under consideration on the Calaveras, Mi-Wok, and Groveland Ranger Districts. The Forest will be bringing forward a "Discussion Proposal" for the roads transportation system and travel off of designated roads for parking and camping. The discussion will focus on defining any changes to the Discussion Proposal for a roads system on the Forest, and discussing ways to designate access off of designated roads for dispersed camping and parking. OHV enthusiasts need to attend in order to ensure the anti-access groups do not dominate this process as it moves forward.

Officials emphasize that the Discussion Proposal is not a proposed action. Continued discussion and dialogue with the public will help managers define and formulate a proposed action in accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process.

Each of the three community meetings will be focused on a specific Ranger District, and provide follow-up to three preliminary discussion meetings held last December. Specific topics for the next meetings include:

* Developing a proposed action for any needed changes to the main road transportation system. Some examples could include changing the maintenance levels of some roads to allow non-street legal vehicles to travel on them; restoring of non-system roads (user created roads not needed for the Forest transportation system); and reassigning some roads into the Forest trails system.
* Developing a proposed action to designate parking and access to dispersed camping areas.

Forest officials, specialists, and staff will be on hand at each meeting to answer questions related to the route designation process. Meetings are scheduled in February as follows:

Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Groveland Ranger District Discussion Proposal
Greeley Hill Community Club House
Fiske Road
Greeley Hill, CA
5:00-6:00 p.m. View the maps
6:00-8:30 p.m. Overview of process, hear the Discussion Proposal, and refine the Discussion Proposal

Thursday, February 22, 2007
Calaveras Ranger District Discussion Proposal
Independence Hall
1445 Blagen Road
White Pines, CA
5:00-6:00 p.m. View the maps
6:00-8:30 p.m. Overview of process, hear the Discussion Proposal, and refine the Discussion Proposal

Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Mi-Wok Ranger District Discussion Proposal
Sonora Oaks Best Western Hotel Oak Glenn Room
19551 Hess Road
Sonora, CA
(209) 533-4400
5:00-6:00 p.m. View the maps
6:00-8:30 p.m. Overview of process, hear the Discussion Proposal, and refine the Discussion Proposal

Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Additional "Open House"
Supervisor's Office Stanislaus Room
19777 Greenley Road
Sonora, CA
3:00-6:00 p.m. View the maps, share ideas, and discuss.

Ways to Participate in advance of the discussions include:

* View the website map products available after the meetings http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/stanislaus
* Get a CD version of the map products
* Make an appointment with district recreation staff
* Request a scheduled group presentation from the Forest Service

For more information contact Sue Warren at (209) 532-3671 ext 321 or by email to swarren@fs.fed.usAdditional information is also available on their website at http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/stanislaus/p...hv/index.shtml

PLEASE IF YOU RECREATE IN THE STANISLAUS NATIONAL FOREST GET INVOLVED NOW!

As always, if you have any questions please give us a call.

Thanks in advance for your support!
Brian Hawthorne
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 102