Introduction. Background

Transcription

1 Introduction Snow Forest Day Use Recreation Area Project Mountaintop Ranger District, San Bernardino National Forest San Bernardino County, California October 9, 2009 The Mountaintop Ranger District, San Bernardino National Forest, proposes to create a public day use recreation area at the Snow Forest Ski Area site, in the area that was known as Little Siberia. The Snow Forest Day Use Recreation Area Project would provide greater day use recreation opportunities and help reduce illegal recreation use on private lands. It would also provide a parking area for recreationists, which would greatly reduce the number of vehicles that park along the residential streets in the area, as well as the related traffic congestion. The Snow Forest site is located on National Forest System lands ½ mile south of the village area of the City of Big Bear Lake. The legal description is: San Bernardino Base Meridian, Township 2 North, Range 1 East, Section 30. Background Big Bear Lake area is a scenic, high-country landscape with abundant, year-round recreation and wildlife viewing opportunities. Millions of visitors from throughout southern California are drawn annually to this resort area known for its clean air, cool temperatures and mountain beauty. Elevations range from 6,500 feet at the Big Bear Lake Dam up to 9,952 feet in the surrounding mountains. Precipitation averages 22 inches per year; 64 inches occurs as snowfall in the higher elevations. Access is via California State Highways 18, and 38 (Rim of the World Scenic Byway). Visitor use within this area is seasonally heavy, and often concentrates in a few areas. The Snow Forest Ski Resort was originally developed in 1937 by the County Parks Department. Various operators ran the area over the years, but in 1992 the owner filed for bankruptcy and the Special Use Permit for the area expired. Over the years the Forest Service received several inquiries from potential new owners, but in 1993 a decision was made by the Forest Service to no longer maintain the area as a ski resort. During the 1990 s all of the buildings, along with the chairlift and rope tows were removed from the site, at the expense of the Forest Service. In 2006, in a cooperative effort between the Forest Service, Inland Empire Resource Conservation District, and the State Water Resources Control Board, significant restoration and erosion control work was completed on the ski runs that were serviced by the chairlift; no work was performed on the Little Siberia site at that time. The Snow Forest site receives more snow each winter than most areas in Big Bear Valley. As a result, the area is very popular with locals and non-residents for snow play activities. On busy 1

2 winter days there may be several hundred people playing in the snow or watching the activity at this site. Residents of the area complain continually about the traffic, illegal parking and congestion, and the illegal use of private lands in the area. The traffic congestion also creates a major safety issue, as emergency vehicles such as fire and paramedics often cannot get through the area. There are at least four commercial snow play areas (Big Bear Snow Play, Alpine Slide, Snow Valley Ski Resort, and Snowdrift Tubing Area) within a 20 mile range of Snow Forest. However, many individuals and families either cannot, or will not, pay to use these commercial areas. In addition to the problems generated by snow play activity during the winter, Snow Forest and the surrounding National Forest land has become popular for mountain biking and hiking. Numerous user created trails occur in the area. In order to reduce impacts to wildlife and plant habitat, and soils there is a need to eliminate illegal trails, and to develop and maintain a nonmotorized Forest Service System trail. There are sensitive plants and wildlife species within the proposed project area. The proposed project area contains Southern rubber boa and California Spotted-Owl designated habitat and boarders a known Bald Eagle roost site. Also, pebble plain habitat was identified within the project area. Need for the Project There is a need to provide greater day use recreation opportunities on National Forest Service lands in the Snow Forest area. There is a need to reduce the illegal use and trespassing on private lands in the residential area adjacent to the Snow Forest area. There is a need to reduce the illegal parking and traffic congestion that occurs each winter. There is also a need to eliminate or greatly reduce the number of user created biking and hiking trails in the area. The project objectives are to move the project area toward desired conditions described in San Bernardino National Forest Land Management Plan (Forest Plan): Goal 3.1 Provide for Public Use and Natural Resource Protection (Forest Plan 2005, Part 1, pp ). REC 2 Sustainable Use and Environmental Design (Forest Plan 2005, Part 2, pp. 144). Analyze, stabilize and restore areas where visitor use is appreciably affecting recreation experiences, public safety and environmental resources. Mange visitor use within the limits of identified capacities: o Implement recreation capacity control measures in high use and/or concentrated use areas as use levels become a concern. o Conduct threatened, endangered, proposed, candidate, and sensitive species occupancy surveys within potential threatened, endangered, proposed, candidate, and sensitive species recreation conflict areas. 2

3 o Implement Adaptive Mitigation for Recreation Uses in existing and new recreation sites and uses whenever a conflict between uses or sensitive resources is detected. REC 3 Recreation Participation (Forest Plan 2005, Part 2, pp. 144). Offer a wide range of high-quality, environmentally sustainable developed and dispersed recreation opportunities to a rapidly growing and culturally diverse visitor population. Ensure minimal visitor conflicts and effects to other resources: o Develop new, environmentally sustainable recreation opportunities, areas and infrastructure to relieve concentrated demand within existing high-use areas and to accommodate future growth and new uses elsewhere. o Inventory and analyze existing and potential dispersed use, including recreational target shooting, plinking, water-play, snow-play, and camping opportunities. Identify areas where that use is consistent with resource protection and public safety, and mitigate or eliminate problems over time. o Implement adaptive management processes at recreation facilities to proactively respond to persons with disabilities, contemporary urban visitors, aging populations, diverse ethnic groups, and day-use emphasis. LM 1 - Landscape Aesthetics (Forest Plan 2005, Part 2, pp. 146). Manage landscapes and built elements to achieve scenic integrity objectives: o Use best environmental design practices to harmonize changes in the landscape and advance environmentally sustainable design solutions. WAT 1 - Watershed Function (Forest Plan 2005, Part 2, pp. 136). Protect, maintain and restore natural watershed functions including slope processes, surface water and groundwater flow and retention, and riparian area sustainability: o Restore, maintain and improve watershed conditions over the long-term. Assure that approved and funded rehabilitation and emergency watershed treatments are implemented in an effective and timely manner. o Maintain or restore soil properties and productivity to ensure ecosystem health (soil microbiota and vegetation growth), soil hydrologic function, and biological buffering capacity. o Assess and manage geologic resources and hazards to integrate earth science principals and relationships into ecosystem management; reduce risks to people and resources; and interpret and protect unique values. o Maintain watershed integrity by replacing or disposing of displaced soil and rock debris in approved placement sites. To meet the primary purposes of reducing illegal use of private lands and associated traffic congestion in the area south of the community of Big Bear Lake, and to reduce user-created trails on National Forest lands, the Forest Service proposes to develop the Little Siberia area at Snow Forest into a Day Use Recreation Area. The project would include repaving an existing access road, from Cherry Lane, up to the Little Siberia area, and paving a parking area for approximately 50 vehicles, located in a landing area that has been cleared and leveled previously. The existing erosion control V Ditch would be 3

4 relocated to the cut bank side of the road. Limited slope grading would be completed to provide a run out area for safe sledding and tubing. The project would include trash and sanitation facilities, both for the short term and long term. The project may also include construction of a short connector trail to the Pineknot trail and a hiking and mountain bike trail up the main ski run which would tie in to Forest Road 2N08. The City of Big Bear Lake has expressed interest in partnering with the Forest Service to repave the access road and parking area, and to help maintain these during the winter. Mitigation Measures and Design Criteria A wide array of mitigation measures and design criteria would be implemented in order to lessen the environmental effects of this project. These measures and criteria are summarized in this section (some of these have already been mentioned above, but are also summarized here for completeness). Best management practices described in the Forest Plan would be followed to minimize soil erosion. Some slopes may need grading work to make them less steep for better water retention and vegetation growth. When repaving of the existing roadway, the existing V ditch and rip-rap material constructed for erosion control along this road would be reconstructed against the cut-bank. Erosion control measures would be implemented along the cut-bank of the road, around paved areas, in graded areas, and along trails. Fencing would be constructed in order to protect sensitive pebble plain habitat. Interpretive signing would be designed and installed to inform the public of the need to protect this habitat. There may be a need for screening of the area to reduce the visual impact to the general public and adjoining landowners, and to achieve scenic integrity objectives. A combination of natural barriers (rocks, logs, etc.), screening, fencing, etc. may be used to prevent/discourage illegal activities and mitigate disturbances. Trailhead signing would be designed and installed, which would direct hikers and mountain bikers to the trail up the main ski run, and to the Pineknot connector trail. Picnic tables, trash and sanitation facilities would be provided for public use. Forest Service staff would monitor the area, and if/when problems arise remedial and preventative actions would be taken as appropriate. Public education and signing would be used as appropriate. In addition to the treatments described above, additional mitigation measures or design criteria would assure that resources are protected as defined in the Forest Plan, including threatened, endangered, and sensitive plants and wildlife and heritage resources. These additional measures and criteria will be defined based on further environmental analyses. Decision to be Made The decision to be made is whether to implement this project as proposed, modify the project to address any unresolved conflicts, or to not implement this project at all. This proposed project 4

5 would be consistent with the San Bernardino National Forest Land Management Plan and Record of Decision. Public concerns and comments regarding this proposed action are important. If significant issues (as defined in the National Environmental Policy Act) are identified, they will be used to develop alternatives for analysis. All public comments will be taken into consideration prior to issuing an environmental assessment and final decision. The preference for receiving comments is by . Please send comments to: by November 13 th, 2009 with the words Snow Forest Day Use Recreation Area Project in the subject line. If you are unable to send comments electronically, you may send them to the following address: Snow Forest Day Use Recreation Area Project Attn: Paul Bennett Mountaintop Ranger District Big Bear Office P.O. Box 290 Fawnskin, CA If you have questions about this proposal, please write or call Forest NEPA Planner Tom Hall: 602 S. Tippecanoe, San Bernardino, CA 92408, phone: (909) , 5