Thank you to everyone who has contacted me off-list about this...every year
more and more public lands are deemed "off-limits" to 4x4 and other
recreationists, and unless we speak up the government will only hear the
one-sided environmental extremists who advocate absolute closure to all
public access of nearly ALL kinds...***PLEASE PARTICIPATE TODAY***!!!!!! Just
cut and paste the letter at the bottom and forward it to the address shown,
or print and fax, or better yet, call and tell the US Forest Service you are
opposed to widespread land and road closures!!! GO DML!!!!
____________________
Dave Kilian -- Clayton, NC
'96 Dakota CC 4x4 3.9L 5-spd
4" TM susp. lift, 2" Body lift, 33" BFG's etc...
ACTION ALERT FOR MARCH 7th
To: All Multiple-Use Recreationists:
MULTIPLE USE RECREATIONISTS TO CALL-IN ON MARCH 7
Tell the Forest Service not to listen to the Extreme Preservationists
who are spreading lies About Responsible OHV Recreation!!!
For many years, the extreme preservationist movement has stated that its
goal is to seek a permanent BAN of responsible off-highway-vehicle (OHV)
recreation on all public lands. They have been largely successful in
implementing a functional BAN of sustainable forestry in our national
forests and now they have targeted OHVs for that same fate.
On March 9, the anti-everyone-but-me crowd is planning a national
call-in day to the US Forest Service urging them to (functionally) BAN all
OHV recreation on lands managed by the Forest Service. We have to upstage
them in a massive way by preempting their strike with one of our own!
On March 7, the Blue Ribbon Coalition, along with a number of
multiple-use recreation and resource groups, is planning a national PRO-OHV
call-in day. The reason for having our call-in on March 7 is because if we
don't separate our call-in by at least one day...our legislators and federal
agencies might CONFUSE our call-in with that of our opponents.
This is a maximum effort campaign by our side and all of us need to make
sure that we burn up the email, phone, and FAX lines into the Forest
Service. Please reroute this ALERT to your own communication networks so
that our voices will be heard by Chief Dombeck.
--------------------------------------------
>Tom Zehrbach <tzehrbach@home.com> writes:
>Below is a very good starter letter - preferably add some personal
stuff, but at the very least, send this in with your name, address and
phone number.
>Again, please call, email, and FAX to the numbers below on March 7th (if
you
can't get through on the 7th continue on the 8th):
Chief Mike Dombeck
Email: Mike.Dombeck/wo@fs.fed.us
FAX: (202)205-1765
Phone: (202)205-1661
- -----------------------------------------
Chief Mike Dombeck,
In a few days, you will receive thousands of calls, emails, and letters
in favor of the President's recent Roadless Initiative. They don't
speak for me.
I am opposed to the wholesale closure of roads in the national forests.
While some roads could undoubtedly be closed, it should be done in
consultation with local government and all responsible users of the
public's lands, not just those who want to ban all motorized vehicles
and cattle. The multiple use principle is a legitimate and fair way to
manage these lands.
Unless the support of those who live near these lands is sought and
secured, no roadless proposal will work. The USFS does not have the
personnel to enforce closures, and a program without local support
practically guarantees that it will be ignored. Furthermore, there
will continue to be hikers in the forest who will litter and become lost
or injured. The USFS does not have the funds or manpower to deal with
these problems, either.
Local support and support from responsible users, such as OHV user
groups and cattlemen's organizations, would go far toward assuring
proper monitoring, placement and maintenance of signs, search and rescue
and cleaning up after the inevitable careless users.
The current approach of denying the existence of long established roads
and paths that are not maintained by a road department goes against
common sense and what most Americans understand by the term "roadless."
Widespread closure of roads, tantamount to declaring them wilderness,
will offend the vast majority of the people who use these lands, and
will put the government at odds with its citizens. It smacks of
government from afar without consultation or representation.
I urge you not to be stampeded by so-called environmentalists demanding
management by not managing.
Sincerely,
Name, Address, Phone Number
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