The White River National Forest plan hit the streets just over a month ago and it is a disaster. The "Alternative D" of this revision plan, if approved by Regional Forester Lyle Laverty and Martha Ketelle, (White River Forest Supervisor), will have severe implications on the snowmobile program currently administered by Colorado State Parks and affiliated agencies of the National Forest Service.

Not only will this forest plan impact snowmobiles, but it will negatively affect four-wheel drives, ski lifts/skiers, ATV's, dirt-bikes, and other user groups including hunters, mountain bikers, horseman and believe it or not, hikers. And, although this specific plan is for the White River National Forest, it will also have a devastating impact statewide and nationally due to the precedence it will establish for such policies.

Alternative D uses a policy of "closed unless posted open" for the White River National Forest. This means the entire 2.4 million acre Forest, the 5th largest in the US, is legally closed to all forms of travel unless a road, trail or area is specifically posted as "open." The area subject to this plan is massive and the results of the restrictions, outside of the economic losses, will include a migration of users to the remaining open areas. This will create overcrowding, safety concerns, maintenance & grooming issues, and straining on these areas as a whole. These new issues, compounded by the excessive concentration of people, (of which many will have different interests), will create additional user group conflicts as they try to use the same areas.

Here's what needs to be done our deadline is February 9, 2000.

1) Contact Carolyn Upton at the White River Forest in Glenwood Springs, and request a full copy of the White River Forest Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) including a set of maps of the area.

Her number is 970-945-2521.

The mailing address is:
Forest Planning, White River Forest
P.O. Box 949
Glenwood Springs, CO 81602-0948

Request via e-mail from fpc/r2_whiteriver@fs.fed.us.
(Note: Please Cc: Mel Wolf (melwolf@verinet.com) from the Colorado Snowmobile Association in your e-mail.)

(If you are in the local area, you can also check with your closest White River Forest District office too.)

2) Support the White River Forest Alliance. This group consists of concerned forest users who are combining their efforts and developing strategic plans to fight the proposed management changes as outlined in the draft plan. Contributions to the legal fund are needed and can be sent to:

White River Forest Alliance
P.O. Box 1000
Carbondale, CO 81623

or

CSA's "Right to Ride"
c/o Tonya VanBeber
3500 Centennial Circle
Evans, CO 80620

or

CSA Administrative Manager
0083 County Road 261
Silt, CO 81652

3) Write letters and send E-mails! Follow this link to a sample letter. Feel free to print it off and mail it, or cut and paste it into an e-mail. Better yet, if you have the time, write a personal letter of you own.

Here are the addresses you need to send your letter to:

Supervisors Office
White River National Forest
P.O. Box 949
Glenwood Springs, CO 81602

E-mail to:

To: fpc/r2_whiteriver@fs.fed.us
(Note: Please Cc: Mel Wolf (melwolf@verinet.com) from the Colorado Snowmobile Association in your e-mail.)