Act today to help protect wildlife and quiet places from motorized "wreckreation"

Travel Management Comment Period Ends November 4

Dear Guardian,

The Forest is revising its Travel Management Plan that will designate where off-road vehicles (ORVs) can drive on the 2.3 million-acre Pike San Isabel National Forest (PSI) just southwest of Denver. The PSI has over 2,000 miles of roads and the agency is identifying how many to keep, and how many to decommission for protection of fish and wildlife habitat. With an over 1.4 million-dollar maintenance backlog, many roads are in disrepair, harming streams and fish and continuing to fragment crucial wildlife habitat. Rather than return these roads to nature, the Forest Service proposes to designate these and other remote forest trails for motorized use.

The PSI is taking comments on their Draft Plan through November 4, provide feedback now!

Critical Talking Points

• Make it clear that you oppose expanding motorized use on the Forest and that you support the protection and restoration of water quality, fish and wildlife and their habitats by reducing motorized use and decommissioning roads and motorized trails.
• The Forest Service Proposed Action (Alternative C) fails to protect fish and wildlife from off-road vehicle damage, and specifically allows motorized use in critical habitat for Threatened and Endangered species, including Mexican spotted owl and Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse.
• The Proposed Action fails to protect impaired streams and watersheds, and the Forest Service did not provide sufficient stream buffers (buffers should be at least 300 feet, not the 100 foot buffers proposed).
• The Forest Service ignored illegal ORV use its analysis, and is rewarding this illegal use by expanding motorized use to include these ill-gotten roads/trails.
• The Proposed Action fails to comply with applicable laws and regulations to protect water quality, fish and wildlife and their habitats.

Thank you for your support.