SonoraBob
04-06-2002, 07:41 PM
http://www.recordnet.com/daily/news/articles/2news040602.html
Notes leaked
Stanislaus forest flap flaring over off-road vehicles
By Audrey Cooper
Record Staff Writer
Sarcastic and curt notes from an internal meeting of Stanislaus National Forest officials have been leaked to state officials and threaten to derail forest managers' attempts to make peace with their many critics.
The notes were leaked to members of a state commission that hands out off-road-vehicle program grants in California. The notes detail discussions among 17 top forest managers on how to circumvent the state Off-Road Motorized Vehicle Recreation Commission.
In the notes, the forest officials also admit they aren't working on developing a required map of all off-road-vehicle trails, despite promises to state officials.
Residents near the forest and off-road-vehicle users said Friday that they weren't surprised by the defiant language in the notes: Their pleas for a better ORV program have been ignored by forest officials for years, they say.
Off-road vehicles -- from four-wheel-drive sport utility vehicles to motorcycles -- have been blamed for noise, dust pollution and degradation of the forests. A well-managed plan can keep users in check and appease neighbors.
Forest officials said the meeting notes reflect a frank and open brainstorming session after a frustrating meeting with state officials. The meeting finally focused on how to build a better ORV program and work with the state.
The memo outlines how forest officials could manipulate the state Off-Road Motorized Vehicle Recreation Commission, which in February refused to give the national forest the $520,010 it requested.
The forest got $215,000 because of the commission's concerns over mismanagement of the forest's ORV program. The amount included $15,000 for a conflict-resolution program.
The memo includes suggestions that the forest "take the money and run," "fake it," "apply for (more) grant funds but don't plan on appearing before the commission," or ask ORV users to lobby the state commission for more funds.
Those alternatives are better than "subject(ing) ourselves to the treatment recently faced," according to the notes of the Feb. 27 brainstorming session, five days after the forest's 105th anniversary.
The meeting notes also mention that rangers aren't always sure when they can cite illegal ORV use.
With no easy-to-read map of legal trails and no clear regulatory authority, residents say they fear continued abuses by reckless ORV users.
A top forest official writing on behalf of Forest Supervisor Ben del Villar said in a letter to state authorities that the inflammatory language does not accurately reflect the officials' commitment to developing a program acceptable to ORV users and environmentalists.
Paul Spitler, a member of the state Off-Road Motorized Vehicle Recreation Commission, called the memo "bold, disrespectful and embarrassing."
Spitler may ask the attorney general to investigate whether the strategy session was an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars.
The meeting notes were leaked to state commission officials and threaten to destroy the already strained relationship between forest staff members and the state. Spitler said he was unwilling to give the forest any more money until it solves its problems.
"What bothers me the most is that they can't seem to take seriously the numerous concerns about sloppy ORV management and instead only want to kill the messenger instead of responding to the message," said Spitler, who also serves as executive director of the California Wilderness Coalition.
But del Villar said Friday that the state ORV commission has routinely and unfairly changed what it expects of forest managers. He also said the forest will develop a map of acceptable trails and invite the public into discussions on proper ORV policies.
That might help ease complaints from landowners and those who use off-road vehicles on the forest's 2,200 miles of unpaved roads and trails.
Don Klusman, a consultant for the California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs Inc., argued against any state funding for the Stanislaus National Forest this year. It is the first time Klusman has asked the state not to give money for an ORV program.
"We're tired of seeing the money wasted. I think they're paying a lot of salaries and not putting the money on the ground where it belongs," he said.
Trail closures have limited legal opportunities for ORV users by 75 percent despite more than $1 million in state grant money over the past 10 years, Klusman said.
With trails routinely closed and never reopened, users are forced to create and use illegal trails, he said.
And ORV use on illegal trails has frustrated residents who live in an 8,600-acre area near Arnold known as the Interface.
Resident Judith Spencer, a member of the community group Commitment to Our Recreational Environment, said ORV users recreate nearly in her back yard. The dust and noise gets worse each year forest managers delay planning decisions for the area, she said.
Forest spokesman Pat Kaunert said forest officials have worked hard to maintain certain trails and designate an appropriate ORV program.
Forest officials are scheduled to meet today with members of the public over their grant applications for next year. The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the forest headquarters, 19777 Greenley Road in Sonora.
* To reach reporter Audrey Cooper phone 546-8298 or e-mail
acooper@recordnet.com
Notes leaked
Stanislaus forest flap flaring over off-road vehicles
By Audrey Cooper
Record Staff Writer
Sarcastic and curt notes from an internal meeting of Stanislaus National Forest officials have been leaked to state officials and threaten to derail forest managers' attempts to make peace with their many critics.
The notes were leaked to members of a state commission that hands out off-road-vehicle program grants in California. The notes detail discussions among 17 top forest managers on how to circumvent the state Off-Road Motorized Vehicle Recreation Commission.
In the notes, the forest officials also admit they aren't working on developing a required map of all off-road-vehicle trails, despite promises to state officials.
Residents near the forest and off-road-vehicle users said Friday that they weren't surprised by the defiant language in the notes: Their pleas for a better ORV program have been ignored by forest officials for years, they say.
Off-road vehicles -- from four-wheel-drive sport utility vehicles to motorcycles -- have been blamed for noise, dust pollution and degradation of the forests. A well-managed plan can keep users in check and appease neighbors.
Forest officials said the meeting notes reflect a frank and open brainstorming session after a frustrating meeting with state officials. The meeting finally focused on how to build a better ORV program and work with the state.
The memo outlines how forest officials could manipulate the state Off-Road Motorized Vehicle Recreation Commission, which in February refused to give the national forest the $520,010 it requested.
The forest got $215,000 because of the commission's concerns over mismanagement of the forest's ORV program. The amount included $15,000 for a conflict-resolution program.
The memo includes suggestions that the forest "take the money and run," "fake it," "apply for (more) grant funds but don't plan on appearing before the commission," or ask ORV users to lobby the state commission for more funds.
Those alternatives are better than "subject(ing) ourselves to the treatment recently faced," according to the notes of the Feb. 27 brainstorming session, five days after the forest's 105th anniversary.
The meeting notes also mention that rangers aren't always sure when they can cite illegal ORV use.
With no easy-to-read map of legal trails and no clear regulatory authority, residents say they fear continued abuses by reckless ORV users.
A top forest official writing on behalf of Forest Supervisor Ben del Villar said in a letter to state authorities that the inflammatory language does not accurately reflect the officials' commitment to developing a program acceptable to ORV users and environmentalists.
Paul Spitler, a member of the state Off-Road Motorized Vehicle Recreation Commission, called the memo "bold, disrespectful and embarrassing."
Spitler may ask the attorney general to investigate whether the strategy session was an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars.
The meeting notes were leaked to state commission officials and threaten to destroy the already strained relationship between forest staff members and the state. Spitler said he was unwilling to give the forest any more money until it solves its problems.
"What bothers me the most is that they can't seem to take seriously the numerous concerns about sloppy ORV management and instead only want to kill the messenger instead of responding to the message," said Spitler, who also serves as executive director of the California Wilderness Coalition.
But del Villar said Friday that the state ORV commission has routinely and unfairly changed what it expects of forest managers. He also said the forest will develop a map of acceptable trails and invite the public into discussions on proper ORV policies.
That might help ease complaints from landowners and those who use off-road vehicles on the forest's 2,200 miles of unpaved roads and trails.
Don Klusman, a consultant for the California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs Inc., argued against any state funding for the Stanislaus National Forest this year. It is the first time Klusman has asked the state not to give money for an ORV program.
"We're tired of seeing the money wasted. I think they're paying a lot of salaries and not putting the money on the ground where it belongs," he said.
Trail closures have limited legal opportunities for ORV users by 75 percent despite more than $1 million in state grant money over the past 10 years, Klusman said.
With trails routinely closed and never reopened, users are forced to create and use illegal trails, he said.
And ORV use on illegal trails has frustrated residents who live in an 8,600-acre area near Arnold known as the Interface.
Resident Judith Spencer, a member of the community group Commitment to Our Recreational Environment, said ORV users recreate nearly in her back yard. The dust and noise gets worse each year forest managers delay planning decisions for the area, she said.
Forest spokesman Pat Kaunert said forest officials have worked hard to maintain certain trails and designate an appropriate ORV program.
Forest officials are scheduled to meet today with members of the public over their grant applications for next year. The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the forest headquarters, 19777 Greenley Road in Sonora.
* To reach reporter Audrey Cooper phone 546-8298 or e-mail
acooper@recordnet.com