Local News Comments

why use a grant when there was 35 million in ohv funds in that hidden account???? Plus they will use the money to block and stop off roading not help it so please dont help them waste more money.

To prevent further trail closures, people need to speak up. Be vocal, and make it known that we want more trails opened. Of course, there will be those who would like to see less trails, so maybe the compromise will be to maintain the same number.

Continuing maintenance on the water bars that prevent erosion on the trails is all that is really needed. High fines for meadow destruction should keep that in check. I do like the idea of educational signs, though. It would be fun to read about the old cabins and things that we see while riding around the forest.

Shiner is right. I like how barriers (i.e. gates) are on the bottom of the list but the first thing to go up. Forest roads are in terrible shape. Fire fuels are catastrophic. These state allocated funds disappeared when the forest really needed them. In my opinion The USFS should be making decisions based on our input so speak up. If someone could establish an OHV program similar to LaGrange in Stanislaus county, It would keep most of the Yeah-hoo's who tear things up out of the forest. Next time you see a Forest service employee ask them where they are from.

Yeah right i will help the Forest Service. They have been nothing but a nightmare for all of us who have abided by the law all of these years and they STILL close stuff down all the time. All it does is help them out to close more riding areas and do more "winter closures". What a joke. If the OHV funds were actually used they could open new legit trails and stop the illegal activity. What a crazy concept huh. Actually use the money that it was intended for.

@shiner The money in that account will be locked up for years before it becomes available.

And not commenting is the WORST thing you can do in regards to keeping the forest open. It is important for those of us that spend a lot of time in the forest and care about it to speak up in an effort to prevent it from being closed down. And its not that the government wants it shut down (Although there are those in the government that do), its organizations like the Sierra Club that would love it if the forest became 100% outlawed to the public.

If you care about the forest, and care about it staying open to the public, then read the linked proposal, and offer some well written comments. It helps a lot when the public speaks out, rather than stays quiet.

Our public land is off limit unless the people with the keys unlock the gates. Good luck calling the TriDam phone number to see if the gate to Beardsley lake is open. Even when a person is told the gate is open it's not. Try to go New Melones and find a camp site on the lake at Tuttletown or Gloryhole before April. Not going to happen because the gates are locked. Maybe when the people with the keys try to go to heaven the gate is locked.

High fines for meadow destruction? How can they do this when they allow cattle to destroy the meadows with their gazing program.

Just because they have money, doesn'r mean they need to spend it all. We are short funds, yet the government see's money and thinks SPEND. No wonder we have problems

Hi there- a few points from a different perspective.

1. Winter closures help keep the trail from becoming subjected to excessive erosion from wet muddy conditions, and thus keep those routes from closing down.

2. The routes that have been closed are ones that people created on their own, illegally. Additionally, there are many routes that were created illegally that have been made legal, and the Forest Service is actually maintaining those.

3. If people stuck to authorized trails instead of creating their own, this wouldn't be an issue. Every user group should advocate for responsible use of our shared public lands. I know there are OHV-ers out there that do respect the regulations, and it would be great to see more stewardship from those people.

4. If you care, get involved!

I live in the national forest. I know for a fact usfs has no interest in the environment. I placed a call to usfs in November 2011 because I saw where a bunch of new garbage had been dumped. The usfs came out to the site where the dumped trash was located. Three different vehicles were there all were looking at the trash, and writing things down. As of today the trash is still there.
The usfs may be asking for input, but it's all a big show. These people are only interested in locking up the woods period.

I bet they do.