Proposed Plan

Each year, the national forests and grasslands get hundreds of miles of unauthorized roads and trails due to repeated cross-country use. We're seeing more erosion, water degradation, and habitat destruction. We're seeing more conflicts between users. We have got to improve our management so we get responsible recreational use based on sound outdoor ethics."
--- Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth, January 11, 2004

History of the Plan

Dale Bosworth, United States Forest Service Chief identified Off Road Vehicle use in our national forests as one of the major threats to our National Forest System. He directed every National Forest in the United States to develop a plan to deal with the many problems of unauthorized Off Highway Vehicle use.

The Tahoe National Forest spent 4 years developing their plan, with public input at certain times during the process. They have now published seven alternative plans. Their favorite one is called the Preferred Plan.

The Preferred Plan

Use these facts in your letters to the Tahoe National Forest to object to their plan to open at least 70 more miles of trails to Off Road Vehicles and convert 150 miles of roads to ORV roads.

• The Preferred Plan will affect all of us who enjoys spending time in the Tahoe National Forest. ORV access will increase. Non-ORV access will decrease. The Preferred Plan expands ORV trails by 70 miles!
• The Preferred Plan proposes to add new ORV trails in roadless areas, critical wildlife areas and even across the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. (Castle Peak, East Yuba, West Yuba and Grouse Ridge)
• The Forest Service is trying to save money by decreasing the maintenance on their roads. This will affect your ability to access your favorite places in the Tahoe National Forest. For example, if you are used to accessing the Grouse Ridge area in a car, you will no longer able to. ORV use will render these roads impassable in a very short time.
• Travel Management regulations require the Tahoe NF to identify a minimum transportation system though science-based analysis and identify the roads that are no longer needed to meet forest resource management objectives and that should be decommissioned or considered for other uses, such as trails. The DEIS does not address this regulation.
• The Forest Service did not consider noise impacts when developing any of their proposed plans
• Approximately 70% of the 387 vertebrate species occurring on the Tahoe National Forest either live exclusively in riparian areas or are frequently found there. These areas should be protected from ORVs.
• ORVs leak a variety of pollutants, including fuel and oil into the environment with serious negative impacts on water quality.

Click here to write NOW to the Forest Service to object to this plan.

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