NEW FS TRAIL STATUS REPORT - HIGHLIGHTS KEY ISSUES IMPACTING TRAIL ACCESS

 

MY TWO CENTS

By Don Amador

December 18, 2025

  

NEW FS TRAIL REPORT HIGHLIGHTS KEY ISSUES

 

The second paragraph in the report actually highlights the key issues that need to be addressed by the Chief -- including having his office officially make management of recreation trails and facilities a priority!

 

2025 FS TRAIL STATUS REPORT

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/documents/35318bd9-fb41-4ae1-a63b-d816afcfcdad.pdf?itid=lk_inline_manual_33

  

ONE OF MANY ARTICLES

https://open.substack.com/pub/ourpubliclandsandwaters/p/staffing-and-budget-cuts-are-leading?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

 

IMHO - the report fails to highlight Forests that continue to manage high quality trail opportunities largely due to their pro-recreation culture, can-do attitude, robust partnerships with OHV and other recreation groups, participate in diverse forest health collaboratives, and take advantage of non-federal funding such as state OHV grants monies or from Powersports Industry grants from Right Rider Action Fund, Polaris, Yamaha, etc.    Forests that don't have those factors are often the ones that falter the most.

 

# # #

 

Don Amador has been in the trail advocacy and recreation management profession for over 33 years.   Don is President of Quiet Warrior Racing LLC. Don serves as the Western States Representative for the Motorcycle Industry Council. Don is Past President/CEO and current board member of the Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance. Don served as a contractor to the BlueRibbon Coalition from 1996 until June, 2018. Don served on the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission from 1994-2000. He has won numerous awards including being a 2016 Inductee into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame and the 2018 Friend of the AMA Award. Don served as the government affairs lead for AMA District 36 in Northern California from 2019 – 2023. Don is a Core-Team member on FireScape Mendocino.  Don is a contributor to Dealernews Magazine. Don writes from his home in Cottonwood, CA. 

 

OHV SAFETY TRAINING - "RIDE TO RIDE AGAIN"

 

ROHVA RBDC - Exercise 4

RIDE TO RIDE AGAIN

To honor the 2025 “Ride to Ride Again” California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division’s (OHMVR) “Safety Week” effort, QWR recently taught the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA) ROV Basic DriverCourse (RBDC) at the BLM’s Chappie Shasta OHV Area near Redding, CA.

 OHMVR 2025 OHV SAFETY WEEK w TIPS

https://ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=31772

 

 SEVERAL KEY THEMES OF THE COURSE

 

SEE - Search, Evaluate, and Execute (SEE) is one of the many important themes stressed by ROHVA in both the online E-Course and field training.   SEE is a common sense yet powerful decision-making process where a driver looks for various factors such as trail difficulty then evaluates the risk level of the situation and subsequently executes an action such as turning around and taking another route.

 

SAFETY GEAR - Protective safety gear is also another area that is highlighted during online and field education process.  Wearing a helmet, using eye protection, gloves, long sleeved shirt/jersey, and over-the-ankle-boots with non-slip soles can help the driver have a safe and fun trail experience.

ROHVA RBDC - Exercise 3

TWO-WAY TRAFFIC - Watch for two-way traffic.   When operating an on designated roads and trails always stay to the right since you never know if there is a vehicle coming around a corner.  

 

As a ROHVA-certified DriverCoach, QWR’s Don Amador, states, “It was great to get back out in the field yesterday at the BLM’s Chappie Shasta OHV Recreation Area helping train outdoor recreationists about how to safely operate a ROV/SxS on designated roads, trails, and areas.” 

BE A TRAIL HERO - Drive Safe

 

“I always enjoy seeing students taking pride in learning some of the basic skills such as two-foot throttle/brake control to cross an obstacle, back-up, or load the ROV or SxS into a tight area such as toy hauler or small garage.  At the post training wrap up students said the online E-course was very informative and reinforced many of the safe driving techniques learned during the field exercises,” Amador concludes. 

 

QWR is a strong supporter of the focused safety efforts by our partners at CA State Parks OHMVR Division, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, ROHVA, Tread Lightly!, and the CA Outdoor Recreation Foundation to address the rapid growth of ROV/UTV/SxS use on public lands.

 

# # #

OPINION - TIME TO PUSH ROADLESS RESET BUTTON

Elk Camp Ridge Trail - IRA - Smith River National Recreation Area

Six Rivers National Forest

OPINION

By Don Amador

September 19, 2025

 

TIME TO PUSH ROADLESS RESET BUTTON

 

Today marks the deadline for submitting initial public scoping comments in a new rulemaking process by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule in an effort to bring clarity on just how our natural, cultural, and recreational resources should be managed in Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRA).   

 

As a motorized recreation lead who participated in many of the “roadless” political, policy, and legal battles (circa 1998-2010), I feel this process could be used as a time for private and public stakeholders to push the reset button on this somewhat contentious issue.

My thoughts today are informed by the past but more importantly guided by my more recent experiences as a participant and/or lead in various recreation or forest health/wildfire collaboratives.

 

In my view, the Roadless Rule has raised barriers to active management that limit line-officer flexibility when it comes to planning for and/or implementing forest health, fuel reduction, or wildfire mitigation projects.   

 

Also many IRAs have popular designated OHV routes, but that same lack of flexibility in some cases severely limit consideration of designating a new connector trail, constructing a warranted trail reroute, or using a small trail tractor to perform needed route maintenance or construction activities.

 

I hope this rule-making process finds a way to amend or streamline current regulations or policy to authorize and encourage hybrid multi-objective fuel or wildfire mitigation projects that include a recreation component such as constructing a new trail or reconstructing an old trail within the project footprint to meet visitor needs.

 

I believe USDA will find both motorized and non-motorized recreation groups in strong support for the use of existing Forest Health Collaboratives that bring diverse stakeholders and partners in local communities together to increase the pace and scale of Forest health, pre/post fire mitigation, and recreation efforts.  These groups already consist of representatives from tribes, private timber companies, resource conservation districts, state and local fire agencies, cattle ranchers, conservation groups, hunters, and OHV organizations.  Why reinvent the wheel?

 

Finally, this process might want to consider revising the term IRA to a better descriptive that is more relevant. Since IRAs often contain a meaningful amount of popular roads and trails the stakeholders may want them designated as an official Backcountry area with an “active management” focus.

 

Let’s hope that all sides can agree that some form of a reset is needed to address current and future needs of these important forest lands.

 

# # #

 

Don Amador has been in the trail advocacy and recreation management profession for 35 years.   Don is President of Quiet Warrior Racing LLC. Don serves as the Western States Representative for the Motorcycle Industry Council. Don is Past President/CEO and current board member of the Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance.  Don is a Co-Founder and Core-Team member on FireScape Mendocino, a forest health collaborative that is part of the National Fire Learning Network.  Don served as an AD Driver for the Forest Service North Zone Fire Cache during the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Fire Seasons. Don writes for Dealernews Magazine. Don is a Northern California native and writes from his home in Cottonwood, CA. 

 

 

OPINION - OHV AND CONSERVATION GROUPS CHALLENGE SOLAR PROJECT SITE LOCATION

OHV and Conservation Groups Viewing Solar Farm Project Area

from South Boundary of Prairie City SVRA

 

OPINION - OHV AND CONSERVATION GROUPS CHALLENGE SOLAR PROJECT SITE LOCATION

 

By  Don Amador

August 31, 2025

 

On August 28, representatives from OHV and conservation organizations gathered at the Wilton Community Center to voice strong concerns regarding the siting of a 2,704 acre  solar project directly adjacent to the California State Parks Prairie City Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Area (SVRA) near Folsom, CA.  The public meeting was hosted by D.E. Shaw Renewable Investments (DESRI), an energy development firm.

 

DESRI highlighted several proposed mitigation measures developed in response to concerns raised during the public comment period that ended on May 5 for the Coyote Creek Agrivoltaic Ranch Project Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) to address significant and unmitigatible impacts to public access, scenic vistas, wildlife corridors, destruction of oak woodlands, well water supply, and park operations.

 

With new energy projects being proposed adjacent to other State Park units such as Ocotillo Wells and Heber Dunes SVRAs, a question was raised about an apparent policy change by State Parks to shift away from its historic strategy of protecting SVRAs and other parks units with open-space buffers vs.  accepting energy facilities or solar farms becoming the Department of Parks and Recreation’s new industrial facility buffer strategy.  

 

An environmental group representative with decades of CEQA experience reviewing solar and other industrial projects said this is the 1st solar project the conservation community at large has opposed in the state because it is in the top 1 or 2 of the worst projects they have ever seen.

 

As former Chair of the CA State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation (OHMVR) Commission,  I think Sacramento County Planning made a huge mistake by failing to notify the OHMVR Commission about this solar project sited next to Prairie City SVRA per Public Resources Code Section 5090.24 that requires the commission to  (a) Be fully informed regarding all governmental activities affecting the program.” 

 

In addition, the project proponents committed a major planning error by not reaching out to the OHV community and competition organizations in 2021 pre-scoping efforts and during the 30-day public scoping comment period that started on January 19, 2022.  That omission of outreach continued until late April of this year when OHV organizations got an alert by a 3^rd party about this project just a few days before the DEIR May 5 public comment deadline.

 

The next step in this process is for OHV groups, local businesses, conservation, and competition organizations to attend in-person or virtually the September 4, 2025 OHMVR Commission meeting in Redding, CA where this issue is on the agenda as an ACTION ITEM.   

 

It is important for the OHMVR Commissioners to hear from the greater OHV stakeholder community about their concerns regarding the project’s short and long-term impacts to public access, park operations, and even questions about the SVRA’s future.

 

If this project is withdrawn by the county, it will be because they failed to do the initial pre-scoping of key stakeholder groups who would have most likely supported the project at a more suitable site away from this deeply treasured State Park unit with its high quality off-road trail and track network, safety training programs, nationally recognized powersports competition events, and scenic views of nearby oak forests and native grasslands.   

 

DEIR COMMENTS FROM OHV, CONSERVATION, AND AGENCIES

https://planning.saccounty.gov/Documents/Coyote%20Creek%20Agrivoltaic%20Ranch/DEIR/Updated%20All%20Comments%20Received%20on%20the%20Draft%20EIR.pdf

 

SEPTEMBER 4, 2025 OHMVR COMMISSION MEETING

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

 

 

# # #

 

Don Amador has been in the trail advocacy and recreation management profession for over 33 years.   Don is President of Quiet Warrior Racing LLC. Don serves as the Western States Representative for the Motorcycle Industry Council. Don is Past President/CEO and current board member of the Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance. Don served as a contractor to the BlueRibbon Coalition from 1996 until June, 2018. Don served on the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission from 1994-2000. He has won numerous awards including being a 2016 Inductee into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame and the 2018 Friend of the AMA Award. Don served as the government affairs lead for AMA District 36 in Northern California from 2019 – 2023. Don is a Core-Team member on FireScape Mendocino.  Don is a contributor to Dealernews Magazine. Don writes from his home in Cottonwood, CA.

 

 

PLANNING THE WILD - RECPRO INTERVIEW WITH DON AMADOR ON RECREATION MANAGEMENT

Photo Credit - RECPRO

PLANNING THE WILD – PODCAST ON RECREATION MANAGEMENT

 

Just want to thank Rachel Franchina and the Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals (SORP) for giving me the opportunity to speak on a recent podcast that is part of their Planning the Wild series designed for U.S. Forest Service professionals and partners who work on National Forest Service lands in the Pacific Northwest.   These educational podcasts are done in partnership with USFS Region 6.

 

PLANNING THE WILD – EPISODE 2  (24 minutes)

https://www.recpro.org/viewdocument/s1-e2-trailblazing-together-don-a

 

 While this podcast covers my recreation and resource management journey spanning 70 years from growing up in Eureka to currently living in Cottonwood, CA,  I think it is more about highlighting the important role that relationships and collaboration have in successfully managed recreation programs, forest health efforts, and wildfire mitigation projects.

 

The interview hits on a lot of topics including the DOGE cutbacks,  explosive growth of recreation use during COVID,  creation of a culture of trail stewardship and volunteerism, and collaboration between diverse interest groups.

 

Important concepts and strategies such as mentorship, paying it forward, servant leadership, and finding zones of agreement are part of the interview.

 

The interview went by fast.  However, I did try and cite some real world examples of how groups such as the Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance, Nevada County Woods Riders, FireScape Mendocino work with their Forest Service partners on projects to build generational support for access to managed recreational opportunities on public lands in CA and the West.

 

# # #

 

Don Amador has been in the trail advocacy and recreation management profession for 35 years.   Don is President of Quiet Warrior Racing LLC. Don serves as the Western States Representative for the Motorcycle Industry Council. Don is Past President/CEO and current board member of the Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance.  Don is a Co-Founder and Core-Team member on FireScape Mendocino, a forest health collaborative that is part of the National Fire Learning Network.  Don served as an AD Driver for the Forest Service North Zone Fire Cache during the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Fire Seasons.   

"FOOT ON THE GAS NO BRAKE" EFFORT FOR PUBLIC LANDS

 

Popular BLM Trail Area Bordering Pocatello, ID

BLM Pocatello Field Office, ID

“FOOT ON THE GAS NO BRAKE” EFFORT FOR PUBLIC LANDS

OPINION 

By Don Amador

May 30, 2025

 

As the summer recreation season kicks into gear, I want to celebrate the recent goods news update from our friends at the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR).

 

ORR News Release

https://recreationroundtable.org/news/public-lands-sell-off-is-removed-from-house-budget-reconciliation/

  

Big thanks to Jess Turner at ORR and other recreation leads such as Katie Hawkins at the Outdoor Alliance for their leadership in this joint motorized/non-motorized all-hands-on-deck state and national effort to champion keeping popular public land recreation sites off of the auction block.

Salt Creek Trailhead - Near Redding, CA

BLM Redding Field Office

 

The issue of federal land disposals has been around for several decades and will likely remain an issue that recreation groups will continue to follow.  However, for the next few weeks get out on public lands and waterways and enjoy summer outdoor recreation with family and friends without worrying about an auctioneer accepting a bid on a local riding or hiking trail.

 

# # #

 

Don Amador has been in the trail advocacy and recreation management profession for over 33 years.   Don is President of Quiet Warrior Racing LLC. Don serves as the Western States Representative for the Motorcycle Industry Council. Don is Past President/CEO and current board member of the Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance. Don served as a contractor to the BlueRibbon Coalition from 1996 until June, 2018. Don served on the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission from 1994-2000. He has won numerous awards including being a 2016 Inductee into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame and the 2018 Friend of the AMA Award. Don served as the government affairs lead for AMA District 36 in Northern California from 2019 – 2023. Don is a Core-Team member on FireScape Mendocino.  Don is a contributor to Dealernews Magazine. Don writes from his home in Cottonwood, CA.

 

 

OPINION - FOREST ROADS PROVIDE CRITICAL ACCESS TO RECREATION, WILDFIRE, AND FOREST HEALTH ACTIVITIES

POST 2020 AUGUST COMPLEX FIRE ROADSIDE HAZARD TREE MITIGATION

Mendocino National Forest

 

Don Amador

OPINION

May 21, 2025

 

FOREST ROADS PROVIDE CRITICAL ACCESS TO RECREATION, WILDFIRE, and FOREST HEALTH ACTIVITIES

  

As a long-time partner that depends on access to Forest Service System Roads and Trails for OHV recreation and post wildfire trail stewardship efforts, QWR appreciates Chief Tom Shultz’s commitment to managed outdoor recreation, resource management, fuel projects, and wildfire mitigation activities.

 

In fact, the Forest Transportation System functions as the common thread that binds or connects virtually all forest recreation, management, research, or cultural activities.  

KEY FOREST ROAD NORTH/SOUTH TRANSPORATION ROUTES

Mendocino National Forest

 

Yet to date, none of the Administration’s stated policies or guidelines – including the May 20 post by Acting Associate Chief Chris French – highlight “roads” as a key focus area or acknowledge that none of the on- the- ground Forest management objectives or goals happen unless Forest roads damaged or blown out during winter storms are repaired in a timely manner.

 

ACTING ASSOCIATE CHIEF CHRIS FRENCH, MAY 20, STATEMENT ON OPERATIONAL PLANNING

https://www.fs.usda.gov/inside-fs/leadership/update-interim-operational-planning

 

French notes the actions below aim to maintain essential services, address critical risks, and support the agency's priorities. Key focus areas (sans ROADS) with dedicated working groups include:

 

•             Employee and public safety

 

•             Disaster recovery

 

•             Active management (timber/vegetation/fuels)

 

•             Recreation

 

•             Energy, minerals and geology

 

•             NEPA planning

 

•             Grants and agreements

 

•             Information technology

 

•             Communication and legislative affairs

 

•             Fire response (incident management capacity)

 

•             Human resources

 

•             Law enforcement and investigations

 

•             Budget

 

•             Chief Finance Office (payments, billings & reimbursable agreements) 

 

•             Procurement & property services/contracts, facilities & leasing

 

 

 

Over the last 4-5 years, the subject of not having the funds and resources to effect post-winter repairs of FS storm damaged roads is almost always part of any conversation that QWR has had with agency staff or partners.

POST 2020 AUGUST COMPLEX FIRE ROADSIDE HAZARD TREE MITIGATION

Mendocino National Forest

QWR believes the Administration and Congress should make maintaining a quality Transportation System a top priority if they plan on increasing the pace and scale of forest management treatments and providing access to outdoor recreation.  

 

CHIEF TOM SHULTZ POSTS MAY 6 UPDATE ON NEXT STEPS

https://www.fs.usda.gov/inside-fs/leadership/our-next-steps

PS- Thanks to the hard work by Mendocino NF crews and partners to recover forest lands and recreation facilities damaged by the 2018 Ranch Fire and 2020 August Complex Fire. 

# # #

 

Don Amador has been in the trail advocacy and recreation management profession for 35 years.   Don is President of Quiet Warrior Racing LLC. Don is Past President/CEO and current board member of the Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance.  Don is a Co-Founder and Core-Team member on FireScape Mendocino, a forest health collaborative that is part of the National Fire Learning Network.  Don served as an AD Driver for the Forest Service North Zone Fire Cache during the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Fire Seasons. Don is a  Northwest California native and writes from his home in Cottonwood, CA.  Don may be reached by email at: damador@cwo.com