The Sierra National Forest is sending out packets of their Travel Management Plan to many government officials.  They are presenting this Plan as a positive benefit for recreation and use of our forest.  NOT SO!  This plan closes many miles of roads and thousands of campgrounds by denying them vehicle access.  This is a national and state trend.  Apparently the FS is falling more and more under the control of the "ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AT ALL COSTS" camp, and is gradually shutting out use.  This will have a huge negative impact on our RECREATIONAL and ECONOMIC interests.  Please read on.
 
BACKGROUND:  For many years forest user groups have partnered with the Forest Service to help keep trails and use open.  The Backcountry Horsemen pioneered "leave no trace" practices, and has worked hard to educate all forest users.  I know ORV groups have done the same.

The FS welcomes "partners" and appears to welcome their input.  However, their negative actions speak far louder than their positive words, and this Plan is a good example.  The local BCH and many other user groups have worked hard to identify critical campgrounds and staging areas for stock.  The BCH alone identified more than 50 such camps as safe and appropriate for equestrians, Search and Rescue groups and fire control staging.  Only two were put on the draft maps.  Closing so many camps will shut out most of the equestrian user group.
 
User groups are left to question whether these "oversights" are deliberate or not, but are still working for the "crumbs" that the FS may throw out to quiet the outcries.  SNF Supervisor Ed Cole has the legal authority to keep more roads and camp entrance roads open (36 CFR 212.5(b) p.68284), but chooses to close most of them.  Why?
 
The FS works closely also with the many environmental groups seeking to close forests to humans.  If you haven't done so, please check out the CA Wilderness Society and the Wildlands Project on the web. These groups seem to be gaining ground, and it will take much more effort on the part of our public officials to keep recreation and economic interests from taking a back seat, and eventually being shut out entirely.  Now is the time to take a stand.  PLEASE RESPOND BY SENDING YOUR COMMENTS BEFORE 30 Jun 09.

The Sierra National Forest Travel Management (ROAD CLOSURE) Plan Draft EIS must be modified if forest RECREATION and related ECONOMIC INTERESTS are to be preserved.  This Plan closes 155 to 268 miles of official roads, and closes virtually all of the long-used but "unofficial" roads (514 of the 558 miles) in the Pacific So-West Region. 
 
HUGE CAMPGROUND CLOSURE.  Of the estimated 1,712 camps, the three possible Alternatives in the Plan close vehicle access to 1,419, 1,460 and 1,227 camps respectively, leaving only 293, 252 or 485 camps you can drive to.  (This depends on how the Alts. are mixed/matched.) 
 
The OUTRAGEOUS PLOY of calling the short access roads to camps "cross-country travel" is being used because motorized cross country travel in now banned in all our forests.  Camps are customarily set back off main roads, and have short access roads that should reasonably be considered the ENTRANCE to, and part of, the camp.  However, Forest Supervisor Ed Cole is using this ploy to close them.  THIS IS RIDICULOUS, and would create many HAZARDS.
 
MOTOR HOMES and CAMPERS would be hard pressed to find a camp space in the few camps with vehicle access.  HORSEBACK RIDERS would be left in the cold, with only 2 or 3 equestrian camps, of the hundreds now available.  Equestrians need access to safe and approporiate staging areas near trails.  RIDERS were told to use "wide spots" along roads!  Are these spots clustered around Trail Heads?  Are they safe?  Are there enough, close enough together for group rides?  What about Search and Rescue mounted Posse's??? 
 
PARKING cars, trucks and large horse rigs along roads would create a HAZARD for all, especially children, pets and livestock.  EQUESTRIANS need safe and appropriate staging areas!  Even the Sierra Club Fresno rep thinks this level of closure is TOO EXTREME!
 
YOUR LETTERS AND EMAILS NEEDED!  Backcountry Horsemen and other user groups have identified critical staging areas, but they are not appearing on the draft maps.  Forest Service words are encouraging, but FS ACTIONS SO FAR ARE NOT!  Please help persuade Supv. Cole to leave CAMP ENTRANCE ROADS OPEN.  He has the authority to do this (36 CFR 212.5 (b)).  This is solely at his discretion!  USER CONFLICTS, SAFETY CONCERNS, NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACTS and LACK OF EQUESTRIAN STAGING AREAS are serious issues.
 
Email or write to:  www.sierra.route@fs.fed.us, or SNF, Attn:  Travel Management Project Leader, 1600 Tollhouse Rd., Clovis CA 93611.  COMMENTS CLOSE 30 JUN, PLEASE DO ASAP!
For more info, email to wilsonevie@hotmail.com