Monumental Event

4/4/2012

                Yesterday, for the first time in the history of the Oregon Dunes, an environmental group; Wildlands CPR and an OHV group; Save the Riders Dunes (STRD) sat down with the Forest Service to discuss the future of the Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area (ODNRA). We all agreed we are losing the ODNRA to the unchecked growth of beach grass, scotch broom and shore pine. Restoration to open free flowing sand is our only hope to keep the ODNRA from certain death. All stake holders agreed that we can share the dunes. We also all agreed that we can work together and in doing so keep the areas most important to each of us healthy and manageable.

                The ODNRA will never be open free flowing sand again. The area is too big and unwanted vegetation too widespread to eradicate it no matter how much money is available. The beach grass is just too tenacious. We need to focus our efforts of restoration on specific areas that will achieve 4 main objectives: Snowy Plover habitat, Open OHV areas, native plant communities and the visual beauty of the dunes themselves.

                There were discussions on exactly how to accomplish these goals but first we need the organization and some basic knowledge to start the process.  There needs to be two main groups initiated. One would be the stakeholders themselves. This would look similar to the 10C Work Group. Examples would be Enviros, OHV, USFS, BLM, Counties Corp of Engineers etc. The second group would be what is called the “Ologist”. (Biologist, Ecologist, and Botanist).  They would begin to collect data like where is the native plant communities and where would be best to start foredune removal. We have set a goal to meet in mid-July time frame to keep the process moving. More information about who will be in the groups will be forthcoming.

                We also need to look at creating an unbiased group like “Friends of the Dunes” or “Friends of the ODNRA” that can act as a non-profit to request grants and collect funds for restoration.

                Specific to OHV are areas that are now open but heavily vegetated. In a few years there will be so much vegetation that we will not be able to ride there even though we are allowed to. The area just south of Spinreel and west of the open dunes is a good example. I call this area the “hidden dunes”. We must keep these areas designated 10B and OPEN. To do that we may have the ability to go in and pull shore pine, ride on beach grass and scotch broom. Basically restore these areas to open sand.  It is a daunting task but we need to start somewhere.

                All of us must thank Sarah Peters from Wildlands CPR for reaching across the aisle and be willing to work with us to restore the dunes. She came out a few weeks ago to meet STRD to get our side of the story. That took some serious courage to come into the enemy’s camp. We will all benefit. Together we will help the FS focus on the restoration of the ODNRA so all of us will have a say in how we can keep our riding areas open for future generations. For me personally that will always be my number one priority. In a few years I will see my Great-Grandchild riding a quad with me. Now that will bring tears to my eyes!

                                                Thanks, Jody Phillips President, STRD

letter #6 latest letter sent to FS

Mr. Jerry Ingersoll


Siuslaw National Forest Service Supervisor file code 1950

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

I have been pondering over this proposed scoping letter since I 1st laid eyes on it in June. The Forest service pretty much closed every trail that was not thru to open dunes and you also wanted everyone to tell you the Forest Service which trails we as riders wanted left open and to be specific, I see one problem with that, you the Forest Service didn’t give us the tools, i.e. trail numbers or names to correlate to the trails we (riders) want left open.

I / we as OHV riders feel that you the Forest Service caused these trail to exist, and now you want to close them, the Forest Service planted a very aggressive noxious weed (European Beach grass) and you also planted shore pines for stabilization, that you have let literally almost swallow up the open dunes and nearly put an endangered bird into extinction (snowy plover) and now you are having to mechanically remove the beach grass to open up nesting spots.

I /we as riders feel we should have everything opened back up to us that was available in 1972. The only areas that should be closed off completely in the NORTH riding area should be the 5 native tree islands and the rest should be opened back up, to help the Forest Service eradicate the Scotch broom also a noxious weed and the European beach grass. The Middle riding area should have all the existing trails left open thru the Native forested areas, and all the area to the south of the 3rd parking lot be left opened up again to help the Forest Service eradicate 2 noxious weeds. The South riding area should again be left completely opened up except for the native forested areas (leave existing trails open) and to also have all the areas that you have listed as wetland remove from wetland status as to they were not originally wetlands, but due to the mismanagement of the Forest Service they are now non native wetlands.

My conclusion is the Forest service NEEDS to do their job of enforcement, instead of closing off areas saying that we the riders don’t follow the rules, we as riders do follow most of the rules, except for a few bad apples and it is up to the Forest Service to educate or fine those particular bad apples instead of doing nothing, which has been the case. We as riders want all trails left open, and for the Forest Service to finally manage the dunes not mismanage them.



Sincerely,

my info went here

Jerry Ingersolls email address

Comments-pacificnorthwest-siuslaw-centralcoast@fs.fed.us

Letter 5

Mr. Jerry Ingersoll


Siuslaw National Forest Service Supervisor file code 1950

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area



My family and others ride these 103 miles of “user created” trails that you are proposing to close, these would not be user created trails if the Forest Service had not planted these area for stabilizing the dunes, we would still have open dunes, but now that you the Forest Service have provided use riders with this unique opportunity you the Forest service is wanting to take it away because of a select few environmentalist shame on you.

The mushrooms are another issue this is a recreation area not an agricultural commercial business, and yet you the Forest Service have provided a commercial business opportunity to mushroom pickers that really only happened because you the Forest Service wanted to stabilize the dunes.

 
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Letter 4

Mr. Jerry Ingersoll


Siuslaw National Forest Service Supervisor file code 1950

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area



With all the letters that you have posted at the staging areas nowhere does it mention anything about closing 103 miles of trails, what you do say is your opening up 287 acres of NON useable riding area. Why don’t you come clean and put in writing exactly what you the Forest Service is doing and that is to eventually close the dunes to OHV, well most of us are noting going to let that happen.

These trails need to be left open for OHVer’s to try and do what the Forest Service has failed to do for many years and that is to control a noxious & invasive species that the Forest Service had planted to stabilize open dunes, well now these open dunes are just about extinct.

I along with 1000’s of OHVer’s hope you the Forest Service does the right thing and scrap this proposal that’s on the table and start over and go back to the 1979 plan or even better lets go back to 1972 and open the dunes all up.

 
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Lettter 3

Mr. Jerry Ingersoll


Siuslaw National Forest Service Supervisor File code 1950

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

The trails within the ODNRA (Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area) need to stay as trails, if you were to close off 103 miles of trails that many families enjoy at the slower pace when teaching the kids how to ride. This would put more riders into a smaller concentrated place with higher speeds; higher speeds plus new riders would/will cause more injuries.

The Forest Service is saying that they are giving us OHVer’s 287 acres, well how much of that 287 acres is ride able maybe 10% due to all the overgrown vegetation that we were not allowed to ride due to you mismanagement/ hidden agenda of the 1994 plan.

These are the #’s off of your own website

10 (A) – Non-Motorized Undeveloped – 7,830 acres (27%)

10 (B) – Off-Road Vehicle Open – 5,930 acres (21%)

10 (C) – ORV on Designated Routes – 4,455 acres (15%)

This is very misleading…we have approx.3.92 miles of designated routes thru this area which is NO more than 5 acres, so in reality 4,450 ACRES CLOSED to OHV riding



10 (D) – Developed Corridors – 1,050 acres (4%)

Another bogus number maybe 500 acres is more like it



10 (E) – Snowy Plover Habitat – 1,010 acres (3%)

10 (F) – Plant, Fish and Wildlife Habitat – 3,120 acres (11%)

10 (G) – Wetlands Emphasis – 2,540 acres (9%)

10(F) & 10(G) continue to grow into larger acreage every year due to the winter rains



10 (H) – Wildlife and Fish Viewing – 315 acres (1%)

10 (J) – Recommended Wild and Scenic River – 1,090 acres (4%)

10 (K) – Research Natural Area – 1,190 acres (4%)

10 (L) – Noise Control Buffer – 370 acres (1%)

So by calculations

OHVer’s ride able area (acres) 6,435

Closed to OHV use (acres) 22,415

And you are wanting to take away another 103 miles of trails…NOT GOOD

 
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Letter 2

Mr. Jerry Ingersoll


Siuslaw National Forest Service Supervisor File code 1950

Oregon Dunes National Recreation area



It has come to my attention that the Forest Service is proposing to close 103 miles of trails within the ODNRA (Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area) also referred to as “user created trails.” The reason these trails exist today is because of mis-management from the Forest Service. These areas/trails that you are proposing to close only exist because of the Forest Service wanting to stabilize the sand from movement by introduction of a very aggressive European beach grass plus you have also let a noxious weed (scotch broom) take over the dunes.

The best way and the most economical way to control these invasive species are to let OHVers continue to travel these areas/ trails. Just look at the areas that you have closed off and how the invasive species have run rampant to the north of South Jetty road to the Siuslaw River.

Please reconsider the proposal that the Forest Service has put on the table and start off with a new one, that doesn’t have a hidden environmentalist agenda.

 
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