Eagle Scout Leads Archeological Site/ OHV Trail Project - Partnerships in Action

Early Stage of 2012 Mill Fire at Stonyford OHV Area

Mendocino National Forest

Over the last few years, large wildfires throughout the West have had a significant impact on cultural/natural resources and managed recreation programs including those prescriptions related to OHV activities.

This article will focus on partnerships that help the Forest Service protect archeological sites where the protective vegetation – that acts as a trail delineator - has been burned off.

A good case study is where in 2014; Sean Griffith led a volunteer crew to install trail delineators to help protect an archeological site in California’s Sierra Nevada.  This project was part of Sean’s progression to obtain Eagle Scout status.

According to the agency, Sean planned, directed, and led 21 scouts, adults, family members and friends in a project to protect an archeological site on the Mi-Wok Ranger District of the Stanislaus National Forest. The district’s Camp Clavey, Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) area has a section which passes by an archeological site. The 2013 Rim Fire burned much of the area, and Sean’s project was to build barriers on both sides of the OHV trail to delineate the trail and protect the site.

Sean selected the project well in advance, but delays happened due to the government furlough, the Rim Fire and hazard tree removal activities. That’s when his perseverance paid off. Once started, the project was completed in 4.5 hours.

“Sean set a good example of being a dedicated steward of the National Forest with the Eagle Scout project he undertook,” said Chuck James, District Recreation Specialist, who was Sean’s mentor and advisor throughout the project.

“Having a partnership with the Forest Service is a win/win for both organizations. Six Eagle projects through the Forest Service have been completed since I’ve been involved with the scouts,” Sean declared. “It’s been an honor to have worked together with the agency and I know that my project will make a difference in protecting the Forest.”

QWR believes partnerships such as this one on the Stanislaus National Forest or the volunteer efforts on the Mendocino National Forest to address the 2012 Rim Fire are excellent examples of how various interest groups can work together to protect both cultural resources and recreational access.

Don Amador on 2013 Volunteer Project 

to Protect Archeological Site

State or OHV industry grant programs can also play an important role as a force multiplier in post-fire trail rehabilitation efforts or other projects that protect the resource and enhance OHV recreation on designated roads, trails, and areas. For example, the CA OHMVRD Grant Program helped purchase the materials used on the Stanislaus NF project.

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Trail Management - Post-Fire Hazard Tree Mitigation Takes Collective Effort

QWR SxS Module on FS Post-Mill Fire Volunteer Project

Extreme wildfires have an immediate impact on OHV recreation such as public access bans in the burn area for periods of one year or longer.  They also destroy management tools such as trail delineators, signs, kiosks, and campground facilities.  Costly soil erosion and water quality trail structures can often be obliterated in the initial attack by dozers blading fire lines around the blaze.

While these immediate impacts and their associated mitigation measures are readily apparent, the long-term post-fire management efforts to address hazard trees (dead trees) falling across designated roads and trails for the next 2-15 years should not be overlooked.

As OHV users know, downed trees create a number of management issues which include completely blocked routes or riders creating impromptu reroutes to get around the obstacle.   The presence of hazard trees also requires both non-motorized and motorized recreationists to be aware of their surroundings when traveling through the forest.  Trail obstacles can impact both casual use and permitted events.

QWR believes it takes a committed partnership between the agency, volunteers, and other stakeholders to successfully manage a designated road and trail system on any National Forest.  This is especially true on units that have experienced a recent uncontrolled wildfire.

Team Effort to Clear Downed Trees

QWR suggests the best way for you to participate in volunteer trail management projects is to join a local OHV club that has an existing relationship with the Forest Service or BLM unit you like to visit.  If your local federal unit does not have a volunteer program, consider contacting them and inquiring how you can help partner with the agency. 

Shaded Fuel Breaks - Vital Tool in Wildfire Management

Shaded Fuel Break - Eldorado National Forest

With smoke generated by numerous wildfires burning in Northern California stinging the eyes of many residents in coastal and inland valley areas, QWR believes it is important for recreationists and property owners to become more engaged in efforts to increase the number, size, and scope of forest /wildland fuel reduction projects on private, state, and federal lands.

One of the many fuel reduction tools used by land managers are shaded fuel breaks.  Recently, QWR visited private and federal shaded fuel breaks along the Highway 88 corridor on the Eldorado National Forest.

"Defensible Space" Shaded Fuel Break on Private Property

According to Fire Safe San Mateo County, one of the more common vegetation management practices is the creation of shaded fuel breaks, which are a carefully planned thinning of dense tree cover and the removal of underlying brush. These are placed in strategic locations along a ridge, access road, or other location such as around a subdivision.

Fire Safe San Mateo County Shaded Fuel Break Program

http://www.firesafesanmateo.org/resources/shaded-fuel-breaks

The objective of a shaded fuel break is to reduce, modify, and manage fuels within designated areas in order to enhance mitigation efforts in the event of a wildland fire situation. A shaded fuel break does not remove all vegetation in a given area.

Shaded Fuel Break along Forest Service Road - Eldorado National Forest

Cal Fire says that fire suppression resources can utilize this location to suppress wildland fires due to the modification of fuels of which may increase the probability of success during fire suppression activities. Any fuel break by itself will not stop a wildland fire.

OHV recreationists and other public land users know all too well about how uncontrolled wildfires can impact destination trail opportunities at Stonyford on the Mendocino National Forest (2012 Mill Fire) and the Hull Creek OHV area on the Stanislaus National Forest (2013 Rim Fire).  Mandatory 1 year or longer “hazard tree” closures are imposed which eliminates access to trail and campground opportunities within the burn footprint.

1 Year Rim Fire Closure - Stanislaus National Forest

 QWR commends those recreationists who are participating in pre and post-fire collaborative stakeholder processes.   Trying to find common ground with diverse interest groups on substantive vegetation management projects that can help protect resources and provide an economic benefit is an honorable task.  We really don’t have any other choice. 

Post-Fire Travel Management Tools and Purchasing a Dual-Sport Top 2013 List

As QWR prepares for another busy year in advocacy for responsible OHV recreation, it wanted to look back at the two issues in 2013 that generated the most hits/interest by our readership.

It should come as no surprise that our Post Fire Travel Management Tools (Sept. 25) and Tips for Purchasing a Dual-Sport Motorcycle (July 9) articles were at the top of the list.

Post-fire rehabilitation of destination OHV areas on Forest Service lands requires a lot dedication, determination, and dollars/labor.  Both the 2012 Mill Fire and the 2013 Rim Fire highlighted just how catastrophic wildfires can impact recreational access to public lands.  The fires also illustrated the need for an invigorated forest management program that includes prescribed burning and timber thinning projects.

In the late 1990s, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) determined that it was illegal to register off-highway motorcycles for street use unless they were CARB or EPA certified for highway use.  Today, the dual-sport enthusiast has only two legal options in the State of California.  One, they can purchase a street-legal dual-sport that came from the factory as such.  Or, they can purchase a used “Green-Sticker” off-highway motorcycle that was purchased new by December 31, 2003 and where the owner had initiated its dual-sport conversion with the DMV no later than January 31, 2004.

Travel management and other land-use restrictions has increased the demand for street-legal dual-sport motorcycles so that riders can connect various trail networks that are separated by paved roads where non-street legal motorcycles are prohibited.

QWR believes that 2014 holds significant opportunities to champion responsible OHV use on public lands, but it will require a joint effort by recreation professionals, industry, grassroots leaders, elected officials, and agency staff to find solutions to the regulatory challenges that face our sport.

Post Fire Travel Management Tools

http://quietwarriorracing.blogspot.com/2013/09/post-fire-travel-management-tools-trail.html

Tips for Purchasing a Dual-Sport Motorcycle

http://quietwarriorracing.blogspot.com/2013/07/qwr-trail-tip-for-ca-purchasing-dual.html

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Post Rim Fire Update - Trail Stabilization on Stanislaus National Forest/Hull Creek OHV Area

Post Rim Fire Trail Work on Stanislaus National Forest

With winter rains approaching in the next few weeks, QWR wants to commend agency staff on the Stanislaus National Forest for their work to stabilize or stormproof motorized routes in the Hull Creek OHV Area that were impacted by the Rim Fire.

According to an October 21, 2013 update from the Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program, implementation is well underway ahead of the rainy season and assessment of additional needs is ongoing. Emergency response actions being taken include falling hazard trees near roads trails and campgrounds; improving and stormproofing roads to restore drainage; repairing and constructing rolling dips (drivable dips that remove water off the road); stabilizing and repairing trails; installing public warning signs gates and barricades for public safety; applying mulch and chipping woody material to protect exposed soil; and protecting cultural and natural resources.

Example of a Post Fire Rolling Dip

The BAER program also stated that while these treatments will help to reduce post-fire effects it must be recognized that not all effects can be mitigated and potential threats to life and property remain during runoff events. The projects underway are listed below.

Roads/Trails:

Restoring drainage - 61% complete:

Clean the ditches and culverts

Pull floatable debris from uphill of the culverts

Water bars – helps with the drainage of water and

grading the road.

Rolling dips: (repair and construct) - 13% complete

Trails:

Erosion control measure - 46% complete

Trail stabilization - 100% complete

Hazard tree mitigation - 100% complete

Install route markers - 100% complete

Install public warning signs gates and barricades

Protection/Safety:

Hazard tree mitigation - 94% complete along priority roads.

Cultural resource protection: erosion control measures are 69% complete and hazard tree mitigation is 100% complete.

QWR again wants to commend agency staff on the Stanislaus National Forest for their work to stabilize motorized trails that are so important to the OHV community.