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kettle range conservation group joins the lands council

and conservation northwest to appeal the south end project

nobody has the 'right' to destroy the national forest
as you know for the past decade, krcg set aside the use of appeals and/or litigation as a tool to protect our colville and okanogan national forest and instead putting our passion into community collaboration to resolve problems associated with u.s. forest service management of our public lands. beginning in 2004, the krcg board of directors, members, friends and supporters have put in countless hours seeking to resolve conflicts with off-road vehicle (orv) recreation users. in many cases krcg was the lone voice for quiet recreation during forest service-led recreation travel planning meetings. we’ve adhered to a belief that “everyone has the right to use our national forests but nobody has the right to destroy them.”

forest service ignores illegal orv user-built trails
we are saddened to say that we have reached a point of no resolution regarding orv destruction of the colville national forest. on january 3rd the forest service is set to deploy their south end project decision that will embrace illegal orv user-built trails in the colville national forest in the calispell, tacoma and chewelah creek watersheds east of chewelah. the south end project decision worsens systemic problems regarding illegal trail construction and use of old logging roads closed to protect wildlife and water quality. by their actions, the forest service creates conditions that will likely cause serious impacts to people and the environment.

this is why krcg is joining with the lands council and conservation northwest to appeal the south end project. we communicated our concerns the forest supervisor laura jo west in the past weeks hoping to stave off appeal, but her response was “we will have a chance to discuss this further during the informal disposition period after your appeal is received.”

forest service fails to stop illegal orv use
the south end project proposal carries with it nothing to foster confidence that the forest service and orv users can be accountable for the problems this project is sure to create. we point out that the agency:

  1. has failed to stop illegal orv use in past, even where promised;
  2. has failed to restore many areas damaged by orv’s in past;
  3. lacks funding to prevent further illegal use spawned by south end project;
  4. lacks necessary funding to restore damage caused by previous orv abuse;
  5. lacks funding even to implement $750k in the infrastructure envisioned in the south end proposal.

"the fs does not have the money or resources to enforce the existing mvum, least of all this increased use. the forest service does not have a pot of money to implement this proposal." forest service environmental assessment; page 14

cumulatively, both legal and illegal routes are having significant impacts to the colville national forest including disruption of wildlife, spread of noxious weeds, noise, water and air pollution and increased risk of wildfire.

stay tuned for more information in future kettle range conservation group action alerts.

tim coleman, executive director
kettle range conservation group

 

 
take action

write the forest supervisor expressing your concerns about illegal ohv user-built trails.

laura jo west, forest supervisor
colville national forest
765 south main street
colville, wa 99114

 

 

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