rokryder
09-13-2002, 08:48 AM
Ban sought on new dirt roads in Pine Nut Mountains
Meeting set to discuss off-road vehicle use in the area
meeting - Monday Sep 16th Carson City Community Center 851 E. william st. 6 pm
The Bureau of Land Management should prohibit new dirt roads in the Carson City portion of the Pine Nut Mountains and better enforce off-road vehicle use in designated areas, the city’s open space manager urged Thursday.
Juan Guzman’s recommendation comes as the federal agency seeks comments on a developing plan to manage the 400,000-acre range.
“Off-road vehicle use ought to be regulated so it doesn’t generate a lot of erosion problems and create scars that are visible from the valley floor,” Supervisor Jon Plank, a member of the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission, said Thursday.
On Monday, the parks commission is to hold a joint meeting with the city’s Open Space and Carson River advisory committees to work on the city’s comments for the plan.
The board of supervisors in October will consider recommendations from the advisory groups and decide the city’s official position.
“We want to provide BLM with our ideas and concerns so our thoughts are included, rather than react to what they come up with,” Guzman said Thursday. “We don’t want to be surprised by the plan.”
The plan will address issues including fire management, wild horses, illegal dumping and recreational access in the Pine Nut Mountains, which encompass parts of Carson City and Douglas and Lyon counties.
“We want to find a balance between having the land as a recreation resource and a scenic resource,” Guzman said.
Guzman also suggested specific areas be found for compatible types of recreation activities.
“For example, motorcycles and horses aren’t all that compatible. There could be different areas for horses and off-road vehicles,” Guzman said.
More signs and better enforcement might be important in the new plan, Guzman said.
Tom Crawford, BLM project manager on the Pine Nut Plan Amendment, said officials are writing the draft proposal now and expect to have it ready by next July, which will trigger another public-comment period. The agency has been collecting comments since last year.
The existing Pine Nut Management Plan hasn’t been updated since 1985, and officials want the new document to work for 15 to 20 years, Crawford said.
The Pine Nut range, with hardly any development, is a popular recreation area for off-highway vehicle users, mountain bikers and horseback riders.
Most of the 400,000 acres is under federal BLM control, but there are also private properties and Indian allotments.
Meeting set to discuss off-road vehicle use in the area
meeting - Monday Sep 16th Carson City Community Center 851 E. william st. 6 pm
The Bureau of Land Management should prohibit new dirt roads in the Carson City portion of the Pine Nut Mountains and better enforce off-road vehicle use in designated areas, the city’s open space manager urged Thursday.
Juan Guzman’s recommendation comes as the federal agency seeks comments on a developing plan to manage the 400,000-acre range.
“Off-road vehicle use ought to be regulated so it doesn’t generate a lot of erosion problems and create scars that are visible from the valley floor,” Supervisor Jon Plank, a member of the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission, said Thursday.
On Monday, the parks commission is to hold a joint meeting with the city’s Open Space and Carson River advisory committees to work on the city’s comments for the plan.
The board of supervisors in October will consider recommendations from the advisory groups and decide the city’s official position.
“We want to provide BLM with our ideas and concerns so our thoughts are included, rather than react to what they come up with,” Guzman said Thursday. “We don’t want to be surprised by the plan.”
The plan will address issues including fire management, wild horses, illegal dumping and recreational access in the Pine Nut Mountains, which encompass parts of Carson City and Douglas and Lyon counties.
“We want to find a balance between having the land as a recreation resource and a scenic resource,” Guzman said.
Guzman also suggested specific areas be found for compatible types of recreation activities.
“For example, motorcycles and horses aren’t all that compatible. There could be different areas for horses and off-road vehicles,” Guzman said.
More signs and better enforcement might be important in the new plan, Guzman said.
Tom Crawford, BLM project manager on the Pine Nut Plan Amendment, said officials are writing the draft proposal now and expect to have it ready by next July, which will trigger another public-comment period. The agency has been collecting comments since last year.
The existing Pine Nut Management Plan hasn’t been updated since 1985, and officials want the new document to work for 15 to 20 years, Crawford said.
The Pine Nut range, with hardly any development, is a popular recreation area for off-highway vehicle users, mountain bikers and horseback riders.
Most of the 400,000 acres is under federal BLM control, but there are also private properties and Indian allotments.