ANF Access - Want some LEGAL trails?

[87Rumbler]

Hi all.

I was asked to come here to share information regarding land use designation issues and process in ANF.

I can help fix our user group being shut out of ANF. But I can not do it without your help. Oh, no, I don't want your money. I want something even more valuable; some of your free time.

Interested?

Here is the pitch I had planned to use on you. I decided on a more informal approach, but the info in it may prove useful to you:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/florida/projects/documents/nepa/Apalach%20Access/anf_trails_all.pdf

As spooky as it may be this is the official route designation plan for ANF. If you'll read it please note that "licensed 4x4 recreational vehicles" (anything 4x4 with a license plate) is not even mentioned in any context except "restricted to numbered forest roads". Shocked Shocked

If you know the government you know that nothing is implied. If it doesn't say something explicitly it is NOT safe to assume the explicit.


http://www.fl4wda.com/pdf/apalachicola_route_designation_comments.pdf

This is a proposal made by the Florida four wheel drive association to include explicit inclusion of recreational licensed 4x4 use in ANF.

A rep from FL4WD, a couple of folks from fla4x4 and myself personally presented this plan (and mailed copies appropriately in accordance with the rules for this) to the FS folks in a face to face meeting back near the end of last year.

It needs to be noted that since this time I have had extensive direct contact with the Recreational Director for ANF along with the Deputy District Ranger in regards to these issues. I have been told on several occasions directly that:

"The ability to field a dependable and substantial group of volunteers is vital to the chances of your proposal being accepted and included in the final forestry use plan decision."

And THAT is why I am here folks. Try as I might I am but one person. I need committed and reliable volunteer help !

Now who is ready to start making progress on trails for licensed recreational trail use in ANF?

[ecollins]

It might help if you explain exactly what the volunteers will be doing?

ie: Mapping Routes by gps, getting road names? lobbying?
(those where examples) I have no idea.

Is the volunteers for cleanup?

Ok I will post more as I know more about it.

[BroncoNole]

I'm getting my Masters degree in lobbying...

[87Rumbler]

I have setup a meeting with Cathy Briggs and the rest of the FS folks who see fit to attend for 9:00AM at the forest service office on John Knox Road. I wouldn't expect too many FS folks to be there as this is unpaid time for them. Cathy is "volunteering" this time for us.

325 John Knox Road, Suite F-100
Tallahassee, Florida 32303


On the agenda:

1) Discussion of the draft EA for ANF.
The minute it hits the public domain and I find out about it, I'll post a link to it.

2) Question and answer session for our user group.
Expect this to be a two way street. Questions to them from us, and questions from them to us.

I would like to respectfully request that if you plan to attend you be on time and make some notes about what you want to know. Again, this is their free time it would be nice of us to respect that by being well prepared.

Hope this helps.

[87Rumbler]

It might help if you explain exactly what the volunteers will be doing?

This is a really valid point. I wish I could address it in detail, but I am not sure of those details myself. I am awaiting a meeting with their new volunteer coordinator.

ie: Mapping Routes by gps, getting road names? lobbying?
(those where examples) I have no idea.

This is already happening and has been since . . October(?) of last year. To be bluntly honest with you the three to five folks that have been showing up to do it could sure use some help - they need a break.

Is the volunteers for cleanup?

Cleaning up is badly needed. Despite the fact that virtually every weekend there are our user group members out there hauling garbage out of the forest by the truck/trailer load. Pardon my hopping on the soap box for a second but this needs to be recognized and acknowledged:

We have a very - very very - bad reputation in the forest. Speaking of the generic "4x4 vehicle". We need to do everything in our power to turn that image around.

Think about this for a second. Pretend you are a heavy duty tree hugger or even a forest manager. You walk out in the woods and you see big fat swamper tracks through the wetlands. Do you think "that damned Tom Smith . . !!" or do you think "those damned 4x4 trucks . . . !!!"


Unfair as heck? Absolutely! Practical and realistic? Unfortunately - yes. All too.

That is why it is so very important for us to do stuff like go out in mass and pickup other folks garbage from the forest.

During the Keep Tallahassee Beautiful cleanup the 4x4 user group (all four of us that showed up :-( ) litterally hand gathered and hauled out tons of trash from areas we have been expressly forbidden to ride in for years.

On a side note; it is just as important we get recognition for these efforts. So make DANG SURE photographs are taken. Make DANG SURE they are posted in public. Make DANG SURE it gets submitted to media outlets.

. . or, make DANG SURE I know about it and I'll do it for you. Yea, it's that important.

Ok I will post more as I know more about it.

Are you typing yet? :D:D

[ecollins]

For the people by the people, I sure wish I could volunteer to run in the woods about right now~!

I have a 3 week old baby, and it is grumpy today.

Is the meeting you are speaking of tomorrow?

Is there a limit on the number of people who can join?

[87Rumbler]

Oh Geeeeez!! Sorry !!!!!!!

I had intended to put the date in the subject line of a new thread but after review the message seemed to fit here better.

In other words; I screwed up plain and simple. :(:(

Saturday, August 4th, 2007

I am thinking the reason this meeting is being held in Tally rather than C'ville where Cathy Briggs works out of, is so she can accommodate more folks. It would be nice if the folks that do attend show interest and ask questions, but . . .

To be perfectly honest it is my opinion that if we could completely overwhelm the building it would be the best thing we could do.

. . though it would obviously be a logistical nightmare for the FS.

Regarding volunteerism, I would like to add that IF we get what we ask for regular dependable volunteers will be mandatory to keep it.

Trails will need to be signed, "points of interest" built, and trail maintained Without fail or it will be taken away from us overnight.

Now, to this end . . . Garth Smeltser the Deputy District Ranger for ANF has told me face to face on several occasions our ability to demonstrate that we have a sufficient volunteer force is really important to demonstrate before a decision is reached on whether we will or will not get anything but numbered forest roads to ride.

As I have said, the draft EA is due out . . today. The comment period ends in 30 days. Any time after that (but ASAP) the head honcho of the forest will decide which option - including ours - will be the final decision.

Yes, this decision is to be reviewed each year after that. But if you ask me a full year with NO TRAIL ACCESS is just plain unacceptable. :eek::eek:

[ecollins]

If you can make me a clean write up about the meeting on august 4th, I will make a section for it on the frontpage.

I know for us, one of our biggest complaints isnt not being able to make new roads, but being ran off of roads that have been made or been there for years.

Logging roads, machine made roads. Just roads that never got numbered for what ever reason.

And a better explanation of "when we drive down a numbered road if there is a washout/mudhole going across the road" are we allowed to ride through the road? By all explanations if are not forcing new roads around the holes you are not destroying the forest.

Just some thoughts.

[lonesouth]

We should be able to make that count us in for 2 or 3. We are also willing to help in cleaning anf and I personally would love the opportunity to learn and help with mapping routes. Bronco, ATV or by foot, I think it would be good to get to know the forest better.

[BroncoNole]

I sure wish I could I have a 3 week old baby, and it is grumpy today.


It huh? You know it's a bad day when baby boy, bundle of joy, becomes it. LoL just busting you E! :)

[RebelChick86]

hey i went to this. i learned that there really are a BUNCH of trails that we are not allowed on that would be GREAT off road trails. and the ones that they say we are allowed to use are just like neighborhood roads. if i had my car, i would have taken it to show the reporters that we have no recreational use for these ROADS.

[BroncoNole]

That would have been awesome! They could have taken a picture of you in your car just crusin through the forest. That would have definitely made a statement! It's such a bummer that they keep making great trails off limits.