Umpqua National Forest

Projects & Plans - Travel Management Planning

Current Condition

Motorized use is a popular use on the Umpqua National Forest and is an important form of recreation for many individuals, families, and groups.

Currently there are approximately 4,739 miles of roads open to motor vehicle use on the Forest, 4,202 miles (89%) of which are open to off-highway vehicle (OHV) use. There are approximately 543 miles of trails on the Forest, 154 miles (28%) of which are open to motorized use. Approximately 556,564 acres (57%) of the Forest are closed, either year long or seasonally, to overland travel (off designated roads and trails) through Forest Plan Decisions, Forest Orders, or statutory closures (i.e., wilderness). The remaining area (43%) is unregulated and open to overland travel by OHVs.

As travel on the Forest increases, the impacts on resources become more pronounced. The ever increasing growth in the size, power, and versatility of off road vehicles, along with increasing numbers of users, has led to a series of motorized use concerns on the Forest. These include but are not limited to: natural resource damage, user conflicts (i.e., among motorized users, hunters, and non-motorized users), and public safety concerns (i.e., motorized mixed use). A designated and managed system of routes is needed to address these concerns and comply with the Travel Management Rule.

In July of 2008 the Forest issued a news release soliciting public comment and began preliminary scoping of issues regarding travel management on the Umpqua National Forest.

Proposed Action

UPDATE 08/06/2009: Comment period has been extended to September 28, 2009

The Umpqua National Forest released its Proposed Action (145 KB PDF) for Travel Management Planning on April 10, 2009. The proposal for motorized vehicle use marks the beginning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process for the project.

Your comments are welcome anytime during the project, however public comments should be submitted by September 28, 2009 August 14, 2009, June 26, 2009, May 22, 2009 May 15, 2009 to be considered in the preparation of the Environmental Analysis.

Information will continue to be provided on this web site and at our local Forest Service offices.

NEW INFORMATION (07/20/2009) AVAILABLE - List of roads, by district, that were not proposed for motorized use under the Proposed Action:

• Cottage Grove Ranger District (15 KB PDF)
• Diamond Lake Ranger District (97 KB PDF)
• North Umpqua Ranger District (117 KB PDF)
• Tiller Ranger District (62 KB PDF)
• Summary (12 KB PDF)

Next Steps

Issues identified during scoping will be used to develop alternatives, which will be analyzed for their effects to the environment. This "effects analysis" will be documented in an Environmental Analysis. Completion of the Environmental Analysis is expected by June 2009.

Once the Environmental Analysis is released, the public will have an opportunity to comment on it during a 30-day "notice and comment" period. Based on this information, the Forest Supervisor will make a decision, which will be documented in a Decision Notice. The Forest plans to have the decision in the summer of 2009.

The decisions resulting from the Environmental Analysis and Decision Notice will be used to prepare Motor Vehicle Use Maps, which are expected to be published in September 2009. The Maps will display designated roads, trails and areas for motorized use, identified vehicle types and season of use on National Forest lands.

Contact Information

Scott Elefritz
Natural Resource Specialist
Supervisor's Office
2900 NW Stewart Parkway
Roseburg, OR 97470
(541) 957-3437

Cheryl Caplan
Public Affairs Officer
Supervisor's Office
2900 NW Stewart Parkway
Roseburg, OR 97470
(541) 957-3270