Mendocino National Forest
Don Amador writes:
There are a growing number of FS staff and partners who are voicing concerns about the issues of Roads is mostly AWOL in current policy statements, etc. when no management takes place when a road is washed out during heavy rains in the winter.
If we take the long view, there was a time when Travel Management planning was the thing.. then I remember Sustainable Recreation seemed to argue that budgets were never going to improve, so roads should be right-sized so the FS could afford to maintain them. Then people (at least in some parts of the country) started using forest roads more during Covid.
There is the idea that roads are bad for wildlife because people use them, but wasn’t Travel Management supposed to settle that (yes, I know some plans are still in litigation)? So does everyone agree that the roads that survive travel management (and various veg projects don’t have permanent roads, so there are probably no new ones) should be maintained?
What’s the status on your local unit, and do you agree that roads need more policy attention?
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FOREST ROADS PROVIDE CRITICAL ACCESS TO RECREATION, WILDFIRE, and FOREST HEALTH ACTIVITIES
As a long-time partner that depends on access to Forest Service System Roads and Trails for OHV recreation and post wildfire trail stewardship efforts, QWR appreciates Chief Tom Shultz’s commitment to managed outdoor recreation, resource management, fuel projects, and wildfire mitigation activities.
In fact, the Forest Transportation System functions as the common thread that binds or connects virtually all forest recreation, management, research, or cultural activities.
KEY FOREST ROAD NORTH/SOUTH TRANSPORTATION ROUTES
Mendocino National Forest
Yet to date, none of the Administration’s stated policies or guidelines – including the May 20 post by Acting Associate Chief Chris French – highlight “roads” as a key focus area or acknowledge that none of the on- the- ground Forest management objectives or goals happen unless Forest roads damaged or blown out during winter storms are repaired in a timely manner.
ACTING ASSOCIATE CHIEF CHRIS FRENCH, MAY 20, STATEMENT ON OPERATIONAL PLANNING
https://www.fs.usda.gov/inside-fs/leadership/update-interim-operational-planning
French notes the actions below aim to maintain essential services, address critical risks, and support the agency’s priorities. Key focus areas (sans ROADS) with dedicated working groups include:
- Employee and public safety
- Disaster recovery
- Active management (timber/vegetation/fuels)
- Recreation
- Energy, minerals and geology
- NEPA planning
- Grants and agreements
- Information technology
- Communication and legislative affairs
- Fire response (incident management capacity)
- Human resources
- Law enforcement and investigations
- Budget
- Chief Finance Office (payments, billings & reimbursable agreements)
- Procurement & property services/contracts, facilities & leasing
Over the last 4-5 years, the subject of not having the funds and resources to effect post-winter repairs of FS storm damaged roads is almost always part of any conversation that QWR has had with agency staff or partners.
Mendocino National Forest
QWR believes the Administration and Congress should make maintaining a quality Transportation System a top priority if they plan on increasing the pace and scale of forest management treatments and providing access to outdoor recreation.
CHIEF TOM SHULTZ POSTS MAY 6 UPDATE ON NEXT STEPS
https://www.fs.usda.gov/inside-fs/leadership/our-next-steps
PS- Thanks to the hard work by Mendocino NF crews and partners to recover forest lands and recreation facilities damaged by the 2018 Ranch Fire and 2020 August Complex Fire.
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Don Amador has been in the trail advocacy and recreation management profession for 35 years. Don is President of Quiet Warrior Racing LLC. Don is Past President/CEO and current board member of the Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance. Don is a Co-Founder and Core-Team member on FireScape Mendocino, a forest health collaborative that is part of the National Fire Learning Network. Don served as an AD Driver for the Forest Service North Zone Fire Cache during the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Fire Seasons. Don is a Northwest California native and writes from his home in Cottonwood, CA. Don may be reached by email at: damador at cwo.com