Blog Archives for State Agency

By Bethanie Walder - October 7, 2009    I spent the last two days at the Western Governor’s Association (WGA) Wildlife Council (WGWC) meeting in Helena.  The meeting focused on progress toward implementing a resolution for improving wildlife connectivity and linkage zones across the western states.

By Bethanie Walder - October 2, 2009    Last week the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, in partnership with the MT Dept of Natural Resources, released a new report entitled: An Estimation of Montana’s Restoration Economy.   The  purpose of the project was to “estimate the economic activity resulting from public spending on restoration activities in Montana.”

By adamswitalski - April 27, 2009    This past week, Wildlands CPR assisted The Nature Conservancy in hosting a workshop entitled, “Improving road systems in the context of watershed restoration” in Astoria, OR.  The workshop was attended by a diverse group of about 25 watershed restoration specialists from around the region.  Representatives from the Forest Service, Oregon Department of Forestry, Washington Department of Natural Resources, NGOs, and private consultants exchanged information about planning, prioritizing, and implementing road system treatments including road decommissioning.  

By cathy - April 20, 2009    ORV proponents say they are being denied the right to enjoy their property...but ORV opponents are claiming the same thing...what happens when two opposing views use the same argument to support their position? That is what might unfold tomorrow when Yakima County commissioners take up a controversial proposal on ORVs that would allow their use virtually throughout Yakima County without regulation.

By Josh Hurd - April 9, 2009    General obligation bonds, approved through ballot initiatives, finance the majority of California’s restoration activities. Since 2000, the state has raised over $13 billion for water-related projects through the issuance of these bonds (see Table). Of this, $3.3 billion has gone to watershed restoration and protection. However, the general public appears increasingly less willing to support bond-funded restoration programs, as the margin of victory for the measures has steadily decreased, from 30-percent in 2000 to 8-percent in 2006.

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 Laurel Hagen - October 7, 2008    Utah's governor, Republican John Huntsman, told the Salt Lake Tribune in a recent interview that he had witnessed extensive ORV abuse in Utah, and that "a crackdown is coming." The Trib's editorial cartoonist, Pat Bagley, responded with this excellent illustration (the little dude in the corner is supposed to be the governor): The article: ***

By Franklin Seal - September 16, 2008      "We discovered that a full 50 percent of ATV riders chose to ignore the signs and go around a closure" -- Mesia Nyman, Forest Service officer  

By Franklin Seal - August 12, 2008   The Washington Post published an article today that examines the growing violence of off-road vehicle recreationists. The article ­ 'Off-Road Rage' Climbs as Trails Get More Crowded ­ sparked an interesting discussion in the comment thread. One comment in particular caught my attention. A hiker going by the handle “tharmon” wrote, "My solution to this issue has been to confine my hiking trips to places where vehicles of any kind cannot go."

By Franklin Seal - August 12, 2008   The Arizona State Parks Trail User Survey is currently underway. Log on and take the survey. Quiet users can help set priorities for trail management in Arizona, and to help determine how a portion of the Heritage Fund and the OHV Recreation Fund should be spent. You know the off-road vehicle users will be flocking to the survey.