PSA - Hone Skills/Learn about CA OHV Program - Attend Feb. 26 OHV Commission Meeting

 

CHALLENGE, CHAMPION, HONE SKILLS - ATTEND FEB. 26, 2021 

OHV COMMISSION MEETING

 

For OHVers and others who want to learn more about the CA OHV Program, you may want to attend the virtual meeting of the CA Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission on February 26, 2021 at 8:30 a.m.

 

LINK AND SCROLL TO FEB.  26 OHMVR COMMISSION MEETING, AGENDA, AND SIGN UP

https://ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=27160

 

These public hearings are also a great opportunity for OHV club representatives to hone their political skills, enhance their understanding of key issues, meet/see Park leadership, observe actions taken by the OHV commissioners, hear federal land agency reports, budgets, and share their concerns about important recreation challenges – such as Park Transformation/Pathforward 2026, Permitted Events, and Oceano Dunes - during the public comment periods.

 

Members of the public and organizational representatives are encouraged to give testimony during the comment period for each agenda item.   These comments should be related to the specific agenda item.

 

There will also be a general public comment period where attendees are encouraged to offer testimony on subjects not on the agenda.

 

OHV continues to face challenges on many fronts and your participation can make a difference.  However, there are also opportunities that enhance managed OHV recreation.  Get engaged and join with fellow recreation advocates to challenge poor agency decisions and champion good decisions and policy.

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SHAPE THE FUTURE OF OHV IN CA - ATTEND COMMISSION MEETING ON DEC. 3

 

SHAPE YOUR FUTURE - ATTEND OHV COMMISSION MEETING

 

The Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission will hold a virtual meeting on Thursday December 3, 2020.  It is important for OHV club leaders, advocates, consultants, volunteers, and other stakeholders who support the CA OHV Program to attend this meeting to voice concerns and/or offer solutions to many of the items on the agenda.  Your input on critical topics such as the Park Transformation process (Path Forward 2026), access to lands at SVRAs that are currently closed to OHV use at Carnegie, Oceano, etc., management of SVRAs including event permitting, Park communications, outreach, collaboration, planning efforts such as the PWP, and other issues will help shape the future of the CA OHV Program.

 

The links below provide information on how to sign up for the meeting and various agenda items.

 

SIGN UP/REGISTER FOR MEETING

 http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/pages/1140/files/01-Notice_OHMVR-Commission-120320.pdf

MEETING AGENDA

http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/pages/1140/files/02-Agenda-OHMVR-Commission-120320.pdf

 

PATH FORWARD 2026 (Transformation Process)

http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/pages/1140/files/07-Staff%20Report-Path%20Forward%20120320.pdf

 

COVID restrictions, wildfires, and political unrest continues to make this a very challenging year for both OHV recreationists and land agency staff that access or manage sustainable OHV recreation on local, state, and federal lands.

 

However difficult things have been, life goes on and so does the need for the public and OHV commission to hold government officials responsible for their actions or inactions.  See just a few of the questions that need answers at this commission meeting.

 

Question 1 - Will there be an update from Parks or the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District to the August 2020 letter from the OHV Commission about the District forcing the OHV Trust Fund to spend over $16M dollars on dust mitigation measures and removing 48 acres from the riding and camping area at Oceano Dunes SVRA using a process that is out of step with tenets outlined in the May 18, 2018 Stipulated Order of Abatement?

 

LINK TO LETTER FROM OHV COMMISSION TO THE APCD

http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/pages/1140/files/Commission%20Letter%20APCD%20August%206,%202020.pdf

 

Question 2 - Will the PWP be able to show it how it benefits OHV recreation?  So far the PWP has not included plans to address much needed dune access, camping,  and staging for OHVs on the sound end of the project area?

 

Question 3 – Will Parks have a response to the 2019 Petition filed by the Oceano Dunes Access Alliance requesting that it withdraws from the Stipulated Order of Abatement?  So far, there has not even been an acknowledgement by Parks they received that petition?

 

Question 4 – What has Parks and Transformation done to streamline and improve the event permitting process at SVRAs?

 

Question 5 – What is Parks doing to address the SVRA’s need for on-site Park Superintendents to make management decisions in real-time instead of being supervised by off-site Park leaders who may not have the expertise or time to devote to SVRA specific needs since they are now tasked with managing “Districts” which may include 23 park units?

 

Thanks for taking time to review this alert and I hope to see you at the OHV commission meeting on December 3.

Collaborative Effort Promotes Responsible OHV Recreation and Minimizes Resource Impacts

2011 Post Subpart B Trail Recon with FS

and Local OHV Club

QWR has long believed that partnerships and collaborative efforts are key elements in any 21^st Century OHV recreation program.  In many rural areas where federal land-based timber or other resource industry activities have ceased to exist, recreation tourism can help bring economic benefit to the region.

A good example of where OHV tourism may fill that role is in Trinity County, California.  Several decades ago, this NW region of the Golden State had a robust timber economy.  However, due to growing environmental regulations and other factors, the federal timber program ground to a halt and so did the local economy.  The lumber mills were closed and people lost their jobs.

QWR is proud of the recent collaborative effort between The Watershed Center, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, and the California State Park Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division’s Grant Program to promote sustainable OHV recreation on public lands in Trinity County.

Remember to Share the Road

Shasta-Trinity NF

According to the Center, the Trinity OHV Project is part of an ongoing effort to promote OHV recreation in Trinity County while facilitating sustainable OHV trail use through community engagement, the promotion of legal riding, and long-term planning that minimizes the damage to the environment.

Historic FS Fire Camp Cabin

Shasta-Trinity NF

The Center also states, by providing user-friendly information that showcases legal routes and offers information about environmentally sensitive areas, we are working to serve the dual goals of minimizing environmental damage while promoting OHV recreation in Trinity County.

QWR credits the Shasta-Trinity National Forest of laying much of the groundwork for this effort by fulfilling its commitment to the OHV community to engage in post subpart B project-level trail/area planning.  About 5 years ago, the Forest hired an OHV program manager to review the agency’s OHV route network with a goal to enhance legal motorized recreational opportunities.

Plummer Peak LO

Shasta-Trinity NF

The Trinity OHV Project joins a growing list of high quality OHV-based recreation programs throughout the country that strive to bring economic benefits to the local economy while minimizing environmental impacts to the resource.

LINK TO THE TRINITY OHV PROJECT

http://www.trinityohvtrails.com/

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CA Online Campfire Permit Program is Important Public Service

As we enter the 2015 wildfire season, QWR wants to let riders know about a new program where you can get your California Campfire Permit online.

The folks at the CALIFORNIA WILDLAND FIRE COORDINATING GROUP (CWCG) have a great website where you can get your campfire permit online and also obtain the latest information on helping prevent catastrophic wildfires. 

CWCG Website

http://www.preventwildfireca.org/

CWCG Online Campfire Permit

http://www.preventwildfireca.org/Campfires/

QWR learned about the online fire permit program while at the recent CA OHMVR Commission meeting held in Sonora, California.  That meeting included a well-planned field tour of the 2013 Rim Fire.

Stanislaus NF Fire Staff Explain Campfire Safety

One of the tour stops including a presentation by Stanislaus NF fire staff where they highlighted the agency’s fire restriction program and ways to safely manage a campfire on public lands.

CWCG states that your campfire permit is valid from the date issued until the end of the calendar year. And, that permits are required to have campfire or portable gas stoves on public lands.

They also encourage you to check to ensure there are not any local fire restrictions in the area, since during periods of high fire danger, campfires may be restricted. You should also keep a shovel and bucket of water nearby at all times.

QWR believes the online campfire permit program is an important public service since many land agencies are not open on Friday night or over the weekend when folks are most likely to use public lands for OHV recreation.

QWR took the test and it is convenient, easy, and informative.  Once you have taken the quiz and looked at the 2.5 minute instructional video, you can print out your campfire permit.  Remember to SIGN the permit once you print it out.

QWR hopes that you will have a fun and fire-safe summer this year.  Also, if your state has a similar online campfire permit program – be sure and send us a note at: damador@quietwarriorracing.com

Happy Trails this summer from QWR.

OHMVRD to Relaunch State Motorized Trail System?

Segment of the 90s-era CA Backcountry Discovery Trail on Six Rivers NF

 

It is no coincidence the Statewide Motorized Trail System (SMTS) was on the agenda at the recent meeting of the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission in Redding, California.  Commissioners were informed that a multi-year formal statewide state/federal planning effort is needed to codify and implement SMTS.

 

In 2009, the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division published its Strategic Plan.  The document outlined a well-crafted long-term vision for operation of the Division and management of OHV opportunities in California. It also stated (pages 33-34) the Division… "anticipates increased interest in the statewide long distance motorized trail system and a need for places to pursue various types of multi-day sport utility vehicle (SUV) touring opportunities." 

 

 

 

Link to OHMVRD 2009 Strategic Plan

http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/pages/25010/files/ohmvr%20strategic%20plan.pdf

 

 

 

The concept of a formal statewide system of motorized adventure routes was first noted in the California Recreational Trails Act of 1974.  Over the years, subsequent SMTS-related legislation was passed and on-the-ground planning efforts were undertaken by Division staff, federal partners, and other stakeholder groups.

 

Unfortunately in the late 1990s, work on the partially completed route network was halted when the state was challenged by legal action filed by opponents of the plan.  They stated that a full EIR/EIS must be completed to implement and sign the statewide trail system.

 

It has been a dream of many OHV enthusiasts to have a formal network of non-paved backcountry routes that connect many of California’s scenic areas.  It is encouraging to note that motorized adventurists may be one step closer to that reality. 

 

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