Combined Use - Important Tool in Travel Management

M10 - East of End of Nail Track

QWR wants to commend Colusa County in California for its recent combined-use designations (CVC 38026) to help improve green-sticker access to looped trail opportunities for the larger non-street legal SxS, dune-buggy, and 4WD vehicles that utilize the system route network on the Mendocino National Forest.

County roads often play an important role in Forest Service Travel Management planning efforts where said paved routes can help users access and better utilize agency system routes.

M10- Near Bottom of Potato Hill

Understanding the importance of motorized recreation opportunities on the Forest, Colusa County made formal combined-use designations of relevant segments of M10 and the Goat Mountain Road.

Using M10, owners of larger non-street legal OHVs can now complete a 40-70 mile loop opportunity from the Fouts Springs OHV Staging Area.  In addition, those larger vehicles can now legally access historic gas and start points for AMA District 36 events.

Near Historic Gas Stop at Bottom of Potato Hill

SxS owners and other recreationists with larger non-street legal OHVs can now use Goat Mountain Road between Little Stony OHV Staging Area and Lovelady Ridge (Trail 01) to complete all day “Green Sticker” tours of up to 100 miles in length.

QWR believes that travel management requires genuine collaboration between federal agencies, users, OHMVRD, and counties.  This is a good example of that team approach.

If you would like to send a note of appreciation to Colusa County Board of Supervisors, please see the contact information below:

Colusa County Board of Supervisors

547 Market Street

Colusa, CA 95926

cocolusa@countyofcolusa.org

New Smokey Bear Ad and OHV Spark Arresters

QWR Sound Check Station at Chappie-Shasta OHV Area

 

As you know, QWR promotes the use of sound compliant exhaust with a functioning spark arrester when riding an OHV on designated roads, trails, and areas on public lands.  Recently, the Ad Council started its new Smokey Bear campaign in time to remind various publics about how they can help prevent wildfires.

Smokey Bear Campaign

www.smokeybear.com

QWR also wants to commend the campaign for its positive message when it comes to the use of OHVs on public lands.  Several years ago, the Smokey Bear program had a less-than-positive message about the legal use of OHVs on federal lands. 

In addition, the Forest Service updated their Spark Arrestor Guide last year with a lot of good information including a detailed list of all OHV-related approved spark arrestors.

 

Spark Arrester Guide – OHV Vol. 3

http://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/programs/fire/spark_arrester_guides/index.htm

 

 

According to the guide, Forest Service Standard 5100-1c requires that each arrester shall be permanently marked with the model number and the manufacturer’s name or trademark. The model number must match exactly. The identification must be stamped in the metal body or on an attached metal plate.

 

Many states have spark arrester laws.  For those if you in CA, you can find that law below:

http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=23039

 

QWR looks forward to seeing many of you out on the trail this year.  Let’s all work to help ensure that OHV recreationists are using sound compliant spark arrestor exhaust systems to help reduce the threat of wildfires on public lands.