At our recent meeting with the Sequoia Forest staff they hope to release the Draft Environmental Impact Statement in August of this year. At that time there will be a public comment period of 45 days.

Stewards of the Sequoia continues to work with Forest Staff & others to research issues & we will be notifying members of any important changes or letter writing campaigns.

The Forest will accept any comments you wish to submit until the DIES is released. Feel free to follow the below instructions.

Summer 2007 Motorized Trail Designation Update
As of 6/15/07 Forest Supervisor Tina Terrell signed the Notice of Intent & proposed to close over 279 roads & trails to motorized use.

Please go here to get more information & find out how you can comment

Stewards of the Sequoia have been encouraging members to submit information on any trails that have been missed in the inventory & to send a copy to us. Once trails are including in the inventory they will be eligible for inclusion in the new trail system. Any trails not in the Plan will be closed.

Stewards of the Sequoia have also submitted missing trail lists & comments of our own.

Stewards have also submitted a Trail Plan Alternative which we need members to help get support from their legislators

BAN ON CROSS COUNTRY MOTORIZED TRAVEL
Sequoia Forest issued Forest Orders September 2006 banning all motorized cross country travel & providing maps showing which trails are legally open to motorized use. Travelling on trails not on the map may result in a citation with a maximum fine of $5000 per individual, $10,000 per group and/or 6 months in jail
 

TRAIL DESIGNATION BACKGROUND
The Forest Service has started a trail designation process in which they will decide which of the existing wheeled vehicle trails will remain open & which will be closed. The public is encouraged to be involved in this process. However most people do not have time to attend meetings or read hundreds of pages of documents & make comments. Stewards of the Sequoia have been extremely involved for over two years. If you want to help keep your trails open one of the best & easiest things you can do is join Stewards of the Sequoia. We provide email action alerts & meet with Forest Service & Legislators to help keep our trails open

In September 2005 Forest Service proposed an emergency closure of 68 miles of  single track trails to wheeled vehicles including Mountain Bikes in the Greenhorn district. That is a loss of 27% of single track trails & will cause needless increased impact on the remaining trails.

The Forest Service decided to hold off on the above emergency closures since they did not meet the emergency criteria.

No time to be involved & help keep your trails open. No problem, make a donation to Stewards to support our efforts & let us be your voice.

The public comment period for the inventory phase closed on 6/1/05.
See the news release here Forest Service End of Inventory Press Release
If you have any trails that have not been included, please notify Stewards & Forest Service as soon as possible. They should still add any trails that were missed even though the inventory phase has ended.

This process will determine which trails will remain open to wheeled vehicles, both motorized & mountain bike

Forest Service is meeting with Stewards of the Sequoia to review the most current inventory maps for omissions. Members who want to be involved in this process should email us at info@stewardsofthesequoia.org

Forest Service is putting together a stakeholders group including Stewards of the Sequoia to be involved in the Trail Designation Process. Members who want to be part of the stakeholders group should email us at info@stewardsofthesequoia.org

Here is some helpful hints on How to Write Comments
How to Comment on an NOI

At our 9/05 meeting with Sequoia staff, District Ranger Freeland made it clear that all trails would be treated equally during the review to see if they meet criteria to remain open. The specialists are looking at each trail, including existing designated trails, & will determine whether they are causing resource damage. If they are causing resource damage then they must be fixed or closed with the temporary orders. If they are closed they may be re opened later, if the problem is resolved.

Staff state they will be transparent about reasons for closures & give the public all the information as to the reasons. There will be an opportunity for the public to find ways to keep the trail open through volunteerism or other options. Staff state they will be using new less arbitrary soil standards to determine if resource damage is occurring.

Here is a link to the Sequoia National Forest current inventory maps & time tables & other info
Sequoia National Forest Trail Inventory

Here is a link to the Forest Service OHV Program Info that is driving the Trail Designation

OHV Program-Forest Service

Background Unmanaged Recreation

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