Tahoe National Forest to
Initiate OHV Route Designation Process Near Truckee
The off-highway vehicle
(OHV) use in the Tahoe National Forest as well as in other National
Forests Nationwide has continued to escalate. In an effort to
manage the growing wheeled vehicle use, the Forest Service is beginning
a process to inventory existing trails, identify a system of routes
that offers the best trail system, and protect environmentally
sensitive areas. This may mean improving some routes,
consolidating others to eliminate duplication, closing a few routes
that are of the greatest environmental concern or perhaps even building
some additional trails. The Tahoe National Forest is beginning a
5-step process in a 95,000 acre area on National Forest System land
near Truckee this fall, and then will be expanding the study to the
entire TNF in future years. This process will not lead to
decisions affecting OHV use on private property.
The 5-step process includes the following steps:
- Complete an inventory of existing roads,
trails, and
open areas used by wheeled vehicles.
- Issue Temporary Forest Order prohibiting
wheeled
vehicles off mapped/existing roads, trails, or designated open areas.
- Propose a system of OHV routes.
- Make final decision as to which routes
will be
designated for OHV use.
- Issue Forest Orders for designated OHV
routes, sign the
routes, and provide user maps.
"We are beginning this process by focusing the
effort this fall and
winter on a 95,000 acre area near Truckee. We plan to have steps
1 and 2 done for the Truckee area completed later this winter.
And we hope the public will assist us with this process. The
decision as to the construction of any new trails, closure of some
trails, or modification of trails to protect environmentally sensitive
areas will be made during later steps of this process, probably a year
from now.” stated Steve Eubanks, Forest Supervisor.
“During September and October, I would like to invite anyone that is
knowledgeable about the location of existing wheeled vehicle trails in
the Truckee area to take a look at our draft maps and verify the trails
they know about are on the map. These maps will soon be available
at Tahoe National Forest offices, various OHV and/or mountain biking
shops, and on the web. We would also welcome the opportunity to
visit mountain bike, OHV, or other groups to explain the process and
leave maps for them to verify the trails they use are on the map.
And if individuals would like to be on our e-mail list for information,
please send a message to a.westling@fs.fed.us
requesting to be on the list to receive electronic updates,” continued
Eubanks.
In addition, two informal public workshops will be held toward the end
of October or early November in Nevada City and Truckee. The
purpose of both workshops is meet with those folks that have not had
the opportunity to review the maps and to explain the process.
The existing route identification process and completion of the
temporary forest order for the Truckee area is expected to be completed
during the winter, 2005.
This entire process is expected to take 4 years to complete and is
being funded by the State OHV Commission through a Memorandum of
Intent. For more information contact: David Michael, TNF Trails
Coordinator at the Tahoe National Forest Headquarters, (530) 478-6183
or at dmichael@fs.fed.us or
contact Jeff Wiley, OHV Coordinator for the Sierraville and Truckee
Ranger Districts (530) 994-3401 ext 6667 or at jwiley@fs.fed.us.
Vicinity map available in jpg
or pdf
formats.
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