- City
- Middle of No Where and Too Far From Any Where
- State
- Tn
tellico is closed per southern 4wd and the forestry service greenies won another one
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RECREATIONAL GROUPS DECRY TELLICO CLOSURE
October 15, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Greg Mumm, BlueRibbon Coalition
208-244-2112
Jay Bird, Southern Four Wheel Drive Association
757-546-7969
Conservation groups dedicated to active and sustainable management of the Upper Tellico OHV Area expressed deep disappointment with the U.S. Forest Service decision to permanently close the Tellico trails. The decision, which follows an earlier "temporary" closure, was announced in documents published by the USFS yesterday morning.
Gary Parsons, President of the Southern Four Wheel Drive Association, reacted by saying, "The Forest Service is simply wrong in this decision. This public agency has ignored an independent study by Caliber Engineering and the recommendations of its own Trails Unlimited Team, which demonstrated effective management is attainable and offered specific suggestions to achieve that goal."
The agency announcement by Forest Supervisor Marisue Hilliard again parroted the water quality issues long favored by preservationist special interests as the excuse for closure. Jay Bird, Chairman of the Rescue Tellico Committee, noted, "The Tellico River is in excellent shape and complies with all legal requirements. Only through blatant modification of proper methodology, such as measuring turbidity levels during peak runoff, can the Forest Service claim there is legal basis to take any action, let alone closure."
"Sadly, we are not surprised. It now appears the Forest Service knew it would close the Area years ago, and undertook the intervening 'public process' to justify a decision already made," said Greg Mumm, Executive Director of the BlueRibbon Coalition. "We are sorely disappointed that the Forest Service has determined it cannot effectively manage the Upper Tellico OHV Area that users have supported with millions of dollars in fees and thousands of hours of volunteer labor. With our recreational partners, we will evaluate all options that may change that determination."
# # #
The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible use of public and private lands, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. It represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of over 600,000 recreationists nationwide. 1-800-258-3742. www.sharetrails..org
United Four Wheel Drive Associations is an international organization comprised of four wheel drive enthusiasts, clubs, associations, and businesses dedicated to providing community services around the world, education in responsible land use and safe vehicle operation, and protection of our natural resources through conservation practices. 1-800-448-3932. www.ufwda.org
Southern Four Wheel Drive Association (SFWDA) was founded in 1987 to promote responsible land use and to keep public lands accessible for motorized recreation. For more information on the activities and accomplishments of Southern Four Wheel Drive Association, please visit www.sfwda.org or contact us at 1483 N. Mt. Juliet Road, PMB # 222, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122
Since it is on all the message boards, I feel like it should be sent to our members
Contact: Terry Seyden, 828-257-4202
10/14/2009
For Immediate Release
U.S. Forest Service Announces Decision on Upper Tellico OHV Trails System
ASHEVILLE, NC ….The US Forest Service announced today that it is permanently closing the Upper Tellico OHV trail system in order to correct serious erosion problems in the Upper Tellico River watershed in Cherokee County, NC.
"When we first began our analysis we hoped we could make repairs and modifications to the existing OHV Trail system that would correct the water quality problems while still allowing for some level of OHV use in this area to continue," said National Forests in North Carolina Supervisor Marisue Hilliard. "Unfortunately we discovered that repairing the existing problems and maintaining these Upper Tellico OHV trails in the future would be much more difficult than we expected," Hilliard said.
"Our analysis has shown the problems to be worse than we first thought," said Forest Supervisor Hilliard. "The 39 mile Upper Tellico OHV Trail System is currently contributing unacceptable levels of sediment into the Tellico River and its tributaries. The Forest Service is in violation of its own standards and North Carolina state water quality standards because visible sediment from the OHV trails is reaching the Tellico River and its tributaries in hundreds of locations. Many of the trails are on steep slopes and they all occur on very erodible soils. Much of the Tellico OHV trail system runs parallel to streams in the area, with over six miles within 100 feet of streams. The locations of these trails make it extremely difficult to prevent sediment from reaching the streams even if we are successful in repairing existing problems. " Hilliard said.
-more-
Page 2 of 2
In February, 2009, the Forest Service sought public comment on a detailed environmental assessment which looked at six alternatives for future management of the Upper Tellico OHV trail system including a preferred alternative of closing the OHV trail system.
"After careful considering the 2,400 public comments we received and thoroughly reviewing all alternatives in the environmental assessment, I have selected Alternative C, which closes the OHV System," said Hilliard. "While we are closing the 39 mile OHV Trail system we will be keeping 13 miles of FS system roads in the area open year round or seasonally for highway legal vehicles. This will provide access for hunting, fishing and other recreation activities. We also will be paving and reconstructing a portion of HW 420-1 which accesses private land and serves as a through route from TN to NC for recreationists visiting the Tellico area. Closed roads and trails will be stabilized and rehabilitated to eliminate future sedimentation into the Tellico River," Hilliard said.
"While I realize that our OHV recreationists are understandably disappointed with this decision on Tellico, I want to reassure our OHV users that we are committed to maintaining other OHV trail opportunities on the National Forests in North Carolina which are located on more suitable sites" said Hilliard.
Other national forest OHV trail systems in North Carolina include:
Wayehutta, Nantahala NF, 21 miles (21 miles ATV and motorcycle),
Brown Mountain, Pisgah NF, 34 miles (6 miles 4WD, 27 miles ATV, 34 miles motorcycle)
Badin Lake, Uwharrie NF, 16 miles (16 miles 4WD, ATV and motorcycle)
Black Swamp, Croatan NF, 8 miles (8 miles 4WD, ATV and motorcycle)
Copies of the decision notice, environmental assessment, proposed additional supporting documentation can be found at http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/nepa/tusquitee/tellico.htm
For more information contact:
Tellico Project Coordinator, Candace Wyman 828-230-5039 (cell)
Tusquitee District Ranger, Steve Lohr 828-712-6317 (cell).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RECREATIONAL GROUPS DECRY TELLICO CLOSURE
October 15, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Greg Mumm, BlueRibbon Coalition
208-244-2112
Jay Bird, Southern Four Wheel Drive Association
757-546-7969
Conservation groups dedicated to active and sustainable management of the Upper Tellico OHV Area expressed deep disappointment with the U.S. Forest Service decision to permanently close the Tellico trails. The decision, which follows an earlier "temporary" closure, was announced in documents published by the USFS yesterday morning.
Gary Parsons, President of the Southern Four Wheel Drive Association, reacted by saying, "The Forest Service is simply wrong in this decision. This public agency has ignored an independent study by Caliber Engineering and the recommendations of its own Trails Unlimited Team, which demonstrated effective management is attainable and offered specific suggestions to achieve that goal."
The agency announcement by Forest Supervisor Marisue Hilliard again parroted the water quality issues long favored by preservationist special interests as the excuse for closure. Jay Bird, Chairman of the Rescue Tellico Committee, noted, "The Tellico River is in excellent shape and complies with all legal requirements. Only through blatant modification of proper methodology, such as measuring turbidity levels during peak runoff, can the Forest Service claim there is legal basis to take any action, let alone closure."
"Sadly, we are not surprised. It now appears the Forest Service knew it would close the Area years ago, and undertook the intervening 'public process' to justify a decision already made," said Greg Mumm, Executive Director of the BlueRibbon Coalition. "We are sorely disappointed that the Forest Service has determined it cannot effectively manage the Upper Tellico OHV Area that users have supported with millions of dollars in fees and thousands of hours of volunteer labor. With our recreational partners, we will evaluate all options that may change that determination."
# # #
The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible use of public and private lands, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. It represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of over 600,000 recreationists nationwide. 1-800-258-3742. www.sharetrails..org
United Four Wheel Drive Associations is an international organization comprised of four wheel drive enthusiasts, clubs, associations, and businesses dedicated to providing community services around the world, education in responsible land use and safe vehicle operation, and protection of our natural resources through conservation practices. 1-800-448-3932. www.ufwda.org
Southern Four Wheel Drive Association (SFWDA) was founded in 1987 to promote responsible land use and to keep public lands accessible for motorized recreation. For more information on the activities and accomplishments of Southern Four Wheel Drive Association, please visit www.sfwda.org or contact us at 1483 N. Mt. Juliet Road, PMB # 222, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122
Since it is on all the message boards, I feel like it should be sent to our members
Contact: Terry Seyden, 828-257-4202
10/14/2009
For Immediate Release
U.S. Forest Service Announces Decision on Upper Tellico OHV Trails System
ASHEVILLE, NC ….The US Forest Service announced today that it is permanently closing the Upper Tellico OHV trail system in order to correct serious erosion problems in the Upper Tellico River watershed in Cherokee County, NC.
"When we first began our analysis we hoped we could make repairs and modifications to the existing OHV Trail system that would correct the water quality problems while still allowing for some level of OHV use in this area to continue," said National Forests in North Carolina Supervisor Marisue Hilliard. "Unfortunately we discovered that repairing the existing problems and maintaining these Upper Tellico OHV trails in the future would be much more difficult than we expected," Hilliard said.
"Our analysis has shown the problems to be worse than we first thought," said Forest Supervisor Hilliard. "The 39 mile Upper Tellico OHV Trail System is currently contributing unacceptable levels of sediment into the Tellico River and its tributaries. The Forest Service is in violation of its own standards and North Carolina state water quality standards because visible sediment from the OHV trails is reaching the Tellico River and its tributaries in hundreds of locations. Many of the trails are on steep slopes and they all occur on very erodible soils. Much of the Tellico OHV trail system runs parallel to streams in the area, with over six miles within 100 feet of streams. The locations of these trails make it extremely difficult to prevent sediment from reaching the streams even if we are successful in repairing existing problems. " Hilliard said.
-more-
Page 2 of 2
In February, 2009, the Forest Service sought public comment on a detailed environmental assessment which looked at six alternatives for future management of the Upper Tellico OHV trail system including a preferred alternative of closing the OHV trail system.
"After careful considering the 2,400 public comments we received and thoroughly reviewing all alternatives in the environmental assessment, I have selected Alternative C, which closes the OHV System," said Hilliard. "While we are closing the 39 mile OHV Trail system we will be keeping 13 miles of FS system roads in the area open year round or seasonally for highway legal vehicles. This will provide access for hunting, fishing and other recreation activities. We also will be paving and reconstructing a portion of HW 420-1 which accesses private land and serves as a through route from TN to NC for recreationists visiting the Tellico area. Closed roads and trails will be stabilized and rehabilitated to eliminate future sedimentation into the Tellico River," Hilliard said.
"While I realize that our OHV recreationists are understandably disappointed with this decision on Tellico, I want to reassure our OHV users that we are committed to maintaining other OHV trail opportunities on the National Forests in North Carolina which are located on more suitable sites" said Hilliard.
Other national forest OHV trail systems in North Carolina include:
Wayehutta, Nantahala NF, 21 miles (21 miles ATV and motorcycle),
Brown Mountain, Pisgah NF, 34 miles (6 miles 4WD, 27 miles ATV, 34 miles motorcycle)
Badin Lake, Uwharrie NF, 16 miles (16 miles 4WD, ATV and motorcycle)
Black Swamp, Croatan NF, 8 miles (8 miles 4WD, ATV and motorcycle)
Copies of the decision notice, environmental assessment, proposed additional supporting documentation can be found at http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/nepa/tusquitee/tellico.htm
For more information contact:
Tellico Project Coordinator, Candace Wyman 828-230-5039 (cell)
Tusquitee District Ranger, Steve Lohr 828-712-6317 (cell).
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