Florida Land Cruiser Association

I know this should probably be posted in the 'Land Use" area, but figured it might better seen here.

There's some NEW news from the Tellico front. It is VERY important we pay attention. The links below tell the story.


http://forum.ih8mud.com/sc-upstate-cruisers/270282-you-must-take-action-save-tellico-now.html

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=88

Thanks for posting that up Steve. I was about to do it myself and saw your post.

A very important initial e-mail should be sent to Marisue Hilliard politely and curteously requesting that Tellico should remain open for GSMTR as many of us have planned our vacations around this event and have already invested in it. (At this point Tellico will remain closed beyond the winter closure period which would prevent trail riding during GSMTR)

Marisue Hilliard
Forest Supervisor
National Forests in North Carolina
mhilliard@fs.fed.us

From Danny, owner of Crawfords Campground, Tellico:
Well here are the details I have worked out. The official dates will be April. 4th (Sat) and April 5th. This is a fundraiser based at the campground. Sat morning will be Trail Clean Up until noon sponsored by SFWDA(No Daily Use Fee). Meet back out the campground for a Rock Challenge, Dinner, Raffle, Bon Fire and Band(Weather Permitting). Sunday morning Slow Crawl Tug-O-War(Battle of the Beasts). Remember folks Proceeds go to SFWDA. Admission is $50 per rig, $20 per adult guest(Children under 13yoa are free-you will just be responsible for meal purchase in needed). The admission includes Camping for Fri-Sat nights, Dinner and all entertainment at our campground. Cabins will be normal pricing, however the owners want to Donate 25% of rental fees to the cause.

This would also be a great opportunity for folks to bring out stuff for a Swap Meet. I watched a guy empty a UHual Truck out last year in the Campground at Dixie Run...Everyone is looking for parts and accessories.

What we need from you is Donations for Raffle Prizes(Big or Small).
Volunteer Clubs to oversee Events.
A club to serve breakfast for Sat Morning.
Most importantly, your attendance!
Vendors Welcome

Lets start the season off right!

Please call me asap so we don't get into any last minute shockers. 828-837-9077
crawfords_campground@yahoo.com

Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 261.50 (a) and (b) and in accordance with 36 C.F.R. § 212.52, the following acts are prohibited on the entire length of all National Forest System Trails and Roads located within the Upper Tellico OHV Trail and Road System, with exception of Trail TRUT1/NFSR 420-1, NFSR 402 and that portion of Trail TRUT 2/NFSR 420-2 traversing from NFSR 402 to Jenks Gap, which will all remain open for use by registered, street legal motor vehicles only as further described on the Upper Tellico OHV Trail System Map. This closure is effective from April 1, 2009 until March 31, 2011, or earlier if the order is officially terminated by the Forest Supervisor.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
31 March, 2009 by Lance

RECREATION GROUPS EXPRESS DISAPPOINTMENT AT FOREST SERVICE IMPLEMENTING TELLICO EMERGENCY CLOSURE

The Southern Four Wheel Drive Association (SFWDA), the BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC) and United Four Wheel Drive Associations (UFWDA) expressed disappointment today in the Forest Service decision to implement the emergency closure of the Upper Tellico OHV trails on April 1, pending review of the many substantive comments made by OHV enthusiasts.

Gary Parsons, President of SFWDA, said, "We are very disappointed in the Forest Service decision to close the Upper Tellico OHV trails. In formal comments made to the Forest Service, the OHV community and other interested parties clearly demonstrated that such a closure has no scientific basis. Substantive comments provided to the Forest Service included findings of an independent study completed by Caliber Engineering and the recommendations from a report completed by the Forest Service's own Trails Unlimited Team. This is a bad decision and we are left with no other alternative but to pursue legal options."

Carla Boucher, legal counsel for the United Four Wheel Drive Associations, stated, "The Forest Service has failed to make the case with regard to adverse effects and resource damage. There is no immediate threat to public health, safety, or other requisite finding required by such an order. Water quality standards cited by the Forest Supervisor as the basis for such an order are not being exceeded." Boucher added, "In making this decision, the Forest Service must be prepared to explain why similar findings have not been made in the decades of greater environmental impact and they simply have not done that."

Greg Mumm, BRC's Executive Director, stated, "Implementing this closure order threatens the integrity of the ongoing planning process in which the interested public and our federal government have collectively invested significant time and resources."

Mumm concluded, "The economic impact of this closure will be devastating to the area and comes at a time when the current administration is calling for more jobs, economic development, and healthy outdoor recreation. It makes no sense."

# # #

The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible use of recreation, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. It represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of over 600,000 recreationists nationwide. 1-800-258-3742. www.sharetrails.org

United Four Wheel Drive Associations is an international organization comprised of four wheel drive enthusiasts, clubs, associations, and businesses dedicated to providing community services around the world, education in responsible land use and safe vehicle operation, and protection of our natural resources through conservation practices. 1-800-448-3932. www.ufwda.org

Southern Four Wheel Drive Association (SFWDA) was founded in 1987 to promote responsible land use and to keep public lands accessible for motorized recreation. For more information on the activities and accomplishments of Southern Four Wheel Drive Association, please visit www.sfwda.org or contact us at 1483 N. Mt. Juliet Road, PMB # 222, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122

We need you to send in comment letters to the Forest Service. Pass this on to your friends and fellow OHVers.

UPDATE ON THE TELLICO EFFORT: BRC, UFWDA, and SFWDA have all teamed up to fight the battle for Tellico. Thanks to all who responded to our Phase 1 alert and have written, called and visited their elected officials about the USFS proposed closure of Tellico. We still need those calls and letters to continue. Don't let up.

The letters to your congressmen are working! Jay Bird from SFWDA and Greg Mumm from BRC will be going back to Washington, D.C. to follow up with some offices early next week. At this late date phone calls will work the best. Please follow up on your letters to those who represent you.

For more information and background, see our previous alert here: http://www.sharetrails.org/alerts/?alert=958

Now we are shifting to Phase 2. It is important and it is time to respond to the Forest Service's draft Environmental Assessment with comments. We've made this very easy for you with an online letter generator (www.sharetrails.org/letters/letter.php?id=39). All it takes is for you to click here and there is a very easy process set up for you to send in your comments.

It is vital that you take action to Rescue Tellico. The Forest Service has told us what they want to do and it is incumbent on the OHV community to change their mind. We NEED to generate as many letters as possible, so:

PLEASE TAKE TEN MINUTES FOR TELLICO NOW! The deadline is fast approaching so don't put it off. Click here and help by sending in your comment letter. You CAN make a difference.

As always, this has been a long and expensive fight and we ask that you help us to sustain the ongoing effort with your donations. You can donate simply and easily online at www.sharetrails.org/rescue-tellico

Thank you for your help!

SFWDA, UFWDA, and BRC

If you would prefer to send in your own letter, we encourage you to do so. Below are some talking points to help you with that effort.

Letters need to be sent to:

National Forests in North Carolina
Attn: Candace Wyman
160 A Zillicoa Street, Asheville, NC 28801

Letters may be emailed to:

Email: comments-southern-north-carolina-nantah ... @fs.fed.us

Be sure to put in the reference line to the project:

RE: Transportation System and Related Recreation Management Actions for the Upper Tellico Off-Highway Vehicle System and Temporary Closure of the Upper Tellico OHV System
Nantahala National Forest: Cherokee County, North Carolina

It is important to tell the Forest Service why Tellico is important to you and your family.

Oppose the temporary closure of the Upper Tellico OHV System effective April 1, 2009 and ask the Forest Supervisor to reconsider that decision.

The emergency closure is unwarranted and unjustified based on the information provided.
Planning for many historic and permitted events in the area are and have been underway for sometime now based on the good faith of the Forest Service and the originally proposed action for planning in the area. The immediate economic impact to the surrounding communities of this temporary closure order is devastating and cannot be replaced. Communities affected by this sudden change in management are historically dependent on money brought into the area by OHV recreation and these events.
The decision for the emergency closure prior to the decision on the draft environmental assessment appears to point to a pre-determined outcome for the environmental assessment.

The Forest Service should/needs to conduct more complete planning.

The draft environmental assessment needs to address findings and conclusions of the independent report from Caliber Engineering recently provided to the Forest Service which conflicts with much of the findings and the internal studies of the Forest Service in the draft environmental assessment.
The draft EA does not consider the report commissioned by and provided to the Forest Service by the Enterprise Team, USFS Trails Unlimited, assessing the Upper Tellico OHV System. This report is also in conflict with the findings reflected in the Draft EA.
Neither the Caliber study nor the Trails Unlimited report recommended closure of trails in Tellico. Both concluded the trails could be sustainably managed.
Failure by the Forest Service to consider other sources of sedimentation invalidates agency implication that the OHV system is the cause of high turbidity measurements. This failure leads to an inaccurate and unsupported conclusion that closure of the OHV system will resolve turbidity issues, if such exist.

Ask that the Forest Service to conduct additional study and planning in an Environmental Impact Statement.

Given the potentially devastating economic impact to the local communities alone (as cited in the University of Tennessee survey), a finding of no significant impact cannot be a determined outcome.
The range of alternatives should be developed utilizing the additional science and information provided in both the Caliber report and the Trails Unlimited report discussed previously.

The Forest Service needs to exhaust all possible options to mitigate the issues prior to closure.

The Forest Service must also recognize that closing the opportunity was never the intent or desire of the interested stakeholders.
Proper management for the use is the better solution.
Closure alone will not solve the stated issues. Mitigation of those issues still must take place.
Resolving those challenges in partnership with the OHV community provides both the manpower and additional funding from the private sector necessary for proper mitigation.

Be honest, professional and polite. Most importantly, be timely. Don't put it off.

For more information and background, see our previous alert on Tellico here: http://www.sharetrails.org/alerts/?alert=958

Should have been there...very interesting new strategy!