*COHVCO ALERT* Comments Due Wed, June 3 on Gunnison Travel Management DEIS

SOME OF OUR LAST REMAINING HIGH MOUNTAIN TRAILS ARE AT RISK

YOUR IMMEDIATE ACTION IS REQUESTED.

The comment deadline is approaching on a draft Travel Plan for a very popular OHV area in Colorado. The Taylor Park / Gunnison Basin Travel Plan is out for public review and comment, and the deadline is next Wednesday, JUNE 3, 2009.

SEE BELOW HOW TO SEND A QUICK COMMENT LETTER VIA E-MAIL

SITUATION: For over 30 years now, Taylor Park, and trails across Colorado’s upper Gunnison Basin and North Fork Valley region, has been a world-class recreation destination for OHV users. In relatively recent years, ever since the modern mountain bike was developed, the area has been a treasured destination by mountain bike enthusiasts.

This plan will decide which roads and trails will be open for use by motorized vehicles and mountain bikes, which uses will be allowed on each route and whether there are any restrictions on the seasons of use for each route. To the Forest Service’s credit, the draft travel plan proposes leaving many of the epic mountain bike and motorized trails open. However, they are missing a few of the more special routes.

The Colorado Off Highway Vehicle Coalition (COHVCO) www.cohvco.org, has researched the many details in this plan and are working hard to defend our trails with the Blue Ribbon Coalition (BRC) www.sharetrails.org, the Trails Preservation Alliance (TPA) www.coloradotpa.org, Thunder Mountain Wheelers www.tmwatv.org and Western Slope 4-Wheelers www.ws4w.com.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
We are asking you to send an email to the Forest Service. Simple instructions are below. We’ve tried to make it as easy as possible.

IMPORTANT: If you have had the pleasure to visit this spectacular area, and have the time to write a bit about how valuable these trails are, please do so!  Comments must be in writing (paper or electronic) and must be received by June 3, 2009.

Mail written comments to: Gunnison Basin Travel Management DEIS, 2250 Hwy 50, Delta, Co 81416.

E-mail Comments to: r2_gmug_gunnison_travel@fs.fed.us.  

INFO ON THE WEB: See if the trails you use and enjoy are on any of the Alternatives. http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/gmug/policy/travel_mgmt/gun/deis.shtml#dm 

The Forest Service (FS) has formulated a “Proposed Action” Alternative (Alternative 2). Simply stated, this Alternative is what the agency wants to do. If your favorite roads and trails are not on this map, then it is extremely important that they hear from you!! 

They has also posted a helpful “how to comment” link on their website at http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/gmug/policy/travel_mgmt/gun/deis/How_to_comment.pdf

COHVCO RECOMMENDS USING BRC’s THREE STEP ACTION ITEM 

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO EMAIL YOUR COMMENTS:

NOTE: Please be polite and, if possible, make your comment letter as personal as you can.

STEP 1:  Open your email program and start a draft email. Address the email to
                r2_gmug_gunnison_travel@fs.fed.us. Put “Comments on Gunnison Travel Plan”
                in the Subject Line.

STEP 2:  Use the comments below as a guideline for comments in your email.
                Cut and paste is okay, but try to make your comment letter as personal as possible.

STEP 3: Take just a minute to add a bit about where you live, where you like to ride
               and how much trail-based recreation means to you. Be certain to include your
               name and address. A return email address is NOT sufficient! (”anonymous” emails
               are often discarded).

EXTRA CREDIT: If you can add any trail-specific information or personal testimony about your experiences enjoying this spectacular area, please take a minute to add that to your email (see links above for maps and other info).

Then click “send” and you’re done!

Sample comment letter: (Include trail specifics)

Gunnison Basin Travel Management DEIS
2250 Hwy 50
Delta, Co 81416

The Gunnison Basin has had a motorized and mountain bike recreational niche for many decades.  Because of the growth in popularity of OHV and mountain bike use, and because of closures in other areas of Colorado, there is a need to enhance motorized and mountain bike trail based recreation on the Gunnison NF. Therefore, it incumbent on the decision maker to choose a travel plan that enhances the motorized and mountain bike trail experience.

I would like emphasize this comment with a rhetorical question. Given the fact that other national forests in Colorado have designated vast areas for the exclusive use of non-motorized recreation, and subsequently closed many thousands of miles of motorized routes, does the Gunnison NF have a motorized niche because of the opportunities existing on the forest, or has the U.S. Forest Service created the motorized niche because the agency has displaced so much OHV use from other Forests?

The answer is obvious: Both. The Gunnison has a motorized niche both because of the decades of use, but also because closures in other areas of Colorado are displacing more OHV people. Therefore, your preferred alternative, “Alternative 2 - The Proposed Action”, which proposes yet more closures, is simply not logical. It also runs the risk of creating an unmanageable situation on the ground.

It is essential that all efforts to “mitigate first - close last” be made in formulating your Final Plan. I strongly support the specific trail recommendations made by the Colorado Off Highway Vehicle Coalition (COHVCO), the Trails Preservation Alliance (TPA), the Thunder Mountain Wheelers and the Western Slope 4-Wheelers.

YOU CAN SUPPORT ADOPTING SOME OF THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC TRAIL RECOMMENDATIONS:

• FS Road # 701 (Stevens Gulch) and FS Road # 265 (Buzzard Divide Road) on the Paonia Ranger District.
• Oil Well Mt. Trail, Buck Mesa / Thousand Acre Flats Trail, FS Road # 783 (Coal Gulch), trail # 804 (Buck  Mesa), FS Road # 704.4D (Spring House Park) FS Road # 704.4D1 (Spring House Park) and trail # 806 (Thousand Acre Flats).
• Overland Park Loop, Raggeds Trail, Minnesota Creek, Deer Creek and the proposed Sheep Mountain and Dyer Creek loops.
• Crest Trail, Agate Creek, North Bank (lower Dr Park area), Roaring Judy, and Eyre Basin. Also, please adopt their recommendations for the Teocalli Ridge, Ferris Creek and Double Top Trail Systems.
• BE SURE TO ADD ANY SPECIFIC TRAIL EXPERIENCES OF YOUR OWN

Sincerely.

YOUR NAME
YOUR ADDRESS