Proposed Action for Motorized Travel Management on the North Kaibab Ranger District

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Proposed Action for Motorized Travel Management on the North Kaibab Ranger District"

Christian Simpson
6 years ago
Views:

1 United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Proposed Action for Motorized Travel Management on the North Kaibab Ranger District Kaibab National Forest March 2010

2 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) (voice). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C , or call (800) (voice). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. ii

3 Background On November 9, 2005, the Forest Service published final travel management regulations governing off-highway vehicles (OHVs) and other terrestrial motorized vehicles on National Forest System (NFS) lands. The new regulations amended part 212, subpart B of part 251, subpart A of part 261, and removed part 295 of Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). These three regulations are referred to collectively as the Travel Management Rule. The Travel Management Rule (TMR) was developed in response to the substantial increase in use of OHVs on NFS lands and subsequent impacts to forest resources caused by unmanaged OHV use over the past 30 years. The regulations implement Executive Order (E.O.) 11644, Use of Off-road Vehicles on the Public Lands (1977), and E.O , which amended E.O (1977). The purpose of the TMR (36 CFR ) is to: Provide for a system of National Forest System roads, National Forest System trails, and areas on National Forest System lands that are designated for motor vehicle use. After these roads, trails, and areas are designated, motor vehicle use including the class of vehicle and time of year, not in accordance with these designations is prohibited by 36 CFR Motor vehicle use off designated roads and trails and outside designated areas, is prohibited by 36 CFR Regarding the designation of roads, trails and areas (36 CFR ), the TMR specifies: (a) General: Motor vehicle use on National Forest System roads, on National Forest System trails, and in areas on National Forest System lands shall be designated by vehicle class and, if appropriate, by time of year by the responsible official on administrative units or Ranger Districts of the National Forest System, provided that the following vehicles and uses are exempted from these designations: (1) Aircraft; (2) Watercraft; (3) Over-snow vehicles (see section ); (4) Limited administrative use by the Forest Service; (5) Use of any fire, military, emergency, or law enforcement vehicle for emergency purposes; (6) Authorized use of any combat or combat support vehicle for national defense purposes; (7) Law enforcement responsible to violations of law, including pursuit; and (8) Motor vehicle use that is specifically authorized under written authorization issued under Federal law or regulations. (b) Motor vehicle use for dispersed camping or big game retrieval. In designated routes, the responsible official may include in the designation the limited use of motor vehicles within a specified distance of certain designated routes, and if appropriate within specified time periods, solely for the purposes of dispersed camping or retrieval of a downed big game animal by an individual who has legally taken that animal. The following definitions come from the Travel Management Rule, 36 CFR Part A road is a motor vehicle route over 50 inches wide, unless identified and managed as a trail. A trail is defined as a route 50 inches or less in width, or a route over 50 inches in width that is identified and managed as a trail. A forest road or trail means a road or trail wholly or partly within, or adjacent to, and serving the National Forest System that the Forest Service determines is necessary for the 1

4 protection, administration, and utilization of National Forest System land and use and development of its resources. An unauthorized road or trail is a road or trail that is not a forest road or trail or a temporary road or trail and that is not included in a forest transportation atlas. An area is a discrete, specifically delineated space that is smaller, and in most cases much smaller, than a ranger district. Project Location The North Kaibab Ranger District (NKRD) of the Kaibab National Forest (KNF) is located in northern Arizona. As shown in Figure 1, the district is comprised of approximately 648,000 acres of NFS lands, including Geographic Areas 3, 11, 12, 13, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22. Figure 1. North Kaibab Ranger District. Existing Conditions Existing and Desired Conditions The NKRD transportation system serves a variety of administrative purposes and provides public access to the District. Fire management, timber harvesting, livestock grazing, law enforcement, facilities management, and access to recreation areas and trails are all important activities that 2

5 depend on the district transportation system. Presently, there are 1,876 miles of National Forest System roads on the NKRD that are open to public travel. Of these 1,876 miles, 1,706 are managed for high clearance vehicles (these are labeled Maintenance Level 2 roads). The remaining 170 miles are managed for travel by prudent drivers in standard passenger cars (these are labeled Maintenance Level 3). The NKRD has an additional 1,511 miles of Maintenance Level 1 roads, which are closed to motorized use. Motorized cross country travel is allowed on most of the NKRD. Exceptions to this include Saddle Mountain and Kanab Creek Wildernesses, which make up a combined 108,950 acres of Congressionally-designated wilderness. Motorized travel is prohibited in these wildernesses. There are 5,259 additional acres included in off-road vehicle area closures (see Table 1). Offroad vehicle area closures are in effect for the Arizona National Scenic Trail and Rainbow Rim Trail corridors, as well as in developed and proposed recreation sites. Table 1. Off-road vehicle area closures (Forest Service 2008). Geographic Area Name of Closure Acres Reason for Restriction Restricted Vehicle Type 11 14, 15 Kanab Creek Wilderness Warm Springs Canyon 68,340 Wilderness All 909 Sensitive soil All except snow 14,18 Moquitch Canyon 1,673 Sensitive soil All except snow 15 DeMotte Park 886 Sensitive soil and vegetation All except snow 15 Pleasant Valley Park 1,246 Sensitive soil and vegetation All except snow 15, 17 Upper Tater Canyon 400 Sensitive soil and vegetation All 19 Saddle Mountain Wilderness 40,610 Wilderness All 20 Franks Lake 145 Wetland All Several routes on the NKRD pose concerns for resource management and administrative access on the district. These are identified in the NKRD s Travel Analysis Process report, which was issued in January, Among these routes are both system roads and unauthorized routes. Some of these are poorly located, provide no apparent access to forest attributes, or contribute to natural or cultural resource impacts by virtue of their locations. In other cases, several routes provide access to the same area, and/or have the potential to create conflicts among recreational users. 3

6 There are no specifically designed motorized trails for vehicles 50 inches wide or narrower on the NKRD. Motorized mixed use, where both highway legal and non-highway legal vehicles share access to system roads, is predominant on the district. Motorized recreation on the NKRD has increased in recent years, following national trends. Though far from any major population center, the district s proximity to Grand Canyon National Park s North Rim, including several viewpoints into the canyon, make it a popular destination. Common activities on the district include hunting, car camping, mountain biking, hiking, sightseeing, wildlife viewing, fuel wood gathering, and driving for pleasure. In many cases, OHV use is not a primary reason for visiting the NKRD among visitors. However, many of the most popular activities on the district (e.g., hunting and car camping) have a motorized component to them. Opportunities for dispersed camping exist across the NKRD. Sometimes people park at trailheads or roadside locations and hike to their camping spots. Others will drive cross-country to their camping spot, often with a recreational vehicle or camping trailer. Frequently used dispersed campsites, where evidence of past use exists, are located along both NFS and unauthorized roads throughout the forest. Some dispersed campsites have a short spur road leading to them. Motorized cross country travel for the retrieval of downed animals by hunters is common on the NKRD. For the purposes of motorized off-road game retrieval, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) defines big game to include bear, bison, elk, and mule deer. The NKRD contains game units 12A East and West as delineated by the AZGFD. Based on recent harvest data (AZGFD, 2008), there were an average of 484 big game animals taken each year during the hunting seasons (7 bison, 0 elk, and 477 mule deer there are no bear hunts in game unit 12A). This represents the maximum number of big game animals that could have been legally retrieved using a motorized vehicle traveling off-road during that season. It is more likely, however, that the actual number of big game animals retrieved by motorized vehicle was fewer because some are retrieved via non-motorized methods. The number of hunting licenses issued and number of animals harvested also varies year to year due to a number of factors such as animal populations, weather, and game management objectives. Several local tribes and communities have relied on the Kaibab Plateau to provide forest products for centuries. Principal among these is fuel wood, which continues to be vital to communities across northern Arizona and southern Utah. In addition, the NKRD supplies other forest products such as ceremonial wood and piñon nuts in smaller quantities. The soils on the Kaibab Plateau generally have a limestone base, and are comparatively stable. However, these soils are susceptible to compaction and rutting from motorized use. Depending on location and vegetation conditions, these soils can also be subject to erosion damage as well. There has been human occupation of the Kaibab Plateau for thousands of years. Roads and associated cross-country motorized travel are impacting some archaeological sites. Archaeological resources are negatively impacted both by motor vehicle use and by the location of some system roads. Cross-county travel affects these resources by disturbing surface and subsurface archaeological materials. Disturbance of archaeological contexts impacts the 4

7 preservation of artifacts and limits the ability of archaeologists to learn about the past from these disturbed sites. Additionally, roads that access archaeological sites can facilitate looting activities (e.g., theft of artifacts) and vandalism. Motorized vehicle use on the NKRD has caused disturbance to and/or displacement of wildlife, habitat fragmentation, habitat loss, reduction of habitat productivity, and in some cases, mortality. Motorized vehicle use, particularly cross-country motorized use, also facilitates the spread of invasive plants and puts vegetative diversity at risk. Ecosystem function can be dramatically altered by the introduction and spread of invasive species. Desired Conditions Through this project, the NKRD has a desired condition of a designated motorized transportation system that complies with the Travel Management Rule. This designated system reflects the following considerations: The transportation system provides access to important and popular destinations for forest visitors. Any open roads, trails, or areas are located on the landscape such that they minimize impacts to natural and cultural resources. Through coordination with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the designated system provides reasonable and accepted access for hunting-related activities on the NKRD while minimizing habitat disturbance. Motorized dispersed camping is located in areas that provide reasonable access to appropriate opportunities while minimizing resource impacts associated with these activities. Purpose and Need for Change The purpose of this action is to improve the management of motorized vehicle use on National Forest System lands on the North Kaibab Ranger District (NKRD) of the Kaibab National Forest (KNF) in accordance with the Travel Management Rule (36 CFR 212, 251 and 261). The action is needed to: Amend the KNF Plan to prohibit motor vehicle use off the designated system of roads, trails, and areas on the district, except as displayed on the MVUM. Reduce adverse resource impacts caused by roads and motorized cross country travel in order to maintain and restore the health of ecosystems and watersheds. Specify the class(es) of vehicle allowed on portions of the designated road system. Provide explicit guidelines for motorized dispersed camping and motorized retrieval of legally taken big game animals. 5

8 Proposed Action The NKRD proposes the following in order to meet the Purpose and Need for Change outlined above: Amend the KNF Forest Plan to prohibit motorized travel off of designated routes on the district, except as identified on the MVUM. Close 380 miles of system roads to all motorized use. Add 26 miles of unauthorized routes to the system as roads. Designate corridors on all system roads, 1 mile off either side, to allow motorized crosscountry travel in order to retrieve a legally harvested elk or bison during any hunting season. Designate corridors of 300 feet from either side of 101 miles of specified roads for the sole purpose of motorized dispersed camping (see Table 2). Designate corridors of 100 feet from either side of 104 miles of specified roads for the sole purpose of motorized dispersed camping (See Table 2). Table 2. Roads with proposed dispersed camping corridors. Roads with Proposed 300 ft. Dispersed Camping Corridors Roads with Proposed 100 ft. Dispersed Camping Corridors 200F A 225F T F 252B E 257G A 258B 258C 258K C D F B 418P 422P 461G 461H D C 640H 641U K B B A H A 272C A 274B 274C 274D 274E 274F A 425B 429F A A Maps that include specific locations of changes proposed above are available at or by contacting the project leader at the number listed below. Public Involvement Using the existing system of roads on the district as a starting point, the NKRD conducted a series of meetings to gain insight into the process for implementing the Travel Management Rule. Some of these meetings were hosted by other agencies or organizations (e.g., OHV clubs, environmental organizations, and/or other governmental entities), and the district held a public meeting in Kanab, UT as well. In these sessions, we solicited information and opinions regarding both the implementation of the Travel Management Rule and site-specific comments. 6

9 The information gained from these formal and informal meetings and discussions played a key role in developing and shaping the Proposed Action on the district. An interdisciplinary team comprised of NKRD resource specialists performed a Travel Analysis Process (TAP) to evaluate current motorized travel system and conditions and determine needs for change. The TAP identified the amount and types of uses occurring on the district, evaluated the current route system adequacy to accommodate volume and types of uses, reviewed each route for concerns for resources and public safety and benefits to access and motorized recreation. Public input was incorporated in the development of the TAP and was utilized to help identify the minimum road system needed for safe and efficient travel and for administration, utilization, and protection of the North Kaibab Ranger District. The district identified changes to the system of motorized routes; those are presented here as the proposed action. With this proposed action, the NKRD will begin scoping. The NKRD will hold additional meetings with tribes, organizations, agencies, local governments, and the public to explain the process used to develop this proposal and gather public comment to identify issues and develop any alternatives to the proposed action. Decisions to be Made As the Proposed Action includes a Forest Plan Amendment, the Responsible Official for this project is the Forest Supervisor. Based on the purpose and need for action, the findings of this analysis and the consideration of the best available science, the Forest Supervisor will decide: Whether to change use on some system roads to administrative use only; Whether to add unauthorized routes to the system as roads and/or motorized trails; Whether and how far motorized travel off designated routes for dispersed camping will be included in the motorized travel system designations; Whether and how far motorized travel off designated routes for big game retrieval will be included in the motorized travel system designations; and What mitigation and/or monitoring measures would be implemented as part of the selected alternative. For Additional Information For more information on this proposal, contact Kevin Larkin, Recreation, Lands, and Wilderness Staff Officer, at (928) , by at klarkin@fs.fed.us. Additional information about this project, including maps, can be found at: 7

Appendix A: Travel Management Rule

Final Environmental Impact Statement Appendix A: Travel Management Rule PART 212 TRAVEL MANAGEMENT 1. Amend part 212 by revising the part heading to read as set forth above. 1a. Remove the authority citation