Legislation for ALL Oregon Dunes

[Senator]

There were a small group of us that attended the field tour on Friday, including YZ Otis. There were six non-workgroup members who spent the whole day in the meeting on Saturday, including YZ Otis. I'm pleased to say that all six of us were OHV rights supporters. Quite a few others showed up for the public comment period. About a dozen of us made public comments including YZ Otis. Anyone who knows him should make a point to thank him for taking his time to come down, at his own expense, and do what so many others are unwilling or unable to do.

Those who came for only the brief time in the late morning to make a comment probably left with a false sense of optimism regarding the enormous battle we still have in front of us, as that portion was mildly optimistic. However, having spent Friday afternoon, Friday evening, all day Saturday and Saturday evening with members of the workgroup and local OHV supporters I can tell you with 100% ceratinty that optimistic is not the way you should feel about this. I learned a great deal this weekend and while I won't burden you with all of it, I'd like to share something with you all.

Please consider the following:
21% of the Oregon Dunes are currently open to OHV use
17% of the Oregon Dunes are regulated trails that are currently on the chopping block. It's this 17% that will disappear from OHV access very soon. I said WILL. Maybe not all of it but it is possible. And it is certain that large portions of it WILL BE LOST. How much depends on what the forest service ultimately decides.

Think about that. This workgroup is scheduled to make their recommendations to the forest service in June of 2010. Not next year, not the year after, or the one after that. This workgroup has some serious OHV opponents on it. Bird watchers, mushroom pickers, Snowy Plover advocates and local wealthy people who hate noise to name just a few. We have good people on our side on that workgroup but it's definately not enough. There are too many opponents for them to handle alone. Be afraid. In less than a few months, we could very easily lose another 17% of the dunes, leaving us with only 21% of the entire Oregon Dunes to ride on.

[QuickSand]

Just got around, this information and will be sending out my letters.
I don't ride Oregon but would love to someday. Don't let these stinking people take control, this movement will move onto other states and dune parks & will affect all in the long run. Thanks to all duners for taking a stand!

[Senator]

ODNRA OHV Designated Routes Working Group Meeting Notes from October 3, 2009:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/proj...ting-notes.pdf


ODNRA OHV Designated Routes Working Group Meeting Notes from November 6-7, 2009:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/proj...ting-notes.pdf


ODNRA OHV Designated Routes Working Group Meeting Notes from January 22 & 23:
(link is currently available but will be posted when that changes)

[Senator]

Originally Posted by Senator

Please consider the following:
21% of the Oregon Dunes are currently open to OHV use
17% of the Oregon Dunes are regulated trails that are currently on the chopping block. It's this 17% that will disappear from OHV access very soon. I said WILL. Maybe not all of it but it is possible. And it is certain that large portions of it WILL BE LOST. How much depends on what the forest service ultimately decides.

OK I have received some questions about this part. Sorry, I may have been unclear. Let me try again and I'll do better this time.

* A total of 38% of the Oregon Dunes is currently open for riding. Of that 38%:

-- 21% is zoned 10(B). It's basically the open sand that's still left open to OHV's. You can ride anywhere within those zones that you like. .

-- 17% is zoned 10(C). It's basically all the forested areas that are growing in that used to be open sand but are now either beach grass or trees. You used to be able to ride anywhere you wanted in these zones too but not anymore. That's what this work group is making recommendations to the forest service about. Which pieces, if any, to allow OHV use in. We could lose all of 10(C), we could only lose some. If we lose all of the 10(C) riding areas, that 17% of the dunes would be off limits, leaving only 21% to ride on.

[ROBS08YFZ450]

That sucks....the beach grass and forest trails are one of the best part of the Oregon dunes.

[sangheraent]

is there any way to call and talk to the mayors of reedsport and coos bay and see what they have to say about all of this? they have a pretty big stake in the area. what about the local people don't they care about the jobs? what senator said is true alot of people dont care they will just drive to the next dunes that should worry the locals?

[SegKast]

Originally Posted by sangheraent

is there any way to call and talk to the mayors of reedsport and coos bay and see what they have to say about all of this? they have a pretty big stake in the area. what about the local people don't they care about the jobs? what senator said is true alot of people dont care they will just drive to the next dunes that should worry the locals?

I was wondering the sme thing. How do the local business owners feel about this ? Have they been in attendence ? I know these towns aren't exactly brimming with jobs or swimming in cash...

Just the one Raptor Rally we had in Florence last year had to bring in at least $50-75K to the town with the 240+ people who attended just that one event.

I can't imagine the impact on the locals if this goes through !! I know I will definately be looking at making longer trip to places like ID and CA for sand. If I'm going to be forced to ride only open dunes, I would much rather do it somehwere that I won't cover the entire area in 45 minutes.

5-6 hour drive to trail-less OR dunes with small area of open dunes, or 12-24hour drive to BIG dunes, with Large areas of open dunes ? No brainer for me personally. I would say my family/friends spend anywhere from $5000-$10,000/year in OR between gas,food,lodging, etc. all together. This passes, and all they'll see from me is likely gas money as I drive my $$$ to California...

Unfortunately I wasn't able to make the trip down there this weekend, but I posted it on some of the other forums I visit, hopefully they had some turnout. I'll be writing to the contacts you listed before, I know I'm not a registered voter down there, but it can't hurt !

[Senator]

Yes, you would think the local business people would care. And guess what? They do. They care a lot. I talked with a few of them this weekend and I can assure you they are concerned.

Here's the first problem. They don't really have any more say in this than you and I do. The forest service makes these decisions, period.

Here's the second problem. If you think the forest service cares even a little bit about the devistational effect this will have on the economy, think again. They single-handedly wiped out the logging industry in Oregon. It ravaged Oregon's economy in an all but irreversible way. If you think the OHV industry brings money into Oregon, it's not even a drop in the bucket compared to what the loggin industry did for that place. And they did it without even a second thought about the economic impact.

I learned a great deal this weekend but one of the most dissappointing things of them all is that the forest service seems have little regard for the two most important issues involved:

1. Economic impact
2. What best for the survival of the oregon dunes

The OHV's that ride there are the only thing, and I mean the only thing, keeping the overgrowth at bay. The artificially planted foliage that's taking over the dunes at an exponential growth rate will kill the oregon dunes. It's happening right now and it will inevitably continue. I'll get some graphics up here depicting this.

All we can do is ride on it to slow the new growth from taking over. The less we can ride on, the faster it will take over. The faster it takes over, the more the forest service will close it down because it's now "forest" where dunes once were. As it slowly transforms from dune to forest, they take more away. Then more transforms from dunes to forest because it was taken away. Then they take away more...

[SegKast]

I feel you there, my family is from logging towns up here in Washington. Elma/Mcleary/Shelton, Aberdeen/Hoquim were all pretty much decimated in the early 90's. A lot of that had to do with the whole Spotted Owl thing too.

It's sad to drive through once prosperous towns to see closed stores all over and people out of work everywhere. Apparently bushes and birds are more important than people these days

FU*&$n Hippies !!

[ltd.yfz]

All i know is if they take the trails away then i'll prolly end up selling my quads and my dad too. Thats pretty much all we ride.