Mt. Hood Off-Highway Vehicle Plan
Adobe Acrobat File (PDF), 301 Kb
11/4/09
After almost two years of preparation, the Forest Service released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Plan on August 28, 2009. The comment period has closed, but additional groundtruthing in the 8 proposed OHV areas is always welcome.
In a confusing move, the Forest Service chose two "preferred alternatives" in this Plan
-Alternative 3 sacrifices the largest area of Mt. Hood National Forest and includes the designation of 325 miles of OHV routes.
-Alternative 4 better protects clean drinking water, quiet recreation, and wildlife by limiting OHV routes to 99 miles.
Bark appreciates the Forest Service addressing the concerns raised by hundreds of Oregonians and including Alternative 4 in the DEIS. In the meantime some of the proposed areas have changed and Alternative 3 includes two entirely new OHV areas that we need to collect data on.
Please contact Bark at loriann(at)bark-out.org or (503) 331-0374, and let us know if you have any information on these areas or would be interested in helping us collect data on them.
If you would like to communicate with the Forest Service regarding the OHV Plan, write, email or call
Jennie O'Connor Card
Mt. Hood National Forest
6780 Highway 35
Parkdale, Oregon 97041
(541) 352-6002 ext. 634
You may submit comments to the above address or
comments-pacificnorthwest-mthood(at)fs.fed.us
To get more information and to comment through Bark's website, go to http //salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1810/t/9368/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY 27936
SUMMARIES OF THE 8 POTENTIAL OHV AREAS
Bear Creek
Alternative 3- 39.3 miles
Alternative 4- 0 miles
Bear Creek has not traditionally been used by OHVs and it is adjacent to the Mount Hood Wilderness Area. Bear Creek has historically been used for quiet recreation and meadows in the area are cherished by local communities. Lower Bear Creek also is home to threatened Bull Trout, and is a particularly sensitive waterway. New motorized trails in this area which will cross multiple area streams. In addition to the damage caused by building new trails for motorized access, OHV use would intensify soil disturbance and decrease vegetation causing increased erosion hazards in this area.
Gibson Prairie
Alternative 3- 4.9 miles
Alternative 4- 0 miles
Despite the high level of habitat fragmentation in the area, potential habitat exists for many native plants as well as black backed woodpecker and three toed woodpecker, northern goshawk, pileated woodpecker, wolverine, marten, fisher, spotted owl, barred owl in both the Bear Creek and Gibson areas (Hood River Middle/East Watershed Assessment, J-11, 3-19, 3-25). Wetland and meadow complexes in the area provide summer range for deer and elk (3-16). OHVs have been shown to introduce noxious weeds which is already a large problem in the area as invasion rates are greater than control efforts (3-11). Illegal trail construction by ATVs in the Gibson Prairie area has led to closures of the area in the past. The popularity of the area by equestrians and mountain bikers has also led to conflicts with motorized users.
Graham Pass
Alternative 3- 63.2 miles
Alternative 4- 0 miles
The Rhododendron Ridge Trail is one of the few designated OHV areas that currently exists, although no data exists on how much use the 10.4-mile trail gets. High fragmentation, patchiness and loss of connectivity contribute to the large edge effects on habitat in this area (Upper Clackamas Watershed Assessment, 10). These conditions have severely affected late seral habitat in the area, including the LSR (60). The LSR is so skinny that activities outside of the reserve have large effects on reserve habitat (17). Special and unique habitat including caves, rock, tallus, cliffs, bridges, buildings and wetlands are located in the area (109). The watershed is one of few areas with adequate snag densities that exceed ROD and LMP requirements (17). Adequate aquatic habitat is lacking (24).
LaDee Flat
Alternative 3- 42 miles
Alternative 4- 25.2 miles
For over 15 years the Forest Service has been struggling to manage illegal OHV use and associated activities (shooting, dumping, etc.) in the proposed LaDee Flat OHV area. Subsequent attempts to stop resource damage from occurring included an area closure, multiple cleanup efforts by SOLV and Dumpstoppers, reposting of the closure sign, and constant replacement of closure devices. Regardless of the Forest Service's reasoning for including La Dee, Bark is concerned that the North Fork Clackamas River will be degraded by the cumulative impacts of OHV use and logging. The No Whisky Timber Sale is currently being logged in the proposed OHV area. For information on No Whisky including photos of the area and some of the OHV damage please visit http //www.bark-out.org/tsdb/detail.php?sale nowhsky.
McCubbins Gulch
Alternative 3- 60.1 miles
Alternative 4- 33.6 miles
The McCubbins Gulch OHV area extends into the White River Wild and Scenic area. This area has been used by off-roaders for a number of years and there is a proliferation of user created routes that impact the ecology of the area.
Mount Defiance
Alternative 3- 5.5 miles
Alternative 4- 0 miles
Little is known about the impacts new OHV routes could have on this area, adjacent to the Columbia Wilderness (re-named as Hatfield Wilderness). Bark has yet to collect data on this newly-proposed area, and needs volunteers to groundtruth.
Peavine
Alternative 3- 49.6 miles
Alternative 4- 0 miles
The proposed trail system comes within a mile of the Pacific Crest Trail, which summits the South and North Pinhead Buttes on Warm Springs land and would use the Skyline Road (4240110). Both of these are historic and culturally significant destinations for other important users of the forest. Every year thousands of people from around the world hike along portions of the Pacific Crest Trail. This upper Clackamas area is one of the remaining swaths of Mt. Hood with considerable old-growth forests still standing. High fragmentation, patchiness and loss of connectivity contribute to the large edge effects on habitat in this area (Upper Clackamas Watershed Assessment, 10). These conditions have severely affected late seral habitat in the area, including the Upper Clackamas LSR (60). The LSR is so skinny that activities outside of the reserve have large effects on reserve habitat (17).
Rock Creek
Alternative 3- 61.2 miles
Alternative 4- 37.3 miles
Some in the Sportsman's Park community adjacent to this proposed OHV area have been fighting this proposal for almost 5 years. Illegal riding and damage by ATVs have been reported and recent fuel reduction treatments have facilitated illegal route creation. The Wasco County Board of Commissioners and the local paramedic department have expressed concern about this area. Summer fires started by motorized users, burdens on emergency medical infrastructure, and incursions into resident's private property are among the concerns.
BACKGROUND
The Forest Service is required by the 2005 Travel Management Rule (TMR) to work with the public to identify the minimum road system necessary to balance recreation and other access needs while minimizing watershed damage and maintenance costs.
Instead of listening to the overwhelming community call for comprehensive planning, in September 2007, the Forest Service went forward with an Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) Plan.
In response to the Forest Service's OHV Plan, the Restore Mt. Hood Coalition, a group of 20 conservation and quiet recreation organizations, came together to advocate for a comprehensive travel planning process to downsize the 4,000 mile road system, protect drinking water quality and wildlife habitat, and incorporate the needs of the quiet recreation community. See a copy of the letter by clicking "Restore Mt. Hood Coalition Comments" link to the right.
Over the course of 2007-2009, the Restore Mt. Hood Coalition met with local and regional Forest Service staff to explore ways of achieving a comprehensive vision for roads and quiet recreation as part of Mt. Hood travel planning. We also worked with the Oregon Congressional delegation to secure funding for road planning, decommissioning, and monitoring through the Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation Initiative. However, the Forest Service has refused to budge from its position and meet both its own travel planning mandate and the public sentiment.
TIMELINE
November 5, 2005 Travel Management Rule finalized
August 29, 2007 Forest Service begins the environmental review process by releasing a scoping notice and maps to the public.
August 21, 2008 Forest Service releases an update letter and notifies the public that areas outside of the 6 presented during scoping will be considered.
August 2009 Draft Environmental Impact Statement released
In a confusing move, the Forest Service chose two "preferred alternatives" in this Plan
-Alternative 3 sacrifices the largest area of Mt. Hood National Forest and includes the designation of 325 miles of OHV routes.
-Alternative 4 better protects clean drinking water, quiet recreation, and wildlife by limiting OHV routes to 99 miles.
Bark appreciates the Forest Service addressing the concerns raised by hundreds of Oregonians and including Alternative 4 in the DEIS. In the meantime some of the proposed areas have changed and Alternative 3 includes two entirely new OHV areas that we need to collect data on.
Please contact Bark at loriann(at)bark-out.org or (503) 331-0374, and let us know if you have any information on these areas or would be interested in helping us collect data on them.
If you would like to communicate with the Forest Service regarding the OHV Plan, write, email or call
Jennie O'Connor Card
Mt. Hood National Forest
6780 Highway 35
Parkdale, Oregon 97041
(541) 352-6002 ext. 634
You may submit comments to the above address or
comments-pacificnorthwest-mthood(at)fs.fed.us
To get more information and to comment through Bark's website, go to http //salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1810/t/9368/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY 27936
SUMMARIES OF THE 8 POTENTIAL OHV AREAS
Bear Creek
Alternative 3- 39.3 miles
Alternative 4- 0 miles
Bear Creek has not traditionally been used by OHVs and it is adjacent to the Mount Hood Wilderness Area. Bear Creek has historically been used for quiet recreation and meadows in the area are cherished by local communities. Lower Bear Creek also is home to threatened Bull Trout, and is a particularly sensitive waterway. New motorized trails in this area which will cross multiple area streams. In addition to the damage caused by building new trails for motorized access, OHV use would intensify soil disturbance and decrease vegetation causing increased erosion hazards in this area.
Gibson Prairie
Alternative 3- 4.9 miles
Alternative 4- 0 miles
Despite the high level of habitat fragmentation in the area, potential habitat exists for many native plants as well as black backed woodpecker and three toed woodpecker, northern goshawk, pileated woodpecker, wolverine, marten, fisher, spotted owl, barred owl in both the Bear Creek and Gibson areas (Hood River Middle/East Watershed Assessment, J-11, 3-19, 3-25). Wetland and meadow complexes in the area provide summer range for deer and elk (3-16). OHVs have been shown to introduce noxious weeds which is already a large problem in the area as invasion rates are greater than control efforts (3-11). Illegal trail construction by ATVs in the Gibson Prairie area has led to closures of the area in the past. The popularity of the area by equestrians and mountain bikers has also led to conflicts with motorized users.
Graham Pass
Alternative 3- 63.2 miles
Alternative 4- 0 miles
The Rhododendron Ridge Trail is one of the few designated OHV areas that currently exists, although no data exists on how much use the 10.4-mile trail gets. High fragmentation, patchiness and loss of connectivity contribute to the large edge effects on habitat in this area (Upper Clackamas Watershed Assessment, 10). These conditions have severely affected late seral habitat in the area, including the LSR (60). The LSR is so skinny that activities outside of the reserve have large effects on reserve habitat (17). Special and unique habitat including caves, rock, tallus, cliffs, bridges, buildings and wetlands are located in the area (109). The watershed is one of few areas with adequate snag densities that exceed ROD and LMP requirements (17). Adequate aquatic habitat is lacking (24).
LaDee Flat
Alternative 3- 42 miles
Alternative 4- 25.2 miles
For over 15 years the Forest Service has been struggling to manage illegal OHV use and associated activities (shooting, dumping, etc.) in the proposed LaDee Flat OHV area. Subsequent attempts to stop resource damage from occurring included an area closure, multiple cleanup efforts by SOLV and Dumpstoppers, reposting of the closure sign, and constant replacement of closure devices. Regardless of the Forest Service's reasoning for including La Dee, Bark is concerned that the North Fork Clackamas River will be degraded by the cumulative impacts of OHV use and logging. The No Whisky Timber Sale is currently being logged in the proposed OHV area. For information on No Whisky including photos of the area and some of the OHV damage please visit http //www.bark-out.org/tsdb/detail.php?sale nowhsky.
McCubbins Gulch
Alternative 3- 60.1 miles
Alternative 4- 33.6 miles
The McCubbins Gulch OHV area extends into the White River Wild and Scenic area. This area has been used by off-roaders for a number of years and there is a proliferation of user created routes that impact the ecology of the area.
Mount Defiance
Alternative 3- 5.5 miles
Alternative 4- 0 miles
Little is known about the impacts new OHV routes could have on this area, adjacent to the Columbia Wilderness (re-named as Hatfield Wilderness). Bark has yet to collect data on this newly-proposed area, and needs volunteers to groundtruth.
Peavine
Alternative 3- 49.6 miles
Alternative 4- 0 miles
The proposed trail system comes within a mile of the Pacific Crest Trail, which summits the South and North Pinhead Buttes on Warm Springs land and would use the Skyline Road (4240110). Both of these are historic and culturally significant destinations for other important users of the forest. Every year thousands of people from around the world hike along portions of the Pacific Crest Trail. This upper Clackamas area is one of the remaining swaths of Mt. Hood with considerable old-growth forests still standing. High fragmentation, patchiness and loss of connectivity contribute to the large edge effects on habitat in this area (Upper Clackamas Watershed Assessment, 10). These conditions have severely affected late seral habitat in the area, including the Upper Clackamas LSR (60). The LSR is so skinny that activities outside of the reserve have large effects on reserve habitat (17).
Rock Creek
Alternative 3- 61.2 miles
Alternative 4- 37.3 miles
Some in the Sportsman's Park community adjacent to this proposed OHV area have been fighting this proposal for almost 5 years. Illegal riding and damage by ATVs have been reported and recent fuel reduction treatments have facilitated illegal route creation. The Wasco County Board of Commissioners and the local paramedic department have expressed concern about this area. Summer fires started by motorized users, burdens on emergency medical infrastructure, and incursions into resident's private property are among the concerns.
BACKGROUND
The Forest Service is required by the 2005 Travel Management Rule (TMR) to work with the public to identify the minimum road system necessary to balance recreation and other access needs while minimizing watershed damage and maintenance costs.
Instead of listening to the overwhelming community call for comprehensive planning, in September 2007, the Forest Service went forward with an Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) Plan.
In response to the Forest Service's OHV Plan, the Restore Mt. Hood Coalition, a group of 20 conservation and quiet recreation organizations, came together to advocate for a comprehensive travel planning process to downsize the 4,000 mile road system, protect drinking water quality and wildlife habitat, and incorporate the needs of the quiet recreation community. See a copy of the letter by clicking "Restore Mt. Hood Coalition Comments" link to the right.
Over the course of 2007-2009, the Restore Mt. Hood Coalition met with local and regional Forest Service staff to explore ways of achieving a comprehensive vision for roads and quiet recreation as part of Mt. Hood travel planning. We also worked with the Oregon Congressional delegation to secure funding for road planning, decommissioning, and monitoring through the Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation Initiative. However, the Forest Service has refused to budge from its position and meet both its own travel planning mandate and the public sentiment.
TIMELINE
November 5, 2005 Travel Management Rule finalized
August 29, 2007 Forest Service begins the environmental review process by releasing a scoping notice and maps to the public.
August 21, 2008 Forest Service releases an update letter and notifies the public that areas outside of the 6 presented during scoping will be considered.
August 2009 Draft Environmental Impact Statement released
- Mt. Hood National Forest on Path to Limit Off-road Vehicles
"We do believe people have a right to use the forest, but we don't think it's right for people to be going into the backcountry and abusing it," said Amy Harwood of the Portland group Bark.
More... - Oregonians speak out for a fair Mt. Hood OHV Plan
In the short 60-day comment period, nearly 1,000 Oregonians demanded a fair OHV Plan that protects clean water, quiet recreation, and wildlife habitat.
More... - Mt. Hood Off-Highway Vehicle Plan
As many as 325 miles of off-highway vehicle (OHV) routes will be designated in Mt. Hood National Forest. Help Bark groundtruth the proposed areas today...
More... - Audio: Discussion of Mt. Hood Off Highway Vehicle Plan
Audio from October monthly Bark-About hike to La Dee Flats along Forest Service Road 4610, one of the many Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) sites recently proposed for Mt. Hood National Forest.
More... - National forest considers limits on off-highway vehicles
The Mount Hood National Forest ultimately could close many miles or roads and trails to operators of off-highway vehicles, but first it will gauge public opinion — which could be strongly divided.
More...
General Info
Prescriptions
- Bark's Comments:
Updated 11/16/09
