JAN 31
JAN 31
READ THIS ENTIRE STORY AND SEE THE DATES AT BOTTOMTHIS IS VERY SERIOUS. YOU COULD SEE MASSIVE TRAIL CLOSURES IF YOU DON’T TALK UP! )
Chris Vargas (Warriors Society Director of Planning and Policy) attended the Forest Plan meeting in Trabuco District, Cleveland National Forest. This district borders Riverside and Orange County. These meetings will take place in January and February, to discuss the Forest Plan of the San Bernardino, Angeles, Las Padres, and San Bernardino National Forests.
At the meeting, the focus was on the Proposed Action on the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum for the Trabuco District (Orange and Riverside Counties). This plan determines which areas of the forest can be used for specific types of activity or a spectrum of activities. After viewing the Proposed Action, we were given colored stars and asked for our suggestions to improve the plan. This was the process of getting public input on changes, called the Preferred Plan. The following categories were used:
1.Primitive (P). Areas are characterized by an essentially natural, unmodified environment of large size. It is prohibited to use motorized or manual recreation vehicles. This ROS designation includes wilderness areas. Red Stars can be used to change areas to the ROS designation. Participants used all their red stars to try to get the forest plan to designate the areas that contained the Trabuco District’s multi-use/non-motorized trails to this ROS. This designation would threaten the leases of cabin lease holders.
2.SemiPrimitive Non-Motorized Area (SPNM) is an area that has a predominant natural or natural-appearing setting of moderate to large dimensions. Mountain biking is allowed in this ROS. However, wilderness areas may be compatible with this designation. Mountain bikers should contact the ROS for clarification to avoid any confusion. This ROS covers a large portion of the Trabuco and Blue Jay areas that contain multi-use/non-motorized trails. These areas can be marked with Green Stars if you wish to modify the ROS. This designation could threaten cabin lease holders. This designation should be clarified for cabin owners.
3. Semi-Primitive motorized (SPM), Areas are those that have a predominant natural or natural appearance environment. They can range in size from small to large. These ROS-designated areas are not suitable for wilderness. This ROS designation is what mountain bikers feel most at home in. This designation will not make it more difficult to build roads or convert existing trails into roads, but it will allow you to keep the status quo. These areas can be marked with Blue Stars if you wish to modify the ROS. This designation is compatible with cabin lease holders. It best describes Trabuco Canyon, which leads to the Holy Jim Trail.
4. Roaded Natural (RN), Areas are characterized by natural-appearing areas with moderate evidences from the sight of man. These areas can be given Yellow Stars if you wish to alter the ROS.
5. Rural (R) Areas are characterized by a substantially altered natural environment. These areas can be given Silver Stars if you wish to modify the ROS.
Mountain bikers, and all recreational users, must attend this part of the planning process to preserve the National Forests of Southern California. Pro-wilderness activists can make changes to areas that have a mountain bike friendly ROS to ones that are hostile to mountain biking if you aren’t there. Ms. Wynn is the Cleveland National Forest’s Public Affairs Officer and expressed her delight at seeing a mountain biker in attendance at the meetings, as they often have none!
Here is the information that you will need to know and to attend the meetings in your National Forest. This email should be sent to all citizens who want to help protect the National Forests of Southern California and their right to enjoy them responsibly.
Angeles National Forest
Comfort Suites
25380 The Old Road
Stevenson Ranch, CA
Ramada Inn
300 West Palmdale Blvd.
Palmdale, CA
United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall
1543 Barbara Street
Wrightwood, CA
Pasadena Conference Center
300 East Green St
Pasadena, CA
Cleveland National Forest
Corona Public Library
650 S. Main Street
Corona, CA
(Trabuco Ranger district)
Los Padres National Forest
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park Conference Center
Highway 1
Big Sur, CA
(Monterey Ranger District)
Salinas Community Center
Gabilan Meeting Room
940 North Main Street
Salinas, CA
(Monterey Ranger District)
San Bernardino National Forest
Bonnie Oehl Elementary School
2525 Palm Ave, Highland, CA
(Front country and Cajon Pass in San Bernardino County).
Idyllwild Fire Department. Conference Room
54160 Maranatha Rd.
Idyllwild (CA)
(Idyllwild and areas to the north in Riverside County).
Hootman Senior Communities Ctr.
2929 Running Springs School Road
Running Springs, CA
(Mountaintop communities west from Deep Creek, San Bernardino County).
Anza Valley Community Center
56630 Highway 371.
Anza, CA
(Federal lands surrounding Anza, Riverside County)
For More information: www.r5.fs.fed.us/sccs
NUMBERS THAT YOU NEED
Forest Plan Update Toll Free Information Line (recording) 252-8846
Forest Plan Update Public Affairs Office 524-0140
Angeles National Forest Public Affairs Office (574-5206
Cleveland National Forest Public Affairs Office 674-29984
Los Padres National Forest Public Affairs Office 968-6640
Public Affairs Office for San Bernardino National Forest 383-5588
The Warriors Society
Non-Profit Organizations under Section 501 C of IRS Code
