As
some of you have heard, the Ottawa National Forest has Proposed
four alternative Forest use Plans. Basically this is a step into
cutting us off from OUR National Forest. I am not amped about
this change in the forest plan so I am stepping up now to make
the Government work for this one.
Listen to Y-101, Skippy is a great source of information on these
proposed Forest Plans. Skip has written the following message
to me, read it and show up at this meeting to voice your opinion:
"The BIG meeting is on Thursday Night, May 19th, 6-9pm, ETC
School. We NEED to get them to take Alternative 4. The USFS is
promoting their preferred Alternative 3, which is a compromise
between the 'Pro' Off Road Motorsports (Snowmobile/ATV) Alternative
4, and the ANTI Off Road Motorsports plan which is Alternative
2.
Alternative 1 has good and bad in it for Snowmobilers and ATV
Riders. It is the only plan that continues to allow Cross Country
Travel (Non Trail/Non Road) travel. The problem is that their
is not one US Forest from the East Coast to the West Coast that
has allowed this to happen. It would be a good plan, but it isn't
going to happen, and it puts the pressure on groups to develop
trails in areas we all know the Forest Service would never let
us be anyway.
What we're handing in for written comments is that we would like
Cross Country Travel to continue to be allowed for the elderly,
physically challenged and for hunting, however we prefer Alternative
4, which allows for expanded snowmobile and ATV use on all three
Levels of Forest Roads.
I really need a lot of people to attend that May 19th Meeting,
as the Ottawa only had 7 meetings, and not one of them did they
let anyone actually stand up and talk or ask questions publicly.
This and the Hiawatha on the East end of the UP, are the ONLY
Forests across the entire United States that held what they call
"Public Meetings," where no one could speak publicly.
That's why my radio station is sponsoring this Public Forum on
the Ottawa. We need people to speak up (will be broadcast on Y-101)
AND hand in a written comment in support of whatever Alternative
they prefer (we're hoping the majority will take Alternative 4)."
Check out the Proposed Forest Plans www.fs.fed.us/r9/ottawa
Lets
make a difference in this.
Matthew J. Tingstad
FIGHT THE CONVICTION
EXCONFREERIDE
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