TAKE NATIONAL SURVEY TO ENHANCE RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES

 

Take Survey for New Recreation Projects

As a NOHVCC CA State Partner, I want to share a great opportunity for recreation leads to take a survey from OR State University and the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) with comments due by November 13, 2020. 

NOHVCC ALERT WITH LINK TO ORR SURVEY

https://www.nohvcc.org/help-nohvccs-partners-identify-lwcf-eligible-ohv-projects/

 By taking this survey, you will help ORR create a list of Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)-eligible recreation projects for FY22-FY25 from businesses and partners around the country.

This list will complement the recent passage of the Great American Outdoors Act by showcasing the outstanding potential for recreation projects supporting rural development and providing access and equity in diverse communities around the country. Further, this list will be used to inform future priorities for the outdoor recreation economy and to educate Congress and the administration.

As you may know, LWCF monies were recently used to acquire the 1,300 acre Blue Oak Ranch from a willing seller to help provide enhanced camping, staging, and vehicle access to the BLM’s Cow Mountain OHV Recreation Area near Ukiah, CA.

 LINK TO ARTICLE ABOUT THE BLUE OAK RANCH PURCHASE

http://quietwarriorracing.blogspot.com/2020/11/opinion-public-land-paradigm-shift.html

QWR believes the Blue Oak Ranch story is a great example of how the LWCF can be used to help acquire additional high quality recreation opportunities for future generations.

LINK TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LWCF

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/lwcf/index.htm

Summary of the Great American Outdoors Act below

Public Law No: 116-152 (08/04/2020)

Great American Outdoors Act

This bill establishes the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to support deferred maintenance projects on federal lands.

For FY2021-FY2025, there shall be deposited into the fund an amount equal to 50% of energy development revenues credited, covered, or deposited as miscellaneous receipts from oil, gas, coal, or alternative or renewable energy development on federal lands and waters. Deposited amounts must not exceed $1.9 billion for any fiscal year.

The fund must be used for priority deferred maintenance projects in specified systems that are administered by

• the National Park Service,
• the Forest Service,
• the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
• the Bureau of Land Management, and
• the Bureau of Indian Education.

The Government Accountability Office must report on the effect of the fund in reducing the backlog of priority deferred maintenance projects for the specified agencies.

Additionally, the bill makes funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) permanent. The President shall annually report to Congress specified details regarding the allocation of funds to the LWCF. Congress may provide for alternate allocations using specified procedures.

Thanks for taking the survey!

 

 

OPINION - PUBLIC LAND PARADIGM SHIFT SECURES A NEW OHV AREA

Ranch Owner, Craig Blencowe Gives Presentation

2019 CA OHMVR Commission Tour - BLM Cow Mountain OHV Recreation Area

OPINION

Don Amador

November 5, 2020

  

PUBLIC LAND PARADIGM SHIFT SECURES A NEW OHV AREA

 

As the recreation community anxiously awaits the results of the 2020 Presidential Election, I want to share an article published by the American Motorcyclist Association that gives the backstory on how the BLM was able to acquire a 1,300 acre ranch that will be used to provide enhanced staging, camping, and riding opportunities at the Cow Mountain OHV Recreation Area near Ukiah, California.

 

The article highlights the herculean 15-year collaborative effort by pro-recreation agency leads and private sector advocates at the local, state, and federal levels to purchase a private ranch from a willing seller using monies from the Land and Water Conservation Fund and a grant from the California OHV Program.

 

LINK TO ARTICLE (Permission to share was granted by the AMA)

https://magazine.americanmotorcyclist.com/13110/how-the-cow-mountain-recreation-area-deal-went-down/

 

One additional factor to the success of this project - that was not specifically noted in the article - is the growing partnership between the non-motorized and motorized recreation communities over the last 20 years to find common ground and embrace shared values in support of sustainable trail opportunities on public lands.

 

That paradigm shift in collaboration between diverse interest groups combined with ever growing bipartisan support for sustainable recreation on public lands helps chart a positive future for access to public lands regardless of who is in office.

 

Feel free to post comments on the blog site or send a comment to Don Amador at – damador@quietwarriorracing.com

 

  

WILDFIRES HAMMER MENDOCINO BACKCOUNTRY

M9 Road Heading to Doe Peak - Circa 2017

Mendocino National Forest

*All of these pictures are near or in the August Complex Fire burn footprint

AUGUST COMPLEX FIRE HAMMERS MENDO BACKCOUNTRY

The one-two punch of COVID-19 and the 2020 wildfire season continues to devastate families, private homes, and public lands in the Golden State.  One wildfire of keen interest to many backcountry trail enthusiasts is the August Complex Fire that is advancing across the northern part of the Mendocino National Forest.

M3 Road North of SheetIron Mountain - Circa 2014

Mendocino National Forest

Historically, this region of the Forest provides access to a lot of mid to high-elevation “deep woods” type dispersed/remote backcountry recreation for both motorized and non-motorized outdoor enthusiasts vs. the southern end of the Forest that is home to more developed OHV use, boating, camping, and fishing. 

OHV Route at Doe Peak Area - Circa 2017

Mendocino National Forest

The August Complex’s destructive path continues north from where the 2018 Ranch Fire was stopped near SheetIron Mountain.   Much of this area is a heavily wooded conifer forest that has not seen a significant fire event in some time.  This area is (or was) also prime habitat for the Northern Spotted Owl.

M9 Ridgeline Route - Circa 2017

Most of the OHV recreation on this part of the Forest occurs on designated roads with some trail networks in the Doe Peak area that are enjoyed by dirt-bikes, ATVs, SxSs, and 4WDs.  However, the vast majority of motorized recreation opportunity is for street legal dual-sport/ADV motorcycles and 4WDs.  

4WD Route in Hull Fire Footprint - Circa 2016

Mendocino National Forest

According to a Forest Service update today on the August Complex – comprised of the Hull, Doe, Tatham, and Glade fires- it sits at 221,284 acres and has 18 percent containment.

LINK TO AUGUST 30 AUGUST FIRE UPDATE

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/photos/CAMNF/2020-08-16-1732-Doe-Fire/picts/2020_08_30-08.23.30.739-CDT.pdf

Based on what I know of the fire and the area, the fire appears to have impacted a lot of the heavily wooded areas north of SheetIron Mountain along the M3 corridor, the Doe Peak trail system on the north side of FH7, and many dispersed camping and backcountry touring opportunities along the M2/M4/M9 route network.

Sugar Springs Campground along M4 - Circa 2017

Mendocino National Forest

Let’s hope that as other fires are contained that firefighting resources can be redeployed from those battles to help with the August Complex.

Stay tuned for future updates.

  

NEWS RELEASE - JOIN CELEBRATION OF NEW PROPERTY ACQUISITION AT COW MOUNTAIN

Blue Oak Ranch 

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Don Amador

Email: damador@quietwarriorracing.com

Date: August 7, 2020

OHV CELEBRATES NEW PROPERTY ACQUISITION AT COW MOUNTAIN

OAKLEY, CA  –  QWR would like to join the BLM Ukiah Field Office and other OHV partners in celebrating the recent acquisition of the 1,391 acre Blue Oak Ranch near Lakeport, California into America’s public lands.  This new addition is located along the Highway 175 corridor and will provide much needed high quality public access to the South Cow Mountain OHV Recreation Area.

LINK TO OFFICIAL BLM NEWS RELEASE ON BLUE OAK RANCH PURCHASE

https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-lwcf-land-acquisition-increase-public-access-south-cow-mountain-ohv-management

Don Amador, QWR president and government affairs lead for AMA District 36, states, “Acquisition of the Blue Oak Ranch is an historic moment for the OHV community and an important addition to the BLM’s South Cow Mountain OHV Management Area.  It will greatly improve access to the unit for cars, trucks, and RVs.”

Craig Blencowe, Ranch Owner, Giving Property Overview at 

2019 OHV Commission Field Trip to South Cow Mountain OHV Management Area

“The Ranch will also provide a significant number of new camping opportunities and other facilities that will serve a wide range of OHV activities.  It will also provide a much need staging area for permitted OHV competition events,” Amador concludes.

Map of Blue Oak Ranch and Potential Facilities

The acquisition was made possible via partnership funding from the California State Park Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division Grants Program and the Land and Water Conservation Fund .

The property is adjacent to the South Cow Mountain OHV Management Area, which is managed for OHV use and congressionally designated as a recreation area in 2006 through the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Act, U.S. Public Law 109-362.