Submitted by foc on Thu, 10/08/2009 - 10:09am
Save the St. Joe Forest from Motorized Madness
Foehl Creek is a spectacular drainage in the St. Joe Ranger District and a main tributary to the Little North Fork Clearwater. Its wilderness characteristics make it an outstanding asset for wildlife, clean watersheds and recreation. It is threatened by motorized use. In spite of the fact this is perhaps the wildest part of the entire Mallard-Larkins roadless area-- 260,000 plus acres of wild country—much of this area and a trail leading to the Little North Fork Clearwater will be allocated to motors under every alternative in the environmental assessment (EA) released by the Forest Service.
Equally bad, no trail in Grandmother Mountain is closed to motors in spite of the severe environmental damage caused by vehicles to the area. This fantastic roadless area is the closest wildland to Moscow. Ancient mountain hemlocks and small lakes are some of the unique features of this area
The St. Joe Ranger District of the combined Idaho Panhandle National Forest is currently designating routes and areas open to motorized use across the entire forest. This “Travel Planning” effort is supposed to address the problem of unmanaged and unregulated motorized recreation which the Forest Service claims has increased dramatically throughout the West in the past decade.
These areas should be wild and free from damaging motorized use, free from harmful forest practices, and free to be enjoyed unimpaired for generations to come. Please take the time to comment
Talking Points you may want to include in your comment
- A- Motorized recreation should not be allowed in any roadless areas on the St. Joe Ranger District. None of the Forest Service's alternatives do this, which violates the National Environmental Policy Act. In particular: all of Mallard Larkins should be dedicated to non-motorized uses. This includes Trail 120 and 595 upper Foehl Creek, trail 107 and part of trail 50 in lower Foehl Creek and the Little North Fork, trail 105 and the Beaver peak trail 37.
- The Little North Fork and Foehl Creek areas are the wildest portion of the Mallard-Larkins roadless area and are home to cutthroat, bull trout, wolves and mountain goats. The Little North Fork canyon is a very remote and a challenging kayak trip in high water.
- all of Grandmother Mountain should be closed. Trails 275, 261, 251, and 273 are seeing extreme damage from motorcycles vehicles. Also trails 52 34, 35.and 36 have damage and should be closed.
- B- all of the Mosquito Fly, Midget Peak and Stateline, roadless areas should be closed to motor vehicles. These areas see considerable hiking and horse use and vehicle use in incompatible with that use. They are also in the upper St. Joe drainage and contain crucial watersheds and important wildlife habitat.
- The proposal call for many motorized trail to cross non-motorized trail in the backcountry or, in some instances, motorized trails change to non-motorized in remote areas. This is completely unmanageable and is a prescription for disaster. Confusion over what is open and closed will reign. Instead, distinct roadless areas and all trails within them need to be closed to motor vehicles to make an enforceable and manageable situation.
- C- The plan does not deal with managing snowmobile use. This is a major failing as wolverines and lynx are harmed by this use.
Send comments by October 12 to:
Travel Management
St. Joe Ranger District
222 S 7th Street Suite 1
St Maries, ID 83861
or by email to: comments-northern-idpanhandle-stjoe@fs.fed.us
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