BuzzH
Well-known member
I'd say they do, but those "very few" who arent really are causing a lot of trouble.
Conservation groups, motorized users offer differing views on forest recreation
By BRETT FRENCH
Gazette Outdoor Writer
There are more than 180 miles of unauthorized roads and trails along the Beartooth Front and in the Pryor Mountains, according to the Forest Service.
"We're trying to check that," said Tom Highberger, resource assistant for the Beartooth Ranger District.
The agency now estimates there are more than 110 miles of user-created roads and trails in the Pryor Mountains and more than 70 along the Beartooth Front. With the creation of the roads as well as dispersed campsites, there has been damage - the spreading of noxious weeds, injury to plants, increased soil erosion, deterioration in water quality as well as vandalism and damage to archaeological sites.
Under orders from the regional office, the Custer National Forest has issued new travel management proposals for the Beartooth Ranger District and is seeking public comment on the initial document until May 1.
"Our goal is to eliminate off-highway travel and slow down the proliferation of new roads," Highberger said. "We're concerned about road densities and adding miles to the system that we can't maintain."
An environmental proposal
Highberger's comments should be music to the Eastern Wildlands Chapter of the Montana Wilderness Association. For years the association has lobbied for greater protection of the Pryor Mountains.
But in its own travel proposals, the group says the Forest Service has not gone far enough. Instead, the Eastern Wildlands Chapter would like to see the creation of four nonmotorized recreation areas in the Pryors. Four main roads would provide access, but large blocks of land would be closed off for nonmotorized use only.
"A lot of the Pryors is still accessible within one mile of these roads," said Paul Sneed, president of the Eastern Wildlands Chapter. "We're providing for access to much of the Pryors, we're just advocating that you don't have to have 200 miles of roads in the Pryors. It doesn't stop the use of motorized vehicles. We're just saying no more off-road travel."
Here's what the group is proposing: The first nonmotorized area would be on Big Pryor mountain, including slopes down to the plains. The second would encompass Bear Canyon to the south of Big Pryor Mountain, separated from it by a continuous loop road that comes up Stockman Trail and then bends east and south back to the lowlands. Third is the Lost Water Canyon region, containing roughly the same boundaries as specified in the wilderness bill that passed the U.S. House in 1994. Fourth would be the Punch Bowl nonmotorized area, a patch of land located north of Dry Head Overlook.
According to the Wilderness Association's vision statement, "With the exception of a carefully limited number of travelways designated officially open for administrative or permittee purposes, all roads now located within the NMRAs (nonmotorized recreation areas) would be closed and ultimately reclaimed to their natural state."
"We're not trying to be greedy," Sneed said. "We're recommending 70 percent be nonmotorized use."
He said that's generous considering that polls have shown 80 percent of the American public prefers to participate in nonmotorized activities.
Right now, the group says the opposite is true - 70 percent of the Pryors is open to motorized use.
Conservation groups, motorized users offer differing views on forest recreation
By BRETT FRENCH
Gazette Outdoor Writer
There are more than 180 miles of unauthorized roads and trails along the Beartooth Front and in the Pryor Mountains, according to the Forest Service.
"We're trying to check that," said Tom Highberger, resource assistant for the Beartooth Ranger District.
The agency now estimates there are more than 110 miles of user-created roads and trails in the Pryor Mountains and more than 70 along the Beartooth Front. With the creation of the roads as well as dispersed campsites, there has been damage - the spreading of noxious weeds, injury to plants, increased soil erosion, deterioration in water quality as well as vandalism and damage to archaeological sites.
Under orders from the regional office, the Custer National Forest has issued new travel management proposals for the Beartooth Ranger District and is seeking public comment on the initial document until May 1.
"Our goal is to eliminate off-highway travel and slow down the proliferation of new roads," Highberger said. "We're concerned about road densities and adding miles to the system that we can't maintain."
An environmental proposal
Highberger's comments should be music to the Eastern Wildlands Chapter of the Montana Wilderness Association. For years the association has lobbied for greater protection of the Pryor Mountains.
But in its own travel proposals, the group says the Forest Service has not gone far enough. Instead, the Eastern Wildlands Chapter would like to see the creation of four nonmotorized recreation areas in the Pryors. Four main roads would provide access, but large blocks of land would be closed off for nonmotorized use only.
"A lot of the Pryors is still accessible within one mile of these roads," said Paul Sneed, president of the Eastern Wildlands Chapter. "We're providing for access to much of the Pryors, we're just advocating that you don't have to have 200 miles of roads in the Pryors. It doesn't stop the use of motorized vehicles. We're just saying no more off-road travel."
Here's what the group is proposing: The first nonmotorized area would be on Big Pryor mountain, including slopes down to the plains. The second would encompass Bear Canyon to the south of Big Pryor Mountain, separated from it by a continuous loop road that comes up Stockman Trail and then bends east and south back to the lowlands. Third is the Lost Water Canyon region, containing roughly the same boundaries as specified in the wilderness bill that passed the U.S. House in 1994. Fourth would be the Punch Bowl nonmotorized area, a patch of land located north of Dry Head Overlook.
According to the Wilderness Association's vision statement, "With the exception of a carefully limited number of travelways designated officially open for administrative or permittee purposes, all roads now located within the NMRAs (nonmotorized recreation areas) would be closed and ultimately reclaimed to their natural state."
"We're not trying to be greedy," Sneed said. "We're recommending 70 percent be nonmotorized use."
He said that's generous considering that polls have shown 80 percent of the American public prefers to participate in nonmotorized activities.
Right now, the group says the opposite is true - 70 percent of the Pryors is open to motorized use.
