BITTERROOT NATIONAL FOREST
TRAVEL MANAGEMENT PLANNING
Letter from Julie King, Forest Supervisor
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ollowing almost six years, more than 13,000 public comments and tireless work by planning team members, I am pleased to release the Travel Management Planning Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Draft Record of Decision (ROD). This decision comes after a long journey with many twists and turns. As we worked through the public comments and environmental analysis, court decisions on other National Forest travel plans caused us to revisit some key issues and complete additional analysis. The result is a travel plan that provides quality recreation experiences for both motorized and non-motorized users, reduces conflicts, and protects the resources of the Bitterroot National Forest. Many of you attended meetings and open houses, wrote letters and emails, or visited personally with me or members of the planning team. To everyone who participated in the planning process - thank you. Your insights and experiences helped guide us to a better travel plan. This travel plan will not please everyone. The decision was a difficult one but it will provide the best opportunities for all groups to access and enjoy the Bitterroot National Forest while also protecting our natural resources for future generations.
Julie King
Forest Supervisor
A Quick Summary of the Bitterroot National Forest’s March 2015 Travel Management Planning Final Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Record of Decision
T
he Bitterroot National Forest began its effort to review and update its forestwide travel management plan late in 2007. The project was undertaken to provide quality summer and winter motorized recreation experiences while protecting natural resources and providing non-motorized recreation opportunities. We are not doing this alone. 155 other national forests are in the process of updating their travel management plans. The new Travel Plan will designate what routes (roads and trails) and areas are open to motorized travel. Our goals are to: • Reduce conflicts between motorized and non-motorized uses, • Enhance and ensure the quality of recreation experiences, • Protect natural resources The last time the Bitterroot National Forest completed a major update to its Travel Plan was in 1976 – 39 years ago. A lot has changed since then, including the number of people visiting the forest. Less than 18,000 people called Ravalli County home in the late 70’s. Today, our population has grown to around 45,000. Not only are more people recreating on the forest, but the types of uses have also changed dramatically. Mountain biking was not nearly as popular as it is today and motorized vehicles, including motorcycles, ATVs, and snowmobiles, are more powerful and able to access more difficult terrain than in 1976. Unfortunately, another increase we have witnessed is more conflicts between motorized and non-motorized uses. Updating the travel plan and developing a new motor vehicle use map (MVUM) and over-snow vehicle use map (OSVUM) is not only long overdue, it will help ensure that your next visit to the Bitterroot National Forest is a safe and enjoyable one.
Background
Travel Plan BY THE NUMBERS
2
Number of Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs) on the Bitterroot National Forest.
39
Years since the Bitterroot National Forest’s last major travel plan update (1976).
155
Number of National Forests currently updating their travel plan.
2,246
Miles of forest roads/trails open to motorized use under the new plan. Comparable to the driving distance between Hamilton, Montana and Atlanta, Georgia .
13,400
Number of public comments received following dozens of community meetings and open houses
543,840
Forest acres open to snowmobiles under the new travel plan
The Forest Service’s original Proposed Action was described in the scoping document released for public review in 2007. Based on generous feedback from the public and information gathered by resource specialists during field reviews and internal Planning Team discussions, a number of changes were made to the Proposed Action (Alternative 1) as described in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) released in 2009. The Selected Alternative (Alternative 1) as it is presented in the FEIS, reflects the primary themes and many of the specific ideas that were provided in response to scoping and in the DEIS.
The Selected Alternative (Modified) The selected alternative (modified) reflects a mix of motorized and nonmotorized opportunities that seems to best fit the landscape and natural resources of the forest. In addition, the the FEIS complies with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies including recent court rulings regarding National Forest travel plans and management of Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs). Forest officials realize this alternative will not satisfy everyone, but believe that it guides management in a manner that will preserve high quality recreation opportunities for everyone over the long-term.
Summary of Alternative 1(modified) & Alternative 2 (existing)
Alternative 1 Alternative 2 (Modified)
Route Status Miles Roads open to all vehicles - yearlong 10 Roads open to all vehicles – seasonally 67 Roads open to highway legal vehicles - yearlong 846 Roads open to highway legal vehicles – seasonally 559 Proposed roads open to highway legal vehicles – yearlong 0.4 Trails open to vehicles 50” or less in width – yearlong 36 Trails open to vehicles 50” or less in width - seasonally 559 Proposed trails open to vehicles 50” or less - seasonally 10 Trails open to motorcycles - yearlong 39 Trails open to motorcyles - seasonally 120 Total miles open to motorized use 2,246 Acres open to snowmobiles – no restrictions 501,984 Acres open to snowmobiles – seasonally 41,856
(Existing Condition)
Miles 10 67 887 569 0 110 550 0 330 78 2,601 699,884 49,097
Florence Florence . !
Wilderness Study Areas Wilderness Study Areas Bitterroot National Forest
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Bitterroot National ForestWilderness Study Areas
Florence
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Bitterroot National Forest
Wilderness Study Area
Stevensville
. !
Wilderness
There are two wilderness areas Wilderness Study Area Wildernessstudy Study Area Ownership Stevensville . ! Stevensville (WSAs) on the Bitterroot National Forest – Wilderness Bitterroot National Forest . ! Wilderness Sapphire and Blue Joint. Together they total Ownership 93 £ ¤ 101,974 acres. They were created by the State Bitterroot National Forest Private Ownership Montana Wilderness Study Act of 1977, and 93 £ ¤ State are to be managed “…so as to maintain their Bitterroot National Forest Corvallis Private . ! presently existing wilderness character and 93 potential for inclusion State in the National WilCorvallis . ! Hamilton derness Preservation System.” The United . ! BeaverheadPrivate States Congress is the deciding authority. Deerlodge Hamilton Currently, summer and over-snow motorized . ! National Forest Beaverheadvehicles and bicycles are permitted in the Deerlodge Corvallis National Forest Bitterroot WSAs. . ! A U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rulSapphire ing (Citizens for Balanced Use and Montana W S A Wilderness Association et al. v. McAllister, Sapphire Hamilton Darby . ! . ! W S A December 2011) in a case involving WSAs Beave found that the Forest Service did not adeDarby . ! Deer quately explain how the 1977 wilderness Nationa character of the relevant wilderness Anacondastudy area, particularly the opportuniPintler 472 Selway-Bitterroot ties for solitude it offered, had been AnacondaSula maintained despite an increase in . ! Pintler 472 Selway-Bitterroot the volume of motorized and mechSula . ! Sapphire anized recreation in the area. . 468 Following this ruling, the Bitterroot 473 W S A National Forest researched histor468 ic use and examined trends, both 473 Darby local and statewide, in an attempt . ! to determine a reliable amount Blue Joint (volume) of use level. Very little Miles W S A 0 5 10 data was found to substantiate Blue Joint Frank Churchthe volume of use or location of Miles River of No Return W S A Sapphire and0Blue Joint 5 10 motorized/mechanical transport Wilderness Study Areas: Frank ChurchAn in WSAs in 1977. As a result of River of No Return 101,974 acresand Blue Joint Sapphire this and other recent court deciWilderness Study Areas: 472 acres Selway-Bitterroot sions on National Forest travel 101,974 plans, the Bitterroot travel plan Sula . ! prohibits all summer and oversnow motorized/mechanical use in WSAs.
£ ¤
L
L
468
NEXT STEPS New Maps
One outcome of the travel planning effort will be the publication of a new motor vehicle use map (MVUM) and over-snow vehicle use map (OSVUM) for each district on the Bitterroot National Forest. The maps will show the designated roads, trails, and areas for motorized use; those not shown on the map will be closed to all motorized uses. The MVUM and OSVUM will be free to the public and copies will soon be available at all Bitterroot National Forest offices and online.
Objection Process
The Draft ROD and FEIS are subject to public objection under Code of Federal Regulations 36 CFR §218.5(a). Objections may only be filed by those who previously submitted specific written comments (36 CFR 218.2) on the project. The objection period starts with publication of a legal notice in the Ravalli Republic. We anticipate publication of this legal notice on March 29, 2015. For more information on filing an objection please visit www.fs.usda. gov/project/?project=21183 or contact Amy Fox at (406) 363-7120.
Objections may be mailed to: USDA Forest Service, Northern Region, ATTN: Objection Reviewing Officer, P.O. Box 7669, Missoula, MT 59807 OR hand delivered to: USDA Forest Service, Northern Region, ATTN: Objection Reviewing Officer, 200 East Broadway, Missoula, MT 59802, Office Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Electronic objections may be submitted to: appeals-northern-regional-office@ fs.fed.us with “Bitterroot Travel Plan Objection” in the subject line. Faxed objections may be submitted to: (406) 329-3411. Please include “Bitterroot Travel Plan Objection” in the fax coversheet subject line and specify the number of pages being submitted.
Getting a Copy of the Document On-Line: The FEIS and Draft ROD will be posted on the Bitterroot National Forest’s website at www.fs.usda.gov/bitterroot. Digital Copy: Copies of the document including the narrative and maps are available on CD at any of our offices. Paper Copy: Copies of the Travel Management Planning FEIS and ROD are also available for review at each of the Bitterroot National Forest offices in Stevensville, Hamilton, Darby, Sula, West Fork, and at public libraries in Darby, Hamilton, Stevensville and Missoula.
Bitterroot National Forest TRAVEL MANAGEMENT PLANNING CONTACTS Julie King, Forest Supervisor (406) 363-7100 Bitterroot National Forest 1801 N. 1st Street, Hamilton, MT 59840
Chuck Oliver, District Ranger (406) 821-3913 Darby/Sula Ranger Districts P.O. Box 388, Darby, MT 59829
Travel Management Planning Project Coordinator Dan Ritter, District Ranger (406) 777-5461 Stevensville Ranger District 88 Main Street, Stevensville, MT 59870
Ryan Domsalla, District Ranger (406) 821-3269 West Fork Ranger District 6735 West Fork Road, Darby, MT 59829 USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.