4x4Wire

The US Forest Service recently issued the 10-Year Trail Shared Stewardship Challenge which is billed as “…a call to action to increase our collective capacity to care for trails and increase on-the-ground results.” To read a brochure about the Trail Challenge click here.

The Trail Challenge consists of three phases. The Forest Service describes phase one, “the Launch and Learn” phase:

During the Launch and Learn phase, we are focusing on adaptive “learning lab” approaches that invite and encourage innovation and sharing. Success is driven by Forest Service regions and units working in collaboration with trail community stakeholders at local and broader levels to implement Trail Challenge elements (or portions of elements) when and where it makes the most sense. Successes and lessons learned during the Launch and Learn phase will help in refining, standardizing, and setting requirements of the two remaining phases of the Trail Challenge.

National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act (H.R. 845) has passed in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.  The bi-partisan supported legislation now heads to the the desk of President Obama for his signature in the last step to become law.

This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to publish a national strategy to significantly increase the role of volunteers and partners in trail maintenance.

The strategy shall:

Kaibab National Forest officials are expecting increased numbers of visitors at the forest’s more popular recreational areas over the Fourth of July weekend. Visitors are encouraged to use caution during all recreational activities that could potentially cause personal injury or a wildfire. The following are tips for having a safe and pleasant visit to the Kaibab National Forest: 

Campfires, Smoking and Fireworks: Forest visitors are reminded that although some areas of the forest have received some isolated moisture, the forest remains in very high fire danger and campfire and smoking restrictions are in effect in order to protect public health and reduce preventable human-caused fires.

Announces Steps to Modernize Recreation Permitting Process

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell today announced steps to make it easier for outfitters, guides, schools, non-profits and other partners to take groups out to enjoy outdoor activities on national forests and grasslands. By streamlining the approach to special-use permitting for national forests and grasslands, our natural resources will be even more accessible to Americans.

BOISE, ID (May 31) -- Sharetrails.org/BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC), a national trail-based recreation group, today slammed recent decisions that would severely restrict off-highway vehicle (OHV) events and trail improvements in many areas in eastern California and Nevada.  The changes, in the name of sage grouse management, were demanded by a handful of preservationist special interest groups.