Travel Management

What is Travel Management?

In 2005 the Forest Service issued the Travel Management Rule, a new regulation that requires all 155 national forests in the country to have a system of designated roads, trails and areas for motor vehicle use by vehicle type and, if appropriate, by season of use. This prohibits cross–country motor vehicle travel.

Travel Management is a decision-making process that includes significant public involvement and will result in the publication of a Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) that identifies the roads, trails and areas open to public motor vehicle use on every national forest

Why is the Forest Service doing Travel Management? Is this process really necessary?

The Forest Service has identified unmanaged recreation — especially impacts from motor vehicles — as one of the major threats facing the nation's forests and grasslands today. Unmanaged motorized use has resulted in unplanned roads, trails and areas from off route use that cause erosion, watershed and habitat degradation, as well as impacts to wildlife and cultural resources. Dramatic increases in motor vehicle use and the associated impacts have created management challenges that prompted the Travel Management Rule.

The Travel Management process will result in consistent rules for motor vehicle use that improve the management of national forest lands, sustain and protect natural and cultural resource values, enhance opportunities for motorized recreation and access, and preserve areas of opportunities on each national forest for non-motorized travel and experiences.

Why aren’t forests fully implementing the Travel Management Rule?

The Travel Management Rule is comprised of three parts: Subpart A — Administration of the Forest Transportation System; Subpart B - Designation of roads, trails and areas for motor vehicle use; and Subpart C — Use by over-snow vehicles. The immediate focus of national forests in California is on addressing the issue of unmanaged, cross-country motor vehicle use through the designation of roads, trails and areas by vehicle class, and if appropriate, time of year, and the production of a MVUM.

The national forests in California began the current Travel Management decision-making process in 2003 with a commitment to the public to prohibit cross-country vehicle travel and establish a sustainable system of designated routes. Forests have continued with this route designation commitment and have only departed from the original intent where necessary to align with the national framework, its definitions and terminology as provided in the Travel Management Rule. Upon completion of this process, it will be determined how to best proceed in the future with the implementation of Subparts A and C.

Under Forest Service regulations and new Forest Service Manual and Handbook direction issued nationally, Subpart A requires a broad-scale planning effort and the consideration of the multiple resource and other management objectives contained in the forest plan. This type of planning effort is time-consuming. It would delay forests’ current efforts to analyze unmanaged motorized recreation and implement a designated system of roads, trails, and areas for motor vehicle use, along with the improved management and resource protection that will result from that effort.

Why are forests on such tight timeframes to complete this process?

While the timeframes might seem rushed, national forests in California have been working with the public to designate routes for motor vehicle use since 2003. This has been a long and challenging process and we continue to move forward, encouraging the public to stay engaged to help us find the best solutions to secure a wide-range of recreation opportunities while ensuring the best possible care of the land.

Why is the Forest Service spending so much time and energy on OHV use?

In the right places, and with proper management, motor vehicles, including off-highway vehicles (OHV), are a legitimate and appropriate way for people to enjoy their national forests. Motor vehicle use, particularly OHV use, has largely gone unmanaged. The Forest Service is proposing to manage this growing recreational use. Doing nothing to address resource damage from cross-country travel would be irresponsible. Most national forest visitors use motor vehicles to access national forest lands, whether for recreation, camping and hiking, hunting and fishing, commercial purposes, or the many other multiple uses that occur on national forest lands.

Will forests be proposing new OHV opportunities?

The 18 national forests in California are at different places with the management of motor vehicles. A few forests have designated roads, trails and OHV areas, while many have not. All of the forests entered into a collaborative process with the public to identify issues, concerns and future needs for motor vehicle use. Based on the input from the public and other considerations, some forests will propose no additional OHV opportunities at this time, while other forests will develop proposals for new opportunities. These proposals, along with alternatives to the proposals, will be analyzed with environmental assessments or environmental impact statements. All of the proposals will eliminate cross-country travel by vehicles, and designate a system of roads, trails and areas for use by vehicle type, and if appropriate, time of year.

Will forests be taking away all opportunities for OHV riders?

There will continue to be OHV riding opportunities and other motorized recreation opportunities on national forest lands. The current travel management efforts are focused on providing for motorized recreation opportunities in the appropriate places. Understanding where and when OHV use is allowed on national forest lands will be beneficial to all visitors.

How will this affect hunting access?

Hunters will continue to have motorized access to national forest lands through a designated system of roads, trails and areas, as well as having foot or horseback access to non-motorized areas of national forests including Wilderness areas.

How will this affect dispersed camping experiences?

National forests are special in that visitors have the ability to choose whether to camp in a developed campground or more rustically in the general forest area. Although we are making changes, visitors will continue to have motorized access to much of the national forests through a designated system of roads, trails and areas, as well as having foot, horseback and bicycle access. In many cases, national forests are making an effort to designate routes that access popular dispersed campsites. Visitors will need to pay particular attention to the rules so they know how far they can drive into a dispersed campsite with their vehicle. The distance will be based on the natural and cultural resource concerns in the area and could differ from forest to forest based on local conditions.

How will this affect parking along designated roads?

We recognize that designations of roads for motor vehicle use embraces the use of turnouts, parking lots, trailheads, and other facilities associated with roads, along with roadside parking. Forests have two options for specifying how far from the roadside of a designated road or trail parking will be allowed. The first option is one vehicle length from the edge of the road. The second option is within a specified distance of up to 30 feet from the edge of the road surface.

What’s considered a passenger car road?

The Forest Service manages several different types of passenger car roads. The definition for each road type is a little different and is dependent on the objective of the road and the level of maintenance. Passenger car roads range from double lane, paved facilities to gravel or dirt roads maintained for travel by a prudent driver in a standard passenger car.

Are non-highway legal vehicles (Greensticker vehicle — dirt bike, ATV, RTV, UTV) allowed to travel on passenger car roads?

Public safety comes first when considering this type of use. With that in mind, passenger car roads can be designated to allow the mixed use of non-highway-legal (Dirt bikes & ATV’s) and highway-legal vehicles (passenger cars). Based on an engineering safety analysis, some forests may allow motorized mixed-use on some passenger car roads and others may not. If a road is designated for motorized mixed-use State requirements for operators of motor vehicles (such as the requirement to have a valid driver’s license) apply on National Forest System Roads.

How will forests enforce the Travel Management Rule? It seems like there are not enough Law Enforcement Officers or funding for enforcement.

The Forest Service will enforce the Travel Management Rule through the publication of a MVUM. This black and white map will be made available to the public free of charge. Forest MVUMs are also available online at: http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/ohv/ohv_maps.shtml

We believe that most of our visitors want to do the right thing for the environment and follow the rules. We continue to work with the public, including various organizations and other agencies to gain, maintain and improve compliance with the new motorized route designations. We believe that as our visitors become familiar with the new rules, enforcement of our regulations will improve. However, enforcement is not enough, and we believe that education and awareness also play an important role in gaining visitor compliance. We will look for partnership opportunities and continue to work with existing organizations to increase public awareness of safe and responsible riding on public lands.

Do forests have enough resources to manage current and anticipated motorized recreation use?

By eliminating cross-country travel and designating a system of roads, trails and areas, national forests can target efforts that protect and improve national forest lands while providing a range of recreational opportunities. In addition, we are very privileged in California to have the California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division and their statewide Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program. Through this program the Forest Service along with other federal, state and local agencies have the ability to apply for grant funds to help us manage off-highway vehicles use.

Will Travel Management affect private landowners’ access to their private lands?

Those who have private property within Forest Service boundaries with valid rights of access will continue to have access.

What are the different steps in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process?

There are two different types of environmental documents—the environmental assessment (EA) and the environmental impact statement (EIS). In California, most forests are developing an EIS for Travel Management due to the nature and complexity of the changes occurring.

The proposed action (scoping) is the first step in the NEPA process and is the agencies first attempt to frame the intended project. This step includes public input (minimum 45-day comment period). Within this time period the public is asked to comment on the proposed action. Information about the proposed action will be provided on forest websites, at public meetings, and in local libraries. Public input will help forests identify issues with the proposed action. Issues identified will be used to help develop alternatives to the proposed actions which will then be analyzed for their effects to the environment. The “effects analysis” is a chapter published in a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS). When the DEIS is completed, the public will have another minimum of 45-day “notice and comment” period. Based on analysis and public input, the Forest Supervisor will issue a final environmental impact statement and make a decision which will be published as a record of decision.

During the NEPA process, what’s the best way to ensure that my comments are addressed?

Your comments are very important to us. Your comments should be as specific as possible. For example: Rather than stating, “I don’t want roads closed”; it would be better to state: “I’d like to keep Forest Service Road 17N82 open because my family uses this road every year during our week vacation to access our favorite Trail #49 with our ATVs.” Give specific information about roads and trails that mean something to you, whether it’s for access to your favorite dispersed camping spot at the end of an old grown-in road or because its your favorite single-track dirt bike trail.

Another recommendation we can make is to avoid form letters. Public comments that all say the same thing do not help us modify projects as effectively as comments that are very specific.

Do you accept petitions?

Petitions are accepted as public comment. However, comments are not “votes” and a petition with 1,000 signatures does not count as 1,000 comments. The issue raised in the petition i.e., “effects to a specific archeological site” is what gets analyzed for environmental effects. The issue is not counted as 1,000 comments but treated as one issue.

Who is making the decision about where motor vehicles can go?

Based on the analysis in the environmental impact statement and public input, the Forest Supervisor is the responsible official that will decide: 1) which roads, trails, and areas will be designated for motor vehicle use by the public by vehicle class and if appropriate, by time of year, 2) where motor vehicle access to dispersed camping is allowed; and 3) the distance from designated routes the public will be allowed to park their motor vehicle.

How Can I Help?

• Read about the Travel Management/Route Designation Process.
• Subscribe to receive updated information.
• Find the Contact Person for each Forest in which you are interested.
• Observe and comment at each stage of Travel Management/Route Designation as a Forest moves through the process.
• Attend Forest meetings and/or send comments. Send thoughts and justification as to why certain routes are important to you or why a route should not be designated.