| ARCADIA, CA
(May 24, 2007) - The Angeles
National Forest recently
completed a field-checked, mapped inventory of existing roads and
trails within the Forest that are currently used by wheeled vehicles,
including all authorized and unauthorized routes. This inventory will
assist Forest officials in making future, site-specific decisions
regarding the unauthorized routes. The Forest Service is asking
interested
persons to review the maps and validate the revised inventory to ensure
that it is complete and accurate. Comments should be submitted by July
31, 2007.
Inventory maps, guidelines and
forms
for reviewing the maps and submitting comments are available on the
Angeles National Forest website at www.fs.fed.us/r5/angeles/recreation/ohv.
Comments can be e-mailed to r5_angeles_ohv_suggestions@fs.fed.us
or mailed to:
Angeles National Forest Santa Clara/Mojave Rivers Ranger District Attn: OHV Management - Tom Kaucher 30800 Bouquet Canyon Road Saugus, CA 91390 On a national level, the Chief
of the
Forest Service has directed that each national forest create a system
of designated vehicle routes in order to minimize or eliminate the
undesirable impacts from unmanaged use of off-highway motor vehicles
(OHVs). Unlike many national forests, the Angeles National Forest has
had a designated OHV route system in place since 1987. The Forest's
2005 Revised Forest Plan and Record of Decision reconfirmed the OHV
route system, with public input.
Any proposed changes to the
current
route designations would be consistent with the land use zoning of the
Forest Plan, and would be accomplished incrementally over time using
the required National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. Future,
site-specific decisions regarding the unauthorized route inventory may
include the removal of unauthorized routes and restoration of the land,
the conversion of some unauthorized routes to non-motorized use such as
hiking or mountain-biking, the rerouting of segments, and/or the
addition of some routes to the designated system. These adjustments
will occur gradually over time, on an area-by-area basis and as
staffing, budget and workload permit.
For more information or for
assistance with the Angeles National Forest route inventory validation,
please contact Tom Kaucher, Forest OHV Manager, at 661-296-9710 ext 234.
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