Colorado - BLM

[ferg]

Colorado - BLM Travel Management Process (TMP)

Where:: Arkansas River (From Salida to Canon City and does NOT include Arkansas River activities, i.e., rafting, etc.)

When: November 19th 2004

To: BLM, Attn: Arkansas River TMP, 3170 E. Main Street, Canon City, CO 81212,
Fax: 719-269-8599, Attn: Dave Walker, Email: rfgo_comments@blm.gov

Info/Maps: http://www.co.blm.gov/ccdo/travel_mg...Management.htm

See examples of comments at the end.

There are three major stages involved in the preparation of the Arkansas River TMP. Each stage is expected to take approximately 6 months to complete:

Stage 1 - Identifying the major issues and concerns that need to be addressed in the TMP. (Approx. Nov thru April 2005)

Stage 2 - Establishing the TMP goals that address the identified issues and concerns. (Approx. April thru Sept 2005)

Stage 3 - Designating travel routes and uses that are compatible with the established goals. (Approx. Sept thru Feb 2006)


Stage 1 - This stage of the TMP process is concerned with identifying the issues and concerns related to travel management to determine what is affected, who is affected, and how people and things are affected by the way that travel uses are managed in the area. It includes identifying such things as: The locations and the characteristics of the existing network of roads and trails

a.. The current uses of the existing roads and trails
b.. The users and other concerned stakeholders who are affected by how the roads and trails are managed
c.. The various resources that are affected by roads and trails and how they are affected
d.. The existing special management areas, previous plans or management decisions, and other factors that influence how roads and trails
can be managed

One important step during this stage is to identify the sub-units that occur within the TMP area. A Sub-unit is a smaller geographic division of the overall planning area that possesses distinctive characteristics that are different from the characteristics of the areas that surround it.

The sub-units are: Brown's Canyon, Salida, Badger Creek, Red Gulch, Texas Creek, Big Hole, Crampton Mountain, Sangres Foothills, West McCoy Gulch, McIntyre Hills, Grand Canyon Hills, Road Gulch, Grape Creek and Custer County. Note: Brown's Canyon, McIntyre Hills, and Grape Creek are WSA's (Wilderness Study Areas).

At this stage of the process BLM possesses a lot of the information about the locations and conditions of the existing network of roads and trails and other information relative to the resource management issues in
the planning area but possesses little information concerning the issues and concerns of the users and stakeholders. Public involvement is needed at this stage of the process to assist BLM in identifying the important issues and concerns that the users and stakeholders believe should be addressed in the TMP.

Stage 2 - The second or goal development stage is concerned with defining the management goals for the individual TMP sub-units that will address the issues and concerns that were identified in Stage 1. In the terminology used in the TMP process, the goals are referred to as Desired Future Conditions (DFCs). The DFCs are written to describe the desired outcomes that will be achieved in each Sub-unit.

During this stage of the process, BLM will analyze all of the information gathered in the first stage, including the issues and concerns identified by the users and stakeholders, to prepare the preliminary goals (DFCs) for each Sub-unit of the TMP. The public will then be asked to review and comment on the preliminary DFCs. The BLM will consider the input submitted by the public before preparing the final DFCs that will be used in the environmental assessment (EA).

Stage 3 - The third or environmental assessment stage is concerned with designating the types of travel uses for existing and new (proposed) travel routes. In this stage, BLM will develop a range of alternatives that will be analyzed and compared in the environmental assessment (EA) for the TMP

At this point, BLM will request comments from users and stakeholders concerning the EA and specific route designations included within the alternatives. Following the public comment period on the EA, BLM will
consider the input submitted by the public before preparing the Decision Record (DR) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The DR and FONSI will then be distributed to the public for a thirty-day period, during which the public may submit written appeals or protests of the final decision.

NOTE: Texas Creek has the most 4wd roads and single-track and 2-track roads of any sub-unit. The emphasis from the motorized community should be to retain, loop roads/trails where possible and create new motorized routes to accommodate the yearly increase in motorized recreation. Specific roads and trails information will be collected in phase 2.

Suggested Comments: (Pick and choose from these comments and re-word them. Add your own comments)

1. I/We would like more motorized roads and trails to be developed/retained.

2. I/We would like to see motorized roads and trials looped where possible.

3. I/We would like the BLM to host meeting between private landowners and motorized recreationists to help reduce conflicts.

4. Our club will be willing to adopt a road/trail.

5. I/We would be willing to help on work projects.

6. Our club would be willing to apply for Colorado State Park grants.

7. I/We would like to see the BLM re-route any existing trails/roads around private property,

8. I/We would like to have the BLM put more maintenance dollars into the road/trail system.

9. I/We would like the BLM to see about land exchanges with private property owners that would help eliminate conflicts.

10. I/We want the BLM to protect the natural resources as much as possible.

[Denis4x4]

It would be interesting to see a follow up on this meeting and a breakout on attendees. I suspect that the meadow muffins and tree huggers will out number wheelers at least three to one.

Meeting turnout is a not so subtle indicator that the FS and BLM people look at when making recommendations.

Perhaps the powers that be at Pirate 4x4 should set this site up so that those wishing to brag about circle jerk particpation on the General Chit Chat forum need to read Land Use Issues before accessing the Chit Chat forum.

[primergray]

Man you are killing me with that comment!! I spit my coffee all over the fawking place! Good one.

Jack

[Electric Sheep]

Originally Posted by Denis4x4

Perhaps the powers that be at Pirate 4x4 should set this site up so that those wishing to brag about circle jerk particpation on the General Chit Chat forum need to read Land Use Issues before accessing the Chit Chat forum.

LMAO!!

Awesome!

[Cherub Rock]

ambivalence and a casual disregard for any of the issues surrounding 4wheeling seems to permeate that forum..

..but it's good for some laughs.

And would you want any of those goofballs representing your interests?

i do some work for the FS, so I'll try to be active in here..