News Release

Inyo National Forest

May 3, 2006

INYO NATIONAL FOREST TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS

ON ROUTE DESIGNATION AND TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

The Inyo National Forest will be hosting three public meetings and two

workshops this month as they begin work on Step 3 of the 5-Step Route

Designation process. During this step the public will be working with the

Forest Service to discuss and propose a designated transportation system

for the Inyo.

In Step 1, with the help of the public, all motorized routes were

inventoried and mapped. In Step 2, which is being finalized right now, a

temporary forest order will be put into place prohibiting cross country

travel by motorized wheeled vehicles (except in the Poleta OHV area) until

the 5-Step process is complete.

So who should be interested in participating in this Route Designation

Process? Anyone who currently uses the Inyo National Forest for various

recreational purposes, including firewood gathering. Everyone should be

aware that this process is currently going on and that it could potentially

have an affect on a favorite motorized route. Whether it is for dispersed

camping or accessing a trailhead or hunting place or a fishing hole, or

4-wheel drive exploration, if you drive on dirt roads on the Inyo National

Forest, these public meetings may be of interest to you.

Public Meetings: There will be three public meetings to describe and

discuss the Route Designation Process for the Inyo, the new National Travel

Management Rule, and more specifically Step 3 of the process and how the

public can be involved. The first three meetings will cover identical

material, so there is no need to attend more than one meeting. All will

begin at 6:30 p.m.

Ridgecrest - Wednesday May 10 -

Kerr McGee Center - 100 West California Avenue

Bishop - Tuesday May 16 -

1st United Methodist Church - 205 N. Fowler St

Mammoth Lakes - Thursday May 18 -

Sierra Nevada Rodeway Inn - 164 Old Mammoth Rd.

Public Workshops: The following workshops offer the public the opportunity

to propose what the designated transportation system on the Inyo should

look like. The Forest has been divided into geographical study areas for

this initial assessment. Actual work on the first two geographical areas

(one west of Lone Pine and one east of Mammoth) will begin at the following

public workshops. Maps and CD's will be provided.

Lone Pine - 6:30 pm, Wednesday May 24

Boulder Creek RV Park - 4 miles so. of Lone Pine

Mammoth Lakes - 7:00 pm, Wednesday May 31

Mammoth Library - 960 Forest Trail

For more information please call JoEllen Keil at (760) 873-2515 or Nancy

Erhardt at (760) 924-5532.