« COMMENTARY - THE JOYS OF HOLIDAY FAMILY TRAVELS | Main | Biodiesel From Algae »
Pike-San Isabel National Forest Plan
February 2, 2007 4:20 PM
2-1-07
HOST LEAD: Time now for local news on KRCC.
The Forest Service got more than it bargained for last night. It asked the public to come to a meeting to talk about the new master plan for the Pike National Forest, and then had to turn people away. The hall they rented filled up and there wasnt enough parking. KRCC News Director Eric Whitney managed to get in and has this report.
WHITNEY: At least 50 cars were turned away from the snowy La Foret Conference Center in Black Forest last night. Forest officials apologized and promised another meeting in the Springs soon to get more input on the Forest Plan theyre writing for the Pike-San Isabel National Forest. The plan is supposed to guide management of the 1.1 million acre forest for the next 10-15 years.
WHITNEY: The more than 200 people who managed to get into the conference center were assigned numbers, and then told to go sit at a table matching that number. The idea being to put people with differing ideas and goals for the forest together, and get them talking. Larry Hillard of Colorado Springs had a list of things he wants the forest to prioritize.
HILLARD: things like maximizing public access for bicycles, equestrian, generally for all the users.
WHITNEY: Hilliard says he wants his voice to be heard, although hes unsure how much good it will do.
HILLIARD: Its a habit of these kinds of forums to kind of try to exclude people, so I try to work the other side of that and include as many users as we can.
WHITNEY: Before everyone started talking, Forest Service officials explained the overall process for writing the new forest plan, which they said should take about a year and a half. They also explained that theyre using a new process, one thats designed to be more streamlined and efficient than the way Forest Plans were written in the past. Hilliard says hes taking a wait and see approach on the new process.
HILLIARD: I think the number of cycles one pass through well see how it works, ha ha.
WHITNEY: A major change in the new planning process is that Forest Service planners no longer have to write Environmental Impact Statements for Forest Plans. Environmental groups are already suing over that, saying the lengthy documents and the detailed analysis that fill them are fundamental to projects as comprehensive as Forest Plans. But Vince Mautino, also at the meeting to give his input, says skipping Environmental Impact statements might not be such a bad idea.
VINCE: theres a very good poem by Baxter Black in the outhouse.
WHITNEY: Forest Planners still have several months to decide whether to write an Environmental Impact Statement for the Pike Forest Plan. Mautino says hes never seen one that has done much good, but he still thinks forest planners will end up writing one.
VINCE: I think its wishful thinking if they think they can put major changes without doing that?
WHITNEY: Mautino thinks the forest will end up being sued if they try to write their plan without an Environmental Impact Statement, and a lawyer for the environmental group Earthjustice has said as much. But he also says the group is likely to sue even if a statement is written. Environmentalists are critical of other aspects of the new planning rules, too.
At the same time, the same environmental groups are telling the public to stay involved in the forest planning process. Sarah Tracey, from Monument, says shes not too familiar with all the ins and outs of writing forest plans, but that she thinks its important to express her opinions, even if the final plan isnt something shell be totally happy with.
TRACEY: I dont think its about being happy, I dont know if all our needs of what the people want.
WHITNEY: Forest officials havent yet set a date for the second public input session theyve promised for Colorado Springs. The next scheduled meeting Februay14th in Westcliffe. Theres one the following night in Pueblo. The final scheduled meeting is set for Fairplay on February 22nd. Then this spring Forest Planners say theyll issue reports on what they heard at all the public input sessions, and start working on a so-called need for change document, spelling out what people want to see changed on the Pike-San Isabel, and what theyd like to stay the same.
With local news on KRCC, Im Eric Whitney.
1-29-07
WHITNEY: An attorney for a national environmental group says the Pike San Isabel National Forest can expect a lawsuit if it uses the loosest rules available to write its new forest plan.
Trent Orr, a lawyer with Earthjustice in Oakland, California says his group is already suing Forest Service headquarters of new planning rules approved in 2005. Under those new rules, individual forests like the Pike no longer have to write Environmental Impact Statements when they create forest plans, the overarching vision documents that guide forest uses for the next 15 years.
He says leaders on the Pike could be among the first to try and write a plan without the statement.
ORR: thats a very hot topic with the environmental community. Were all watching to see who does that where, and probably the first forest will find itself a test case for whether that will hold up in court.
WHITNEY: Pike officials are asking for public input on the plan tomorrow (Tue, 1.30.07) night in Lakewood. Theyre calling it a workshop for forest users to suggest what should and shouldnt change on the forest, and are hoping to have a final forest plan written in about 18 months.
Click Below to listen to the story as it was aired on KRCC
[ LISTEN ]
1-28-07
WHITNEY: Two weeks ago, the Pike-San Isabel National Forest launched its process for writing a new forest plan. Thats the overarching vision document that will guide what will and wont happen on the entire
forest for the next 10-15 years.
This Tuesday, the Forest Service is asking the public to come to workshops to help write the plan in Denver. A similar workshop is scheduled for Wednesday in Black Forest.
Last week we talked a member of the Colorado Off Highway Vehicle Coalition. He said there need to be more motorized trails on the Pike San Isabel National Forest.
BAUER: It really seems to be healthier for the forest if theyll set up some good designated areas.
Carl Bauer, a member of the Colorado Off Highway Vehicle coalition, owns the Liars Lodge bed and breakfast in Buena Vista. Last week Bauer went to the first two meetings in a series in which the U.S. Forest Service is asking for public input, they were held in Leadville and Salida.
BAUER: what weve learned over the years is when they shouldnt be doing.
WHITNEY: Last week's meetings in Leadville and Buena Vista drew close to 300 participants.
WHITNEY: More on re-writing the Pike San Isabel National Forest Plan in a moment.
WHITNEY: Every year millions of people visit the Pike San Isabel National Forest, which stretches up, down and across the Front Range from Trinidad to just south of Denver.
The master plan for the Pike San Isabel has not been re-written since 1984. But a re-write has just begun, with public input sessions happening last Thursday and Friday in Leadville and Salida.
The goal is to write a better plan, faster than the way things used to be done. 28
MASINTON: And its really grounded in the concept of adaptive mgmt.
WHITNEY: Thats Barb Masinton, the team leader for the Forest Plan revision. She says the old rules were written in an era that emphasized commodity extraction from forests, like how much timber could be brought out. The new rule, she says, is different.
MASINTON: Were going to be dealing more with outcomes under this new planning rule. In other words, social or economic type attributes as well.
WHITNEY: But the new rule is also controversial. It calls for far less analysis than the old rule, which required forest planners to abide by the National Environmental Policy Act. That meant a long and involved process that resulted in a formal Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS. No EIS is required under the new rule. Thats brought a lawsuit at the national level from the environmental group Earthjustice, and healthy doses of skepticism from other forest watchdogs.
MASINTON: and then another significant change is, under the 82 planning rule, people were allowed to appeal a decision that was made, and under the 2005 planning rule what comes out in the final plan.
WHITNEY: Forest plans in the past could be appealed by anyone, and often were. That was part of the reason that it often took five years or more to write a plan that supposed to remain in effect for the next 15 years. People on both sides of the political spectrum criticized the old process as being slow and cumbersome, but where industry groups and the Bush administration are embracing the new forest planning rules, Democrats and environmental groups are asking for more process.
The new chairman of the U.S. House Resources Committee, Democrat Nick Rahall of West Virginia, says that the Forest Service is slashing forest laws with a chainsaw under the new rules, when it should be using a whittling knife.
The Pike San Isabel will be one of the first forests in the country to write its plan under the new rules. Whether its process will stand up to legal appeals remains to be seen. Meanwhile, planners are going ahead and gathering the publics opinion of the big issues that need attention on the forest.
FIBIDEAUX: I guess I would maybe summarize four that I heard consistently.
WHITNEY: Thats Ron Fibideaux, from the Pike San Isabels planning office. He went to both the public input sessions held so far, which drew close to 300 people. He says people are worried about forest health, specifically fire danger due to drought and excess fuel loading from a century of almost total wildfire suppression. People want the forest service to do more about pine beetle infestations, too.
FIBIDEAUX: I think I also heard universally, the importance of access to the Pike San Isabel National Forest. And this involved motorized, non-motorized trails, inside and outside of wilderness importance of access was stated.
WHITNEY: Fibideaux also said people want more active management of recreation on the Pike San Isabel, theyre reporting that the growth in the number of people using the forest over the years is resulting in degraded experiences for forest users.
FIBIDEAUX: There was a real feeling that many of the impacts were seeing to the land, vandalism, illegal off road travel and do the right thing when theyre out in the woods.
WHITNEY: The next public input sessions on the master plan for the Pike San Isabel National Forest will be January 30th in Denver and January 31st in Black Forest. In February, there will be meetings in Pueblo and Fairplay. Check the Pike San Isabels web page for the best information on times and locations for those meetings.
[ LISTEN ]
1-23-07
HOST LEAD: Time now for local news on KRCC. Heres News director Eric Whitney.
WHITNEY: Thanks, Charlotte.
Every year millions of people visit the Pike San Isabel National Forest, which stretches up, down and across the Front Range from Trinidad to just south of Denver.
The master plan for the Pike San Isabel has not been re-written since 1984. But a re-write has just begun, with public input sessions happening last Thursday and Friday in Leadville and Salida.
The goal is to write a better plan, faster than the way things used to be done. 28
MASINTON: And its really grounded in the concept of adaptive mgmt.
WHITNEY: Thats Barb Masinton, the team leader for the Forest Plan revision. She says the old rules were written in an era that emphasized commodity extraction from forests, like how much timber could be brought out. The new rule, she says, is different.
MASINTON: Were going to be dealing more with outcomes under this new planning rule. In other words, social or economic type attributes as well.
WHITNEY: But the new rule is also controversial. It calls for far less analysis than the old rule, which required forest planners to abide by the National Environmental Policy Act. That meant a long and involved process that resulted in a formal Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS. No EIS is required under the new rule. Thats brought a lawsuit at the national level from the environmental group Earthjustice, and healthy doses of skepticism from other forest watchdogs.
MASINTON: and then another significant change is, under the 82 planning rule, people were allowed to appeal a decision that was made, and under the 2005 planning rule what comes out in the final plan.
WHITNEY: Forest plans in the past could be appealed by anyone, and often were. That was part of the reason that it often took five years or more to write a plan that supposed to remain in effect for the next 15 years. People on both sides of the political spectrum criticized the old process as being slow and cumbersome, but where industry groups and the Bush administration are embracing the new forest planning rules, Democrats and environmental groups are asking for more process.
The new chairman of the U.S. House Resources Committee, Democrat Nick Rahall of West Virginia, says that the Forest Service is slashing forest laws with a chainsaw under the new rules, when it should be using a whittling knife.
The Pike San Isabel will be one of the first forests in the country to write its plan under the new rules. Whether its process will stand up to legal appeals remains to be seen. Meanwhile, planners are going ahead and gathering the publics opinion of the big issues that need attention on the forest.
FIBIDEAUX: I guess I would maybe summarize four that I heard consistently. 05
WHITNEY: Thats Ron Fibideaux, from the Pike San Isabels planning office. He went to both the public input sessions held so far, which drew close to 300 people. He says people are worried about forest health, specifically fire danger due to drought and excess fuel loading from a century of almost total wildfire suppression. People want the forest service to do more about pine beetle infestations, too.
FIBIDEAUX: I think I also heard universally, the importance of access to the Pike San Isabel National Forest. And this involved motorized, non-motorized trails, inside and outside of wilderness importance of access was stated.
WHITNEY: Fibideaux also said people want more active management of recreation on the Pike San Isabel, theyre reporting that the growth in the number of people using the forest over the years is resulting in degraded experiences for forest users.
FIBIDEAUX: There was a real feeling that many of the impacts were seeing to the land, vandalism, illegal off road travel and do the right thing when theyre out in the woods.
WHITNEY: The next public input sessions on the master plan for the Pike San Isabel National Forest will be January 30th in Denver and January 31st in Colorado Springs. In February, there will be meetings in Pueblo and Fairplay. Check the Pike San Isabels web page for the best information on times and locations for those meetings.
With local news on KRCC, I'm Eric Whitney.
[ LISTEN ]
1-22-07
WHITNEY: Thanks, Charlotte.
The Colorado Off Highway Vehicle Coalition says there need to be more motorized trails on the Pike San Isabel National Forest.
BAUER: It really seems to be healthier for the forest if theyll set up some good designated areas.
WHITNEY: Carl Bauer is a member of the coalition. He owns the Liars Lodge bed and breakfast in Buena Vista. Last week Bauer went to the first two meetings in a series in which the U.S. Forest Service is asking for public input as it re-writes its master plan for the forest for the next 10 years. 14
BAUER: what weve learned over the years is when they shouldnt be doing. 20
WHITNEY: Last weeks meetings in Leadville and Buena Vista drew close to 300 participants. Two more are scheduled for Denver and Colorado Springs on the 30th and 31st of this month. Well hear more from Bauer tonight at 6:30. 11
[ LISTEN ]
HOST LEAD: Time now for local news on KRCC. Heres News Director Eric Whitney.
WHITNEY: Thanks Charlotte.
Sharing public lands isnt always easy, especially along the Front Range, where booming population growth has put increased pressure on the Pike San Isabel National Forest. The master plan for that forest is being re-written for the first time in 23 years, public meetings started last week.
So far, competing interest groups say theyre willing to share the forest. Last week an environmental advocate told KRCC that the plan they wrote for the forest is sensitive to all users.
Buena Vista resident Carl Bauer represents the Colorado Off Highway Vehicle Coaltion. He says his group is encouraging its members to participate in the forest plan re-write, but not if theyre going to be stubborn.
BAUER: Participate if you plan to cooperate hold up the process, you know?
WHITNEY: Bauer says the off-highway vehicle coalition wants more places opened up to motorized use on the Pike-San Isabel, but recognizes that other forest users have rights to get away from them, too.
Meetings to take public input on the Pike San Isabel Forest plan are being held through February. The Pike National Forest Website is the best place to go to get the most current information when and where. Tomorrow, well hear from forest planners.
[ LISTEN ]
Posted by Matthias Barker on February 2, 2007 4:20 PM | Permalink
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.krcc.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/5
