Support Road Removal in the Medicine Lake Highlands in California

January 31, 2008

Modoc National Forest accepting comments until February 15.

A Draft Environmental Assessment was recently released out for the Doublehead Ranger District of the Modoc National Forest that calls for closing 28 miles of Forest Service system roads and 6.6 miles of user created routes (for a total 34.6 miles of road) in the Medicine Lake Highlands Area. 45.4 miles of road would remain open to motorized use in the project area. This is an overall good proposal, and support for these road closures is needed.

The hydrological, wildlife and botanical values of the Medicine Lake Highlands are world-class. California's largest spring complex flows from the Highlands into the Pit River and eventually into the Sacramento Watershed. A number of Forest Service designated sensitive plant species are found near the roads, and late-successional terrestrial species (such as the Northern spotted owl and the wolverine) have habitat that is currently fragmented by the existing roads.

It is very important that the Modoc National Forest receives letters of support. Your letters can be personal, or they could be as simple as copying the sample letter below. Either way, please make sure your voice of support for this proposal is heard. Comments are due by February 15th.

The draft EA can be viewed at:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/modoc/projects/index.shtml


Sample Letter:

Laurence Crabtree
Doublehead Ranger District
PO Box 368
Tulelake, CA 96134

Email: comments-pacificsouthwest-modoc-doublehead@fs.fed.us

Dear Ranger Crabtree,

Thank you for proposing to close 34.6 miles of un-needed and ecologically-harmful logging roads in the Medicine Lake Highlands. As stated in your Draft Environmental Assessment, "Motor vehicle use is occurring on roads closed to the public," hence I encourage you to not only close these roads to use, but to also decommission excess roads and routes in such a way as to prevent use by renegade ORV enthusiasts.

I deeply appreciate that the Forest Service has recognized the adverse impacts of the existing network of logging roads on the recreational, cultural, and wildlife values that make the Medicine Lake Highlands such a unique and wonderful place. I strongly agree with your findings that closing these excess roads will benefit at-risk wildlife as well as my recreational experience in the Highlands.

Paynes Spring, Blanche Lake, Medicine and Little Medicine Lakes, Alcohol Crater, Arnica Sink and the Glass Mountain Flow Area belong to all Americans, and future generations will thank you for protecting the values of these special places.

I believe that the proposed road closure order properly balances the public's desire for motorized access with the need for quiet recreational experiences and the health of the ecosystem and watersheds of the Medicine Lake area.

I fully support your proposal to close 34.6 miles of harmful logging roads in the Highlands while retaining 45.4 miles of open roads for motorized use.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS