Dear Friends,
Motorized "wreck"reation continues to take its toll on public lands in the Clearwater. ORV use across in Idaho has skyrocketed in the last 10 years with virtually no agency acknowledgment of the ecological effects and little action to limit use on trails previously only used by foot and horse traffic.
Both Presidents Nixon and Carter signed executive orders to strictly limit the amount of motorized use on trails in the various public lands systems. Up until now the agencies have ignored these orders as well as their own management plans which mandate what we call "travel planning."
Such is the case on the Clearwater National Forest, whose management plan, drafted in 1987, mandates "travel planning" to deal with increasing user conflicts and growing ORV use. The Clearwater is finally taking a look at this issue and needs your input!
Please read our Action Alert and attend a public meeting if you can. They will be in Moscow, Kamiah, & Orofino later this month.
Clearwater Travel Planning Alert & Meeting Dates
It sure seems that the agencies charged with managing our public lands love waiting till the Holidays to ask for input. This year is no exception.
Idaho Fish & Game has just recently released their Draft Wolf Management Plan, comments due Dec. 31. This plan would bring back the "Lolo Wolf Hunt" which would kill up to 75% of the wolves in the Upper Lochsa/North Fork Clearwater through agency sponsored hunting, trapping, and cyanide poisoning.
Please take action today for wolves and a wild Clearwater with reduced motorized traffic.
all the best,
Will Boyd
Education Director
