CLEARWATER NATIONAL FOREST TRAVEL PLANNING
Updated 10/05/09
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LATEST NEWS DEIS Available Check out the short Travel Plan Summary for a quick overview of the alternatives in the DEIS. The automated list of published NEPA documents for this project is available here. |
BACKGROUND
The Clearwater National Forest provides a variety of recreation opportunities – camping, driving, fishing, hunting, and more. Each year more and more people are involved in Off Highway Vehicle or OHV recreation whether driving all terrain vehicles (ATV’s), trail motorcycles, or four wheel drive vehicles. Motor vehicles can be a fun way to access and enjoy National Forest lands – in the right places and used responsibly.
The Forest Service is facing a challenge. The growth in use of OHV’s and their increasing ability to travel in rougher terrain has outraced the development of management strategies for them. While most riders use their OHV’s responsibly, the damage from growing cross-country travel is obvious. Proliferation of user-created trails, vegetation loss, unsightly scars, soil erosion, and stream damage are a few of the issues with irresponsible use of OHVs.
THE NATIONAL TRAVEL RULE
To address this situation, the Forest Service adopted a national rule regarding OHV’s in November 2005. The final content of this rule was shaped not only by the need for appropriate OHV management, but also by more than 81,000 public comments. The rule requires each National Forest to formally designate those roads, trails, and areas where summer motorized travel is permitted and to show them on a Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM). Once the rule is implemented, motorized travel will be permitted only on the roads, trails, and areas shown on the MVUM.
IMPLEMENTING THE RULE FOR THE CLEARWATER NF
Implementing the national travel rule on the Clearwater NF is a two step process that began in the summer of 2006. It started with a review of the existing situation to identify needs for change and a request for public suggestions for routes that were not in 2005 Travel Guide, which was our starting point. A proposed action, which is a rough proposal to address the needs for change was advertised and public comments were solicited in a process called scoping. Those comments were used to identify significant issues which shaped alternatives to the proposed action. Three action alternatives are analyzed in the DEIS which will also be available for public comment.
MORE INFORMATION
Check out the links at the top of the page for additional information about the draft environmental impact statement, the process and schedule, and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ).
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