Blog Archives for January, 2009

By Sarah Peters - January 28, 2009    The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board is threatening the county that manages the Rubicon Route with fines if the county doesn't fix severe water quality problems caused by use of the trail.  Segments of the route are experiencing rates of erosion 50 times greater than that of nearby logging roads, causing problems for downstream trout populations and other water users.  Fines would be $10,000/day per violation.

By Adam Rissien - January 19, 2009    In an effort to familiarize people with the Sapphire Wilderness Study Area, Wildlands CPR created a virtual tour that follows two popular trails within the WSA: the Chain of Lakes Trail #39, and part of Tr. #313 following the border between the Bitterroot and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forests. When the Sapphire WSA was established in 1977, these were single track trails that now have become double track routes either through continued use, or in the case of Tr.#39, purposely widened by the Forest Service to accommodate off-road vehicles. 

By Adam Rissien - January 19, 2009    As part of the Bitterroot Quiet Use Coalition (BQUC), Wildlands CPR created an end-of-year presentation highlighting our findings, while also providing a full report available for download. To see the presentation simply follow this link to our resources page: BQUC 2008 Monitoring Presentation.

By Sarah Peters - January 15, 2009    This week the Forest Service was forced to close the Ann's Butte area in Eastern Oregon to motorized use due to severe resource damage and erosion.  Vehicles attempting to climb steep hills by going straight up the slope had apparently created some of the worst erosion problems.  As any of us can see who recreate outdoors, whether on foot or on a motorized vehicle, most trails are built with switchbacks and do not proceed straight up a steep slope.  There's a reason for this - to control and reduce the likelihood of erosion.  That's why cutting corners, again, whether you're under you

By Sarah Peters - January 14, 2009    Swan View Coalition, Friends of the Wild Swan, and Wildlands CPR won a victory in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals against the Flathead National Forest in a dispute over road management. The Forest is required by its managment plan to maintain areas for grizzly bear where motorized travel is restricted, and where when the needs of griz conflict with other management options, the griz win. 

By Bethanie Walder - January 6, 2009   I slept in after a quiet and lovely New Year’s Eve. I was planning an equally pleasant morning, only to find myself practically cursing the new year when I opened the paper. Above the fold was a huge headline with Undersecretary of Agriculture Mark Rey’s proclamation that he would complete the renegotiation of road easements with Plum Creek Timber Company before leaving office at the end of the month.