FEDERATION OF WESTERN OUTDOOR CLUBS

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WHEELED MOTOR VEHICLE TRAVEL MANAGEMENT ON THE ELDORADO NATIONAL FOREST


Background:

The U.S. Forest Service is two years into its task of finally determining which roads and trails on each national forest will allow use by off-road vehicles, ORVs (including 4X4s), motorcycles and all terrain vehicles (ATVs).

The Eldorado National Forest is leading the way in accomplishing this task, owing to a court ordered NEPA analysis of its ORV program. Currently the forest has an order in force banning off-route use.

This planning process is an unprecedented opportunity to help the Forest Service get ORV designation right. For the Eldorado National Forest, conservationists are urging the Forest Service to adopt Alternative E of the July 27, 2007 Environmental Impact Statement, which would:

focus on providing greater protection for forest resources and increasing opportunities for non-motorized recreation opportunities;

allow motor-vehicle use on 751.6 miles of roads and 136.3 miles of trails;

prohibit cross-country travel by wheeled motor vehicles;

limit wheeled vehicle parking for dispersed camping to a distance of one vehicle length from the edge of the route surface; and

close designated system trails and native system roads to vehicle use from January 1 through March 31.

Resolution:

The Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs urges the United States Forest Service to adopt and implement Alternative E, with the exception of the item listed below, of its July 23, 2007 document entitled: Eldorado National Forest Wheeled Vehicle Travel Management: Comparison of Alternatives.

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Part not approved: "allow wheeled motor vehicle over-the-snow travel on surfaced roads only with 12 inches or more of snow cover."





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