Posts Tagged ‘washington state department of natural resources’

New Plan for Ahtanum State Forest Will Help Improve Recreation Safety and Sustainability

Today, DNR released the Ahtanum State Forest Recreation Plan. For the past two years, DNR staff worked with a citizen group to develop the plan. Members of the Ahtanum Recreation Plan Work Group included representatives from a broad range of motorized and non-motorized recreation interests, as well as a wildlife biologist, a conservationist, and a neighboring landowner to DNR-managed land.

Read more at New plan for Ahtanum State Forest will help improve recreation safety and sustainability

Washington State DNR Releases Final Recreation Plan For Ahtanum State Forest

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 20, 2010

DNR, Citizen Group Work To Improve Recreation Opportunities And Access

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today released a recreation plan for the Ahtanum State Forest, a 76,000-acre block of forested state trust land about 20 miles west of Yakima.

The Ahtanum State Forest is a popular year-round recreation area for visitors from both sides of the Cascade Mountains. Over the years, the area has experienced increased use from a variety of recreation activities including off-road vehicle riding, hiking, hunting, and horseback riding.

“This plan provides the foundation for creating safe, sustainable, and enjoyable recreation opportunities in the Ahtanum State Forest,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark. “The strength of the plan lies in the collaborative efforts of citizens representing diverse recreation interests who helped develop a vision for the forest.”

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DNR Invites The Public To Help Plan Trails And Restoration Projects In Reiter Foothills Forest (Washington)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 23, 2009

OLYMPIA, WA – The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host a workshop in January to collect public input on restoration work and trail opportunities in Reiter Foothills Forest. The popular area is located in eastern Snohomish County near Gold Bar and Index.

When: 6 to 8 p.m., January 13
Where: The Commons, Monroe High School, 17001 Tester Rd., Monroe

The public workshop is in conjunction with the overall recreation planning process that DNR has been conducting over the past two years. As DNR prepares to implement the plan, the agency will be collecting information about site-specific restoration and trail projects. Public involvement will be critical to the success of the plan.

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Volunteers Needed to Help Clean Up Tahuya State Forest (Washington)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 30, 2009

Event Takes Place This Weekend (December 5 And 6) Near Belfair

Olympia, WA – The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and partners are sponsoring a cleanup at Tahuya State Forest near Belfair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., December 5 and 6. Volunteers can participate on either or both days. A potluck will follow the clean-up activities on both days.

Volunteers should meet at the Oak Patch in the Tahuya State Forest (mile marker 4.5 on Elfendahl Pass Road). Bring gloves, a camp chair, and a potluck dish. The event will go on, rain or shine, with a covered area provided for the potlucks.

DNR’s partners in the cleanup include the Wheelers of Washington (donating a dumpster); Mudslingers 4×4 Association (donating port-a-potties); and the Tahuya/Green Mountain Focus Group.

Directions: Take Hwy. 3 to Hwy. 300 (North Shore Road), turn right on Belfair-Tahuya Rd., turn right on Elfendahl Pass Rd, follow the signs.

For more information, contact Jesse Sims at 360-801-5097 or jesse.sims@dnr.wa.gov .

Recreation On DNR-Managed Lands
DNR manages more than 5 million acres of state-owned forest, aquatic, agricultural, conservation and urban lands. Most recreation on these lands takes place in the 2.1 million acres of forests that DNR manages as state trust lands. By law, DNR manages state trust lands to produce income for schools, universities, prisons, state mental hospitals, community colleges, local services in many counties, and the state’s general fund. State trust lands are also managed to provide fish and wildlife habitat and educational and recreational opportunities.

DNR-managed lands provide a variety of landscapes throughout Washington State. Recreational opportunities include hiking, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, camping, motorized vehicle riding, mountain biking, and boating.

DNR’s main recreation focus is to provide trails, trailhead facilities, and a primitive experience in a natural setting.

Media Contact: Toni Droscher, Communications and Outreach Specialist, 360-902-1523 and toni.droscher@dnr.wa.gov

http://www.dnr.wa.gov/RecreationEducation/News/Pages/nr09_185.aspx

Stormy Weather Wreaks Havoc on DNR Trails In The Olympic Peninsula (Washington)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DNR Crews Cleaning Up Foothills And Sadie Creek Trail Systems

Olympia, WA – Last week’s high winds pounded the Olympic Peninsula, causing extensive damage to a widespread swath of forest land and recreation areas managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The agency is alerting visitors that sections of Foothills Off-road (ORV) and Sadie Creek/4×4 trail systems will be closed while crews assess the damage and work to clear downed limbs and trees from the trails.

For safety reasons, staff in DNR’s Olympic Region advise the public to turn around if they encounter tree limbs and downed trees across the trails. DNR asks that the public avoid cutting or bucking up downed limbs and trees, which can be highly dangerous. Certain sections of trail have also been washed out, creating even more unsafe conditions.

Crews are working to re-open the trails as soon as possible, but it may be a week or two before the trail sections are passable.

To find out the status of trails in the area, contact Wayne Fitzwater in the Olympic Region office at 360-374-2800.

Recreation on DNR-Managed Lands

DNR manages more than 5 million acres of state-owned forest, aquatic, agricultural, conservation and urban lands. Most recreation on these lands takes place in the 2.1 million acres of forests that DNR manages as state trust lands. By law, DNR manages state trust lands to produce income for schools, universities, prisons, state mental hospitals, community colleges, local services in many counties, and the state’s general fund. State trust lands are also managed to provide fish and wildlife habitat and educational and recreational opportunities.

DNR-managed lands provide a variety of landscapes throughout Washington State. Recreational opportunities include hiking, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, camping, motorized vehicle riding, mountain biking, and boating.

DNR’s main recreation focus is to provide trails, trailhead facilities, and a primitive experience in a natural setting.

Media Contact: Toni Droscher, Communications and Outreach Specialist, 360-485-3406 (mobile), and toni.droscher@dnr.wa.gov

http://www.dnr.wa.gov/RecreationEducation/News/Pages/nr09_184.aspx

Help Save Reiter (Washington)

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources has released its Draft Reiter Foothills Forest Recreation Plan. While we support making Reiter an official ORV area, we have serious concerns about the current plan.

Historically about 4000 acres of the 10,000 acre area being studied has been used by ORV. The DNR plan proposes limiting motorized use to about only 1100 acres.

Even though the DNR research shows that off-road motorcycling is the most popular use, the plan contains no specific mention of facilitating it.

The way things currently stand there is no guarantee that there will be any single track trails open to motorized use.

More information on the plan can be found by following this link:

http://www.dnr.wa.gov/RecreationEducation/Topics/RecreationPlanning/Pages/amp_rec_reiter_foothills.aspx

YOU can help correct this injustice by providing written comments to the DNR before December 4th.

Comments should be submitted to the SEPA Center at, sepacenter@dnr.wa.gov or P.O. Box 47015, Olympia, Washington 98504-7015

Reference SEPA File No. 09-111001 at the start of your comments.

Here are some sample comments to consider:

The area the plan allocates for motorized recreation is significantly inadequate to facilitate the current recreational usage. The DNR staff involved with developing the plan concur with this finding. This shortcoming is addressable as noted below.

According to the map shown in figure 8 additional land suitable for motorized trail use is available in the central and western portions of the study area.

Excluding motorized recreation in areas identified as potential aquifer recharge areas is not consistent with restrictions as listed in Appendix A which contains no such noted exclusion.

Appendix E shows the motorcyclists are the largest user group, but the study does not specifically address their recreational needs.

It is important that the DNR recognizes that different types of ORV use have different impacts on the landscape. Just because the largest ORV may not be appropriate in a specific area that should not preclude allowing lightweight two wheeled ORV access.

We strongly recommend that lightweight two wheeled ORV access be included in the central and western portion of the planning area.

This recommendation is consistent with the DNR goals as stated on page 3:

“Goal 1: Ensure the safety of the public, department employees and volunteers.
Goal 2: Ensure recreation is consistent with trust obligations.
Goal 3: Ensure recreation is consistent with resource protection.
Goal 4: Provide quality recreation experiences that can be sustained over time.”

On page 34, under the heading of “Statewide Recreation on DNR-managed Lands” it is stated that “Some sites and trails are designated for only motorized or non-motorized use”. The DNR has acknowledged that this statement is misleading, but it is actually false. There are no DNR managed recreation areas where motorized recreation is allowed and non-motorized recreation is specifically prohibited.

This must be considered when evaluating the portion of the area available for various trail users and the proportional balance goals.

Prioritizing motorized recreation at Reiter is consistent with the DNR’s Statewide Recreation Program Vision and Management Goals as stated on page 3. “DNR envisions a future in which the lands it manages offer distinct and diverse outdoor recreation opportunities within the overall fabric of recreation in Washington.”

The overall fabric of recreation in Washington includes prohibitions on motorized trail recreation in all National Parks, all Wilderness Areas, all Natural Resource Conservation Areas, all State Parks (except the 600 acre Riverside facility near Spokane), the Mt Baker/Snoqualmie National Forest, the vast majority of county and city parks. At a statewide level motorized trail use is prohibited on over 80 percent of the trail mileage. In the areas adjacent to the Reiter area that prohibition is 100 percent.

When considering the overall fabric it is reasonable for all areas within the Reiter study area that are found to be suitable for motorized recreation to be incorporated in the plan as areas where some form of motorized trail recreation is allowed.

Tod Petersen
Legislative/Land Use Coordinator
Northwest Motorcycle Association

http://www.sharetrails.org/alerts/?alert=1095&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BlueRibbonCoalition+%28BlueRibbon+Coalition+News+and+Alerts%29

State DNR to hold public meeting on Reiter Foothills Forest Recreation Plan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 6, 2009

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host a public meeting to provide information and receive public comments on a draft recreation plan for the Reiter Foothills Forest.
Reiter Foothills Forest is a popular recreation area located in eastern Snohomish County near Gold Bar and Index.

When: Wednesday, November 18, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Where: The Commons, Monroe High School, 17001 Tester Rd., Monroe

In 2007, the Washington State Legislature recognized the challenges of managing recreational use at Reiter Foothills Forest and funded DNR’s development of a sustainable recreation plan. For the past two years, DNR has worked with a diverse group of stakeholders – including citizens, user groups, representatives from conservation groups, and local officials – to create a recreation plan that identifies long-term recreation uses and addresses problems in the area.

In addition to Reiter Foothills Forest, DNR is also doing sustainable recreation planning for two other forest areas in Washington State: Ahtanum State Forest near Yakima and the western portion of the Yacolt Burn State Forest, north of Washougal.

DNR will release the draft Reiter Foothills Forest Recreation Plan on its web site on Tuesday, November 10. DNR is requesting feedback from the public about the findings and recommendations in this plan. In conjunction with the public review of the plan, DNR is also conducting an official State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) process. The public comment period runs from November 10 through December 4.

For more information about the meeting, contact Candace Johnson, 360-854-2803 or candace.johnson@dnr.wa.gov .

The public can provide all written comments about the Reiter Foothills Forest Recreation Plan or the SEPA environmental analysis to:

Washington State Department of Natural Resources
SEPA Center
PO Box 47105
Olympia, WA 98504
sepacenter@dnr.wa.gov

Recreation On DNR-Managed Lands
DNR manages more than 5 million acres of state-owned forest, aquatic, agricultural, conservation and urban lands. Most recreation on these lands takes place in the 2.2 million acres of forests that DNR manages as state trust lands. By law, state trust lands are managed to produce income for schools, universities, prisons, state mental hospitals, community colleges, local services in many counties, and the state’s general fund. State trust lands are also managed to provide fish and wildlife habitat and educational and recreational opportunities.
DNR-managed lands provide 1,100 miles of trails, 143 recreation sites, and a variety of landscapes throughout Washington State. Recreational opportunities include hiking, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, camping, motorized vehicle riding, mountain biking, and boating.

DNR’s main recreation focus is to provide trails, trailhead facilities, and a primitive experience in a natural setting.

Media Contact: Toni Droscher, Recreation Program Communications Manager, 360-902-1523 or toni.droscher@dnr.wa.gov .