National Forest To Close Access in 2009

emam · 02-22-2008, 12:04 AM

I saw this thread on another forum and thought I'd pass it along for all of you to sign!

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We were talking to one of the rangers in Wyoming and said how much we loved camping in some of the 'just off the road' sites and also how nice it was to stay a few days in each national forest.

We were floored when he showed us the proposed change for 2009!

All roads except one main road are to be closed and gated, no camping except at the maintained campgrounds. we asked if this was a new wilderness designationa nd he said "No, it is to be in effect NATIONWIDE!"

This will be voted on before summer 2008.

What they do plan to keep open, will all have a FEE tied to the use of camping, boating, game/fuel wood retrieval even day use areas.

I contacted the US Ag and asked about the National Forest changes, the woman, Julie , was very helpful and said there is a petition online to have this turned into a public comment period item.

It is organized by Shelley & Ken Moore of Heber/Overgaard, AZ

http://access-advocates.org/petition_01/

Loosing dry camping and boon docking on OUR public lands is too horrible to think about. please sign the petition and pass it along to everyone you know that camps...

Thanks
Pat

nickster60 · 02-22-2008, 04:16 AM

I have added our name to the list

Steve Collins · 02-22-2008, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickster60

I have added our name to the list

ditto! Thanks for the head's up on this, Pat.

rich2500 · 02-22-2008, 05:26 AM

we don't or atleast have not yet done any boondocking but I have signed the petition for those who do

mbart5fan · 02-22-2008, 06:07 AM

Thanks Pat.

I've signed it also. Jon, I agree, we don't need the individual states following along on an idea like this. I'd hate to think what would happen if the Adirondack Park Agency in NY tried to implement a plan like this.

Mike

2beagles · 02-22-2008, 06:15 AM

Thanks for the heads up Pat. I signed too and passed it on.

**Tweety** · 02-22-2008, 07:17 AM

Thanks Pat. Signed it, and will make sure Steve signs too. We just had an article in the newspaper about younger generations not spending as much time in the great outdoors camping, fishing, hiking etc. If these lands are closed it will only make it that much less accessible for people to enjoy nature. The Forest Service is a government agency that I actually like spending my tax money!

emam · 02-22-2008, 08:34 AM

Thanks everyone for looking into it. Sounds scary that they could even think of closing all this public land.

Thanks again! Camp On my fellow Campers

Poppy & Nana · 02-22-2008, 09:29 AM

Signed up Leo - myself and my Mom! as 3 signers

kanyonkitty · 02-22-2008, 02:11 PM

I signed up. Can I sign up again as KD? hehehe

Kitty

**PTHutch** · 02-22-2008, 06:17 PM

Thanks Pat for bringing this to our attention.

Mary and I both signed it.

Al in PA · 02-22-2008, 06:19 PM

Pat, thanks for the heads up. I just signed it. Sometimes the stupidity in Washington (DC) is unbelievable.

chuck & lori · 02-22-2008, 06:32 PM

Lori and I are in! They wanted 50,000 signatures, and were at 48,500+ when I signed. Hope it works!!

Hematite · 02-22-2008, 07:25 PM

As someone else said, I don't have any intention of boondocking but I signed it for the sake of those that do.

**JohnB** · 02-22-2008, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emam

All roads except one main road are to be closed and gated, no camping except at the maintained campgrounds. we asked if this was a new wilderness designationa nd he said "No, it is to be in effect NATIONWIDE!"

This will be voted on before summer 2008.

What they do plan to keep open, will all have a FEE tied to the use of camping, boating, game/fuel wood retrieval even day use areas.

Thanks
Pat

Pat

My goodness. Thanks for showing us this. The Nation wide part hits right close to home here. We have Wayne National Forest right here in southern Ohio. Only about 1 1/2 hrs away. I have taken the older boys in Boy Scouts there doing back packing many times. We use the National park as a warm up trek place before heading out west back packing. It is the closest we can get here in the flat lands of Ohio to hike to a great spot in the wilderness and make camp. We teach and practice no trace camping methods and no one ever knows we ever camped there. And I mean nothing left.

I’ll spread this around my Scouting leader network to gain some more support for not doing this to the park system.

Thanks for posting this.

John

Mark · 02-23-2008, 05:52 AM

Please don't flame me for this, but did anyone read about those two bills? I know where there is politics involved, people get a bit touchy.

I decided to look at the two bills---and there are hours of information to read. But to me, these seem like they were being put into place to KEEP people from designating areas as "open" for further development---i.e. oil drilling etc., so we have more "natural" place to enjoy.

Did anyone else get this impression, or am I just delusional? I won't blindly sign up until I know more.

While the post was valuable to point out an issue, I am afraid the original writer (not the poster here) may have slanted the intent of the bill.

(EDIT)

This is what confused me:

"We oppose further land closures such as the California Wild Heritage Bill S-493, as well as the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act."

When I look at those two bills, the seem to me to be about preservation, and maybe blocking further "business" development.

Poppy & Nana · 02-23-2008, 03:53 PM

Well I can tell you - here in the Adirondacks at Moose River Plains area - we have a major feud going on with the State of NY (APA) - they want to "manage" the land and their idea of that is to shut it down for camping, snowmobiling and cross country skiing......we have been battling this for a few years now and it looks like it will be closed in a few years