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| Comment on the North Fruita Desert Resource Management Plan | | Tuesday, November 4, 2003 | The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently released a draft plan that will govern recreational trail use in the north Fruita desert. The Colorado Off Highway Vehicle Coalition (COHVCO) is submitting comments and requesting that you do the same. Comments are due by November 14, 2003
Email can also be used, and in this case the BLM seems to prefer it. To submit comments: Email james_cooper@co.blm.gov. Please consider taking the time to print and mail your comments as well.
Good talking points:
The area has been managed as "existing trails only" for over 15 years. The system is working and there is no reason to change how people are using the area.
The mountain bike community is braging about making illegal trails, now they want them to be managed only for their use. Rewarding bad behavior is not good policy.
The "freinds" alternative came from the local people. I support plans that come from local people.
There is no net gain for the motorized community. Only those trails and roads that exist are being considered for motorized use. Closing an area to motorized recreation does not favor our community.
Leave all the washes in the motorized area open. They have been ridden for years and are existing trails, weather there are tracks in them or not. Washes are self managing.
When considering the economic impact of this action, consider that motorized recreation contributes nearly half a billion dollars to Colorado's economy each year. Include that information in your final report, not just the few thousand dollare Fruita gets from mountain bikers.
OHV registration in Colorado help manage public lands in the amount of over a million dollars each year. Mountain bike trails will be managed only with public tax dollars. It seems unfair for everyone to pay the way for mountain bikers while the OHV rider helps pay for his recreation on public lands.
Important Points: The North Fruita Desert Planning process was initiated in August 2000. The planning effort was chartered under the Northwest Resource Advisory Committee and an Ad Hoc Committee representing different user groups was convened to assist the BLM staff in this effort. To date, 13 committee meetings have been held, resulting in the committee developing four draft alternatives. The four alternatives include, a No Action/Existing Situation Alternative, the Friends of the North Fruita Desert Alternative (Mountain Bike/Motorcycle Community Consensus Alternative) an Environmental Focus Alternative and the Multiple Use Alternative.
It is important to note that three of these alternatives provide for excellent recreational opportunities throughout the North Fruita Management area, but that only one (The Friends Alternative) has been endorsed by the Northwest Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) and the Ad Hoc Committee. This alternative provides for the most opportunities for all the different user groups and includes areas for everyone. Also, be sure to mention that all the motorized trails in the plan have always and will continue to be open to all users. The motorized trails are in fact frequently used by other recreationists and should remain open to all. We welcomed mountain bikers on the single track trail network that existed before the mountain bike trails were created. It's important, I think, to point out that there is no such thing as a motorcycle only trail. Any trail open motorized users is open to everyone.
Members are encouraged to read the entire plan, available at http://www.co.blm.gov/gjra/NFD-PDFlinks.htm |
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