FederalRegister
Notice for Travel Management Directives (pdf), December 9, 2008
On June 8, 2006, Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth approved the agency's
schedule for implementation of the travel management rule. The schedule will
guide local efforts to designate those roads, trails, and areas open to motor
vehicle use through a collaborative travel planning process emphasizing public
involvement and coordination with state, local, and tribal governments. The
schedule also contains important information on the current status of travel
planning on each national forest and grassland across the country.
The Designation Digest is published as needed by the Washington Office and
contains updates on the route and area designation processes taking place on
national forests and grasslands, and related off-highway vehicle topics.
Over the past few decades, the availability and capability of OHVs has
increased tremendously. That’s a good thing. More Americans are enjoying access
and recreational opportunities on their national forests and grasslands, in
keeping with the Forest Service’s multiple use mandate. However, the increase
in OHV use also affects soil, water, wildlife habitat, and other recreational
visitors. Today unmanaged recreation, including impacts from off-highway
vehicles, represents one of four
key threats facing the nation’s forests and grasslands. The 2005 edition of
On the Right Trail provides additional background information.
Next Steps
·
Forest supervisors and district rangers will be
involving the public in designating roads, trails, and areas for motor vehicle
use.
·
The agency expects national forests and grasslands to complete
the designation process within four years.
Working Together
·
Effective partnerships with state and local government
and user groups are already providing collaborative planning, maintenance, and
shared resources to better manage OHV use.
·
Sustainable motorized recreation will require
continuing partnerships to address road and trail maintenance, enforcement, and
protection of natural resources.
Forest Service informal internal guidance on engineering analysis for
motorized mixed use (Publication EM 7700-30), http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/transp/em770030.htm
Access Executive
Order 11644 (as amended) - USE OF OFF-ROAD VEHICLES ON THE PUBLIC LANDS at
the Government Printing Office website. This Executive Order provides direction
in the management of off-highway vehicles on National Forest Systems lands.
On April 12 and 13, 2005, representatives of state and federal agencies, OHV
manufacturers and user groups, environmental groups, and others interested in
travel management gathered to discuss the potential for collaboration in
managing motorized recreation. This "OHV Collaboration Summit" was
co-sponsored by the Forest Service, the State of California, the Bureau of Land
Management, and the National Association of Counties. Highlights of the
proceedings included review of case studies in travel management, and open
discussions of lessons in collaborative planning. Proceedings of the summit:
Handouts from Breakout Sessions