|   California Wilderness Update | Warrior's Society
Nov 5, 2003 5:52 PM | | Before we proceed with our access alerts, the Warrior's Society offers its sympathy, best wishes and prayers to all those individuals and families who were affected by the devastating Southern California wildfires. Many lives and homes were lost as a result of this tragedy and it is our hope that the conditions that fed these fires are addressed in the future.
This is a detailed update on important issues that not only affect your access, but more importantly the health of our forests and protection of communities adjacent to them. Please take the time to read this alert and share it with your friends and those affected by the fires. It is important that the agenda and the ideology of the environmental industry are exposed. We will be sending out an update this Thursday on the Healthy Forests Initiative, which passed the Senate last week.
In this issue:
1. California Wilderness Bill Update
2. Dave Forman the founder of the eco-terrorist group EarthFirst! and a key leader in the push for wilderness designations
3. International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) - are they effectively opposing the wilderness designation?
1. WILDERNESS BILL UPDATE
In a previous update we informed you of Senator Boxer and the environmental industry's attempt to push wilderness designations by breaking her statewide wilderness bill into smaller bills. The first instance of this was Rep. Thompson's Northern California specific wilderness bill introduced earlier this year.
Congresswoman Hilda Solis, D-El Monte, has joined Thompson in introducing wilderness legislation. Her bill will cover Southern California and as we mentioned Thompson's bill will cover Northern California. Together, the two bills cover about 2.7 million acres of wilderness additions.
As the fires burn in our local forests, I wonder how many Californian's know of Senator Boxer, Representative Solis, Representative Thompson and the environmental industry's push to worsen the situation by declaring a large portion of these forests as wilderness, a designation that will cripple our ability to use all methods possible to prevent the destruction we are experiencing.
The wilderness designation prevents the use of any gas powered machinery, such as chain saws, brush saws, motorized vehicles, and low flying aircraft within areas designated as wilderness. Fire prevention measures such as fuel removal is extremely expensive; not being able to use gas powered machinery only adds to the cost.
The Southern California Bill includes areas in the Angeles, San Bernardino, Cleveland and Los Padres National Forests that are under the threat of the same devastating fires that have resulted in the loss of many lives, destroyed millions of acres of forest, and destroyed thousands of homes. This does not include billions of dollars in infrastructure losses and fire fighting costs - money that Californian's do not have due to the near bankruptcy of our state.
Several Forest Service officials from the Angeles National Forest and Palomar District in the Cleveland National Forest have written that fire prevention and fighting are one of their main concerns in a letter to wilderness advocates attained by the BRC using the Freedom of Information Act as well as an internal memo released to the Warrior's Society. Democratic Senator Feinstein has yet to support these bills because she shares the concerns of Forest Service officials - and may also be concerned about the links of the current wilderness push to Dave Forman, the founder of EarthFirst!.
Senator Feinstein was key to the success of the Healthy Forests Initiative and we'll have more on this in our Healthy Forests Alert to be sent out later this week.
From the Angeles National Forest Supervisor's letter:
"My primary concern regarding the proposed wildernesses is for fire management issues. Wilderness designation affects vegetation management and fire suppression capability. This is of particular concern in the areas proposed closest to urban interface areas, such as the area you delineated west, south and east of Placerita Canyon State Park, and the area you delineated around Silver Mountain. In addition, the Pleasant View and Magic Mountain areas are adjacent to private lands to the north posing fire risks to those lands.
Congress has tasked the USDA Forest Service, along with other agencies, to increase fire management in high-risk areas by increasing fire suppression capability, by increasing vegetation management and by working cooperatively with the communities at risk. The Forest Service National Fire Plan addresses these three tasks. For example, the Placerita and Silver Mountain areas both have vegetation management plans involving the use of mechanized equipment.
Designation as wilderness would limit our ability to manage these areas to reduce risk. Suppression techniques in these areas would also be limited, increasing risk to urban interface areas."
To read the complete Letter:
http://www.warriorssociety.org/News/WildernessAlert07.html
From the Palomar District memo:
"Due to a variety of reasons, we are not managing these areas to the best of our ability as it is; Wilderness Area designations will only limit our ability to manage these areas further.
Fire management is the single most important aspect to land management on the Cleveland National Forest, Wilderness Area designations will only hinder or limit our ability to manage for fire and suppression activities, regardless of what the Wilderness Act states."
To read the complete memo:
http://www.warriorssociety.org/News/WildernessAlert14.html
What if we had not defeated the wilderness proposals for the Trabuco District in the Cleveland National Forest?
The communities of Modjeska, Silverado, Coto De Caza, Mission Viejo, Ladera, Corona, and Lake Elsinore would be even more susceptible to devastating fires, or in the words of the Forest Service: "Designation as wilderness would limit our ability to manage these areas to reduce risk. Suppression techniques in these areas would also be limited...)
Senator Boxer and the environmental industry, led by the founder of EarthFirst! Dave Forman, continue to ignore the concerns of forest managers, which have been confirmed by the recent devastating fires.
To view all our alerts on the push for wilderness designated areas in California and their detrimental effect on managing our forests go to:
http://www.warriorssociety.org/News/SierraClubSeeksWilderness.html
The information posted in these alerts should be used as talking points to denounce the wilderness bills being presented in California and across the nation.
It is time to free the management of our public lands from an ideology based on emotion to one based on reason and sound science. Our freedom to recreationally access our public lands pales in comparison with the threats this ideology and the wilderness designation presents to the long-term health of our forests; we must expose the fallacy of it.
To do otherwise will be a devastating legacy to leave to our children. It is because of this the Warrior's Society finds itself in deep disagreement with the environmental industry - and we will make no excuses for this.
To quote Alston Chase Ph.D. man of letters and author of "Playing God in Yellowstone"
"The lesson in Playing God is that there is no such thing as leaving nature alone. People are part of creation. We do not have the option of choosing not to be stewards of the land. We must master the art and science of good stewardship. Unfortunately, a good many environmentalists still do not understand that the only way to preserve nature is to manage nature."
2. DAVE FORMAN THE FOUNDER OF THE ECO-TERRORIST GROUP EARTHFIRST! AND A KEY LEADER IN THE PUSH FOR WILDERNESS DESIGINATIONS
Although the environmental industry, including the Sierra Club, likes to portray their agenda as mainstream and science based, very few people are aware that one of the main leaders in the push for wilderness areas as well as the ideology it is based on is Dave Forman, the founder of EarthFirst!, the radical eco-terrorist organization responsible for many acts of violence.
Do you doubt this? Read the following:
"One of America's best known and experienced conservation leaders, Dave Foreman has worked as a Washington lobbyist for the Wilderness Society, served on the Sierra Club Board of Directors, and co-founded Earth First! in 1980. During the 1990s, he has been publisher of Wild Earth journal and chairman of The Wildlands Project. He is author of The Big Outside (with Howie Wolke), Confessions of an Eco-Warrior, and a new novel, The Lobo Outback Funeral Home."
http://www.commonwaters.org/calendar.html
"REWILDING NORTH AMERICA Tuesday, October 21, 7:00 PM
The indomitable DAVE FORMAN is coming! In his new position as director of the Rewilding Institute, an offshoot of the Wildlands Project he has been spearheading for some years, he will discuss his goal of continental conservation (all of North America), and how he hopes to achieve it. He is writing a book on this topic, to be published by Island Press in 2004. As you may remember, Dave was an original member of Earth First! He has been working on conservation issues his entire adult life, was a director of the Sierra Club some years ago, and has written three books: The Lobo Outback Funeral Home, Confessions of an Eco Warrior, and The Big Outside. He will have copies of Lobo Outback available for sale and signing."
http://riogrande.sierraclub.org/santafe/home.html
The key words in this Northern New Mexico Sierra Club Group announcement is: "he will discuss his goal of continental conservation (all of North America)"
What does this mean? To quote Dave Forman:
"We must make this an insecure and inhospitable place for capitalists and their projects.. We must reclaim the roads and plowed land, halt dam construction, tear down existing dams, free shackled rivers and return to wilderness millions of tens of millions of acres of presently settled land." David Foreman, Earth First!
To find out how intricately Dave Forman is involved in the mainstream environmental movement do a google search of his name with other key words such as "Wildlands Project," "Wilderness," "EarthFirst!," "Sierra Club."
The Wildlands Project proposes to return most of North America to what Dave Forman and his allies consider an untouched state. To get an idea of the true intentions and ideology of the Wildlands Project and its ties to the current push for wilderness go to the Earth First! web site which will show you where this campaign has its origins:
http://www.earthfirstjournal.org/efj/primer/different.html
The California Wilderness Campaign touts its support of the Wildlands Project on its web site:
http://www.calwild.org/campaigns/cwp.php
Do you think Dave Forman cares if the land management policies he pushes, based on a radical ideology that espouses terrorist acts, results in the loss of homes and lives? I'll let you make that assumption based on his words and the words of the Earth First! Newsletter:
"We advocate biodiversity for biodiversity's sake. It may take our extinction to set things straight." David Foreman, Earth First!
"Phasing out the human race will solve every problem on earth, social and environmental." Dave Forman, Founder of Earth First!
"If radical environmentalists were to invent a disease to bring human populations back to sanity, it would probably be something like AIDS" Earth First! Newsletter
Plus a quote from the co-founder of the Wildlands Project, Dr. Reed F. Noss:
"The collective needs of non-human species must take precedence over the needs and desires of humans." Dr. Reed F. Noss, The Wildlands Project
Tens of thousands have had their livelihoods destroyed, their families ruined, lost their homes, savings and retirements for no good reason other than the glorification of environmental ignorance; an unscientific ideology that seeks to remove us from large areas of the western United States and has its roots in the eco-terrorist organization EarthFirst!.
Environmental groups are receiving tax-deductible contributions to advocate for and against legislation, to conduct their junk science to the detriment of public lands, and to enrich their lawyers with our tax dollars. It is time for this to stop, not for the sake of our access, but for the sake of our forests and the protection of the public.
Do you trust Dave Forman (and his allies in the Wildlands Project, including the Sierra Club) to set public lands management policy considering their radical agenda?
Apparently California Senator Barbara Boxer does as she is their biggest supporter. Remember this in 2004 when she comes up for re-election.
As far as the Wildlands Project here is some background:
All wilderness proposals are being coordinated by the environmental industry as part of the Wildlands Project, which was initiated by Reed Noss and Dave Forman, the founder of Earth first.
Their web site: http://www.twp.org/
The following site provides information on the Wildlands Project using the words of the founders of the movement, including Dave Forman, one of the founders of Earth First!
http://www.wildlandsprojectrevealed.org/index.html
3. INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BIKE ASSOCIATION (IMBA) ARE THEY EFFECTIVELY OPPOSING THE WILDERNESS DESIGNATION?
Gary Sprung, the legislative and policy representative for IMBA (in a conversation on the phone with the Director of the Warrior's Society during our fight against the wilderness designations here in the Cleveland National Forest), excused the environmental industry's push for wilderness areas in Orange County that did not meet the criteria for wilderness by stating "You can understand their concern now that the new administration (Bush) is going to mow down the forests."
Hello Gary - there nothing to log in the Trabuco District of the Cleveland National Forest! I guess he and his environmental friends prefer the forests burn down - and take all the endangered species with them. An article in the paper during the recent fires stated that the California Condor recovery may be in jeopardy because of the threat of fire burning down their habitat.
Of course if our forests do burn down they'll have to be closed to public access so the can be rehabilitated. And if this rehabilitation is like others the environmental industry will take the opportunity to remove as many trails and roads as possible to keep people out. Agencies have often closed public lands and trails altogether for rehab, sometimes trails are forever closed. This happened to an old county road on Palomar several years ago. The USFS denied any responsibility to re open the trail/road even though a BackCountry Horseman's unit had adopted it.
While our nation's forests burn, the environmental industry fiddles playing the tune of more wilderness and "preservation" at the expense and destruction of our forests - and by their silence and unwillingness to expose these issues to their members - IMBA's ability to effectively protect our forests and preserve our access is severely limited - to our detriment.
How has IMBA responded?
They ignored the "Mountain Bikers for Wilderness" fraud that we brought to their attention and exposed:
http://www.warriorssociety.org/News/WildernessAlert16.html
They issued a "Joint Statement of Commitments" that stated they would encourage "pro-wilderness perspectives" as stated in a quote from the "Joint Statement of Commitments":
"Wilderness and mountain biking enthusiasts will use their communication tools to share information about each other's views - e.g., we will encourage publication of pro-Wilderness perspectives in mountain biking media and pro-mountain biking perspectives in conservation media."
To see the entire "Joint Statement of Commitments":
http://www.warriorssociety.org/News/WildernessAlert22.html
A 4 billion dollar environmental industry does not need the help of IMBA to push for wilderness designations, especially considering their refusal to drop areas in the bill where we have tremendous mountain biking opportunities.
IMBA is taken for a ride again, and it is not on a bike.
In the current Forest Plan process the Center for Biodiversity, the Wildlands Project, the Sierra Club and their allies are pushing to restrict access including here in the Cleveland National Forest. They are pushing to remove the Harding Truck Trail, a popular trail and fire fighting/emergency access road open only to official vehicles.
During the fire rehabilitation process you can guarantee they will be pushing to close areas off permanently.
The environmental movement's solution is to just thin out around communities. How will this stop the destruction of our forests and the killing of millions of species? Will the environmental industry then sue to close off all our forests because of the shrinking habitat for the endangered species that are left?
IMBA's flawed strategy is they support the radical ideology of the environmental industry and hope that in the future they can convince the environmental industry to allow mountain bikes in wilderness areas. But in recent article posted on the Wild Earth web site, Dave Forman, the Chairman of the Wildlands Project and Founder of EarthFirst! stated unequivocally that this would never happen under his watch:
"Existing wilderness areas must remain completely closed to bicycles and other human-powered wheeled contraptions."
http://www.warriorssociety.org/News/mtn_bike.pdf
We have seen only the beginning of the destruction that will befall our forests. The fires in Southern California are only a taste of what is to come across our nation.
IMBA's biased support of the radical agenda of the environmental industry should not take precedence over advocating sound forest management policy and fighting for our historical access. IMBA must educate their supporters on the liabilities and the limitations presented by the wilderness designation that far exceed the emotional evidence provided by the environmental industry.
We have science to back us and the momentum of the proven failures of the policies of the environmental industry, which has been vividly presented by these devastating fires. The environmental industry and their political benefactors can no longer hide from the failures of their policies.
IMBA must decide if their strategy will be biased in support of the radical agenda of the environmental industry - or whether they will expose it and the threats it poses to protecting our forests, communities and access.
SENATOR BOXER AND FEINSTEIN'S CONTACT INFORMATION
Please take the time to call Senator Feinstein to thank her for her support of the Healthy Forests Initiative and for not supporting the current wilderness bills. Senator Feinstein Main District Office: One Post St., #2450 San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: (415) 393-0707
Email: http://www.senate.gov/~feinstein/email.html
Fax: (619) 231-1108
Fax: (310) 914-7318
Fax: (415) 989-3242
Fax: (202) 228-3954
Fax: (559) 485-9689
Fax a copy of your message to Senator Boxer.
Contact Senator Boxer and let her know of your concern for her support of the agenda of Dave Forman of EarthFirst! and the environmental industry in pushing for wilderness designations.
Senator Boxer
Main District Office:
1700 Montgomery St., #240
San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: (415) 403-0100
Email: http://www.senate.gov/~boxer/contact/webform.html
Fax: (213) 894-5012
Fax: (909) 888-8613
Fax: (619) 239-5719
Fax: (559) 497-5111
Fax: (415) 956-6701
Fax: (916) 448-2563
"In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only. [Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml]"
The Warrior's Society
A Tax-Exempt organization under 501(c) 4 of the IRS Code
www.warriorssociety.org
A MTBAccess affiliated club
http://www.mtbaccess.com |
| Stop the emotion tugging and attack style and leave IMBA alone | smilycook
Nov 6, 2003 8:15 AM | | I can understand some of the attacts on the enviromental groups, but I am certaintly not a fan of the attack & emotion tugging style tactics you use. Portray the facts don't bullshit, which is the same thing the enviromental groups do. You are stepping to their level to fight them, I encourage you to hold your self to a higher moral standard. You alert sounds like something I would hear on the 6'o-clock news.
What is up with all this IMBA bashing too, just because they have different tactics in fighting wilderness. What do you think is the biggest benifit IMBA provides to the wilderness fight, it is not lobbying against wilderness but the education and sustainable trail ethic that IMBA preaches. It would be a lot easier to kick every mountain biker off of every trail if the trails themselves were a maintainence and erosion nightmares. Sustainable trails improve our image more than most people think. Don't bash IMBA instead encourage every mountain biker to join IMBA, MTBAccces and there local club because numbers and money speak a lot stronger words!
Chris |
| rant rant rant blah blah blah | Freshsushi
Nov 6, 2003 9:21 AM | | "IMBA's biased support of the radical agenda of the environmental industry..." Is everyone in california crazy or just you guys? The wilderness zealots have nothing to worry about with you on the case bashing what is probably the only organization that can help bikers at this level. Has MTBA hired lawyers and lobbyist in DC yet? I thought you were supposed to be about "taking it to them in court with facts..." Sems the facts don't factor into your rants... |
| re: California Wilderness and IMBA Bashing... again... yawn. | The Preacher
Nov 6, 2003 12:30 PM | | If WS and MTBaccess spent half as much time doing what they say IMBA is NOT doing, as they do bashing IMBA on this and other web sites, then perhaps they would have a leg to stand on when it comes to trolling for new recruits. IMBA's results over time have been very successful. Do you really think that IMBA does not know that it is not in their best interest to completely fail on the Wilderness issues? Do you think they want to lose the support of their industry sponsors and members? C'mon.
I'm not saying that IMBA is the last word, or that you do not have any valid points in your arguments. But instead of uncovering the failures of your competition (competition in your eyes only), why don't you just concentrate on getting things done, the way ytou think is right? Then, once you have accomplished something, go ahead and toot your horn about the POSITIVE impacts that WS and MTBaccess are haiving on the MTB community. Stop spreading negative propaganda.
BTW, members of our family lost 5 homes in Waterman Canyon. They're not bitching about forest management. They were prepared for the disaster, and they accept their recent (great) loss as one of the prices they pay for living in the mountains.... just as the native americans (whom I know you love to pretend to emulate) accepted forest fires in days long past. The fact is, forests WILL manage themselves, and they have for eons. The problems arise when humans choose to live in areas that are prone to fire. It's the reason that I have never bought a cabin in the mountains. I know that someday -- maybe sooner, maybe later -- that it would burn. |
| California Wilderness and IMBA Bashing... such BS!. | BobL
Nov 6, 2003 2:15 PM | | Well Preach, I find myself agreeing with you... ARRRGHH!
But that's OK, 'cause every word you write is for real. This IMBA bashing is so ludicrous (sp?) OK, STUPID (I can spell that)that it's a wonder what part of the body Mr. Vargas is thinking with.
And just for everyone's info, posts on this board from 2dirtwheels, "Truth", "Information", and most recently "IMBA Lies" are ALL from the Warriors Society/Vargas camp. Nice productive stuff, eh?
And I too live in a fire danger community in SoCal(Silverado Canyon). I make sure the insurance is paid, the "run bag" is packed, and accept the fact that I just might lose it all someday in return for the pure joy I get for being able to live in the mountains and have trails in my backyard, literally!
P.S. Hey Preach, you gonna be at Giant Bicycles Friday afternoon? Would love to meet you face to face. |
| Yep, I'll be there... | The Preacher
Nov 6, 2003 3:32 PM | | See you there, BobL!
-P |
| In the interests of fairness.... | Ken in KC.
Nov 6, 2003 2:37 PM | | MTBA is a separate entity from the WS. MTBA had nothing to do with this "news release".
MTBA and WS are two separate and distinct organizations.
And I agree, the IMBA bashing needs to stop, as does the MTBAccess bashing. It's not productive, and detracts from the big picture: Increased access for mountain bikes.
Regardless of the organization, and the affiliations, increased access should be our focus. Don't like IMBA's approach? Cool. Don't like MTBAccess' approach? That's cool too. As long as you realize that both organizations are working toward the same goal. They may have different approaches, but the long term goal of both organizations remains more trails for mountain biking.
So, can we stop bashing IMBA? It's counter productive and a waste of time and energy. Can we also stop bashing MTBAccess? That too is counter productive.
Ken |
| Can we also stop bashing MTBAccess? | The Preacher
Nov 6, 2003 3:45 PM | | Hmmm... I'll try, I guess. What makes it hard is that the only thing I've heard out of them is more negative rhetoric, ala their "affiliated" club, the WS. In particular, it's the know-it-all attitude that I particularly despise. That, and the X-Files-esq, something-ELSE-is-REALLY-going-on-behind-closed-IMBA-doors conspriacy theories. Give me a break.
Fine. Maybe these people really do know it all. But if so, I challenge them to do something positive, preferably something big, to prove that they are the shit and IMBA is not. I'm not blindly committed to IMBA. But I'm sure not going to jump on any bandwagon until that wagon has been through and won some battles. I bet that IMBA's industry sponsors and most of it's members feel the same way. |
| It's not an IMBA vs. MTBAccess Issue | Ken in KC.
Nov 7, 2003 12:27 PM | | The WS is an affiliated MTBAccess club, but then again, they're not the only affiliated club. The WS pays dues to MTBAccess, and as such, they are affiliated. That doesn't mean that they represent MTBAccess any more than an IMBA member club represents IMBA. They're simply members. The local Kansas City mountain bike club (Earth Riders) is an IMBA and MTBAccess affiliated club. That doesn't mean that Earth Riders represents either organization. On the contrary, it means that Earth Riders chooses to be represented by both IMBA and MTBAccess.
I haven't heard the any X-files rhetoric from anyone on the MTBAccess board, which is who represents MTBAccess. MTBAccess was formed due to frustrations with IMBA's executive management. In other words, rather than creating a bunch of political infighting within IMBA, a group decided that they were going to take a different approach. Not a "better" approach, not an "IMBA sucks and we kick ass" approach, but an alternate approach.
(soapbox) One of my biggest frustrations with people is that they manage from a distance. They cast stones, they bitch about the way other people manage, but when you ask them to get involved, they respond by saying, "Oh no, not me. I'm to busy. I think I have all the answers, but I want someone else to carry them out on my behalf". Another way to look at this is that they're bitching. They're complaining about people going out and trying to make a difference, and to make something work. (/soapbox) This is the point of the post where I tie my rant back in to your concerns with MTBAccess.....
The founding members of MTBAccess are former IMBA executives and advocacy leaders. They disagreed with IMBA's approach toward a number of national (North American, really) policies and directives. Rather than bickering and dividing focus internally within IMBA, they formed MTBAccess.
MTBAccess specifically doesn't consider itself "the shit" while contending that IMBA is "not the shit". MTBAccess supports IMBA. MTBAccess feels that IMBA is a fantastic organization that provides a tremendous benefit to mountain biking and mountain biking advocacy. On the other hand, the MTBAccess founders chose to form a separate entity to take a different approach toward advocacy, rather than bitching about the direction that IMBA has chosen to take.
The Warrior's Society, a very vocal member of MTBAccess, have chosen a different approach as well. IMO, bashing IMBA is a counter productive approach and I've indicated that in no uncertain terms to Chris Vargas. Then again, I recognize their right to take that approach. I'm not interested in joining the WS. I'm not interested in affiliating myself with the WS. However, other than offering my opinion on their IMBA bashing, I'm not going to tell them how to run their organization because that would mean I'm trying to manage the WS from a distance without being involved. In other words, I would be bitching.
As far as MTBAccess coming out of the blocks with Earth shattering results, I ask you to please be fair. I know you're extremely involved with mountain bike access and advocacy. I also know that you realize that access and advocacy is a long, slow, grinding process. That's the very reason why only a few people choose to become involved. It's not instantly gratifying and it takes a special kind of perversion to keep at it year after year for relatively small gains.
MTBAccess will not convince you to join based on a super sexy announcement or agreement in the next couple of months. After all, they've just started what we all agree is a long, slow slog. Successful advocacy takes patience and persistence.
What MTBAccess will do however, is demonstrate their commitment and dedication to access with consistency and professionalism. You won't wake up one day and say, "Wow! I'm joining MTBAccess because they were successful where IMBA wasn't." You will join MTBAccess one day when you realize that all the rumors regarding MTBAccess simply weren't true. That they are more dedicated to increasing land access for mountain bikers than politics, and that they've proven to you in no uncertain terms that they are a valuable resource for you to use in order to improve access where you live and ride. That's the day when you'll join MTBAccess. You'll remain an IMBA member too, because they are also an integral part of the big picture: Mountain bike access to land based on science and reason, not perception and emotion.
Feel free to keep this dialogue open and ask any questions you may have regarding MTBAccess. You many also email me directly at kminer@minertech.com
Ken Miner |
| It's not an IMBA vs. MTBAccess Issue | The Preacher
Nov 7, 2003 1:28 PM | | Hi Ken, I agree that it's not "them against us." I agree that there is room for an alternative, and/or a supplement to IMBA. My problem, and one of my main reasons for not having more respect for them, is that the ONLY people that I have heard from -- regarding MTBaccess -- are guys like Chris Vargas and Grant Curtis, always sporting the know-it-all attitude and x-files suspicions.
I also do know that progress takes lots and lots of time, and I am not really challenging MTBaccess to prove their worth by pulling a rabbit out of a hat. I just wish somebody there would spend more time publishing the positive instead of counting on Dances With Tailpipes and GC to spread the negative. Whether these guys are directly involved with MTBaccess or not, they are tarnishing the overall image of the group. |
| Could be... | Ken in KC.
Nov 7, 2003 1:47 PM | | The challenge that MTBAccess faces is that as a new organization, they have plenty of energy and enthusiasm, but no cash.
I think it's an understatement to say that the WS is frustrated with IMBA (please, no IMBA bashing responses), so they've joined MTBAccess based on MTBA's commitment for a different approach toward advocacy. As a result, the WS is excited about MTBA because they do represent an alternative to IMBA, with whom they're frustrated.
I don't agree or approve of the Warrior's Society approach. I don't make a secret about that. It is important however, to realize that the WS and MTBAccess aren't the same organization.
Let's be honest, until MTBAccess takes a stand on an issue, no one is going to be able to fairly judge the organization. I agree that the WS doesn't present MTBAccess in the most positive light. In fact, MTBAccess doesn't agree with the Warrior's Society's IMBA bashing. Since MTBAccess doesn't run the WS, they can't and don't have an impact on how Chris and the rest of the group present themselves.
MTBA will file a position on the Fruita/Grand Junction BLM plan before the November 14 deadline for comments. I will either post that position here, or I will post a link to the position. At that point, I would love to have your opinion of the organization and to hear your ideas for improving the effectiveness of MTBAccess. It's at that point when you'll see exactly what MTBAccess' position and approach toward advocacy will be.
Ken |
| come on, preach. | gc
Nov 10, 2003 8:01 AM | | Really, this is negative?
http://www.socalmtb.com/socal/messages/messages/99851.htm
It must be because I disagreed with you, which you seem to hate. We were discussing an issue on a previous thread in which we disagreed and you got upset about it. Perhaps we should bring up your "wanna fight?" thread...
Kettle, meet pot. |
| you're so out of my league, GC.. | The Preacher
Nov 10, 2003 10:33 AM | | ..with that gigantic brain and inherant "coolness" about you. BTW, it was "wanna argue" but I won't back down from a "fight" either. I'm just saying that you and CV are in the same league. |
| check the ego at the door. | gc
Nov 10, 2003 12:44 PM | | Well, I don't want to argue or fight. What I do want to do is keep trails open for bike riders and help create technical trails as well. The arguing and fighting are a waste of time unless trails are being opened.
Damned shame, my friend who met you at the IMBA thing said you are a nice guy but it really doesn't translate in ink. Really a shame since I thought Rich P was cool as well.
See ya in January at the trailwork event. |
| pot, meet kettle | The Preacher
Nov 10, 2003 1:40 PM | | "check the ego at the door." |
| Holy waste of time, Batman! | Ken in KC.
Nov 10, 2003 2:07 PM | | It seems to me that you both want the same goal: Increased trail access for mountain bikers. It also seems to me that you have different ideas on how to reach that same goal. Two different approaches toward the same goal is OK, isn't it? Does one have to be right at the expense of the other?
Can't you agree to disagree, treat each other with some sort of decency, and move on?
Someone simply agree to let the other have the last word, and move on. This tit for tat BB spat is not where it's at. (with my apologies to Dr. Seuss).
Ken |
| The sad decline of the Warriors Society | Fergie
Nov 6, 2003 1:16 PM | | Damn, I remember checking out the Warriors Society website a few years ago (still have it bookmarked from back then), and reading about the trail work, rides, meetings and parties, and all the other stuff the club did. I thought it was great, and recall looking up to them as almost an ideal of what a mtb club could be.
Then things started to change. Probably it was the whole Wilderness thing, but the tone of the club changed. Fear and desperation started to run through the newsletters. Strawman tactics and innuendo reigned. What was once about trails and riding became an at-all-costs defense of the American way of life from attacks by hippies, "radicals", tree huggers, and those "against us".
Pretty sad. I support conservation, radical environmentalism, and your trails and riding opportunities, and I have put in the trailwork to prove it. I think myself and many others have been turned away from your cause by the tactics you employ. Have a bowl of fun going after the likes of Forman and the others, but at the end of the day I don't think what you're doing really benefits mountain biking, especially for those future generations that your club is supposed to be for. |
| It's worse then I thought -look who is doing the trailwork there | Fergie
Nov 6, 2003 2:35 PM | | According to the WS site, "We are no longer involved in trail maintenance in the County and State parks, please contact SHARE Mountain Bike Club for information on trail work at these parks." So what trail work has the club done this year?
Good question.
They "Brushed" a half dozen or so trails, rerouted 1, and hung some signs with a horse group... Wow, a tough year! No wonder they have all this free time to come up with the anti-wilderness stuff. How many members does the WS have again? I remember it used to be pretty big back in the day.
On the other hand, take a look at the folks over at SHARE Mountain bike club. http://www.sharemtb.com
Here is their About Us page - Every club should be as cool!
http://www.sharemtb.com/html/about.asp
Their Volunteer Trail Assistance Program - a funny read
http://www.sharemtb.com/html/trailAsstProgram.asp
Looks like I know who to look to for good info about what is really going on there - SHARE mountain bike club. |
| More WS BS | BobL
Nov 6, 2003 2:04 PM | | Once again the Chris Vargas and the Warrior's Society is out on the warpath spreading false info:
"What if we had not defeated the wilderness proposals for the Trabuco District in the Cleveland National Forest?
The communities of Modjeska, Silverado, Coto De Caza, Mission Viejo, Ladera, Corona, and Lake Elsinore would be even more susceptible to devastating fires, or in the words of the Forest Service: "Designation as wilderness would limit our ability to manage these areas to reduce risk. Suppression techniques in these areas would also be limited...) "
First of all, Mr.Vargas and W.S. had nothing to do with the defeat of the Wilderness proposals here in Trabuco District of the CNF. It was purely political pressure leveled at Ms. Boxer, et al, from S.C.A.G., or Southern Calif. Assoc. of Gov'ts. and some other local groups who want to see the option for a freeway to be built through the National Forest left open. A road, by the way, that the Warriors Society ENDORSES! In fact, Mr Vargas was once a member of a local group know as the Trabuco Protection Group (TPG) that was looking into alternative designations to the big "W". Our intention was, and is, to protect the trails and natural rescources from development, such as freeway building. But because TPG came out specificaly against the road, Vargas and his tribe left the group!
Yep, W.S. wants access, even to freeways that would obliterate or threaten famous trails like Holy Jim and the San Juan Trail.
And as far as some of the communities listed in the above quote, I can say with impunity that many folks AND mtbr's in both Silverado and Modjeska Canyons want nothing to do with Mr.Vargas and his "tribe".
And BTW, I hope no one is gullible enough to believe that if life and property are threatened by wildfire, a big "W" designation is going to stop firefighters from doing all that's necessrary to protect it. |
| My little sheep | Dances With Hornets
Nov 6, 2003 11:11 PM | | Oh Fergie our relationship goes back a long way, but not as far back as my good friend Bob Loeffler.
I do have a lot of fun on this board and truly enjoy the interaction with many of you.
And Fergie, if you have any doubt about our trail work, we were awarded the Trail Advocate Award for Region 5 by the the U.S. Forest Service in 2002.
Do you doubt me? Check out this link:
http://www.warriorssociety.org/Newsletters/2002_Winter/Opening_Winter02.html
Nothing has changed in regard to our effectiveness in maintaining the Trails in the Trabuco District of the Cleveland National Forest. If you doubt this I suggest you contact and of the following:
District Biologist Mary Thomas.
Assistant District Ranger Judy Behrens.
Specialist Virgil Mink.
They can be reached at (909) 736-1811.
Oh and those "few" signs we put up? by the end of 2004 every trail in the Trabuco District, including the San Mateo Wilderness Area, will be signed. When you call the Forest Service ask them what they think about this.
And Bob, call Mary Thomas the biologist and ask her if we had any influence on the wilderness decision. And by the way, I doubt the residents of the communities adjacent to the National Forest would take your rosy acceptance if their houses burned down.
The family that lost 1 Daughter in the San Diego fires and has another in critical condition works for the City of Mission Viejo. Would you like to hear their harrowing story that led to their deaths? How about sending an email to them telling them to suck up, it's part of living in near the wildlands. As a county inspector that works intimately with him I'd be more than willing to get you the father's email address.
But give him a day, we just had the blood drive for his surviving daughter.
I truly enjoyed your posts and getting to know you all intimately from your reactions to the data presented on this board.
I'm hoping that my Healthy Forest Update has the same effect on Warrior Wear T-shirt sales as my Wilderness Update did.
Love and kisses to you all, and pass my regard on to Gary Sprung, Jim Hasenhauer and Timmy Blumenthal on Friday and gosh darn it have fun!
Dances With Hornets |
| My little sheep... NOT! | BobL
Nov 7, 2003 7:33 AM | | Sorry to hear about the family's losses. I never implied that my reason and acceptance for living in a fire danger area was anyone else's. But the fact remains that fires are a part of the danger and risk for those living in the outlying areas or near the natural brush, no matter how well landscaped. And the Healthy Forest Initiative that you so activly promote would not have one ounce of bearing on the San Diego fires.
Yes, I did make a call.. to Boxer's office. that's where I got the info. And the fact remains that you refuse to oppose a freeway through the Cleveland Nat'l Forest (regardless of your spin)...And by the way, I doubt you know what most folks think up here as you don't even live here. Just bring up the fact that you AGREED with the NF folks (including Mary Thomas) that the "best" route was the high power line corrider that would empty THE FREEWAY out in Ladd Canyon.
And I never once questioned the WS efforts on trail maintenance. But you may as well take down the 'No Moto" signs while you're up there.
Your little Sheep? So what, you think you're Jesus?
Sorry dude, but I'm not the BRC lemming you wanted me to be. |
| You didn't get the nickname Bobnoxious for no reason | Dances With Hornets
Nov 7, 2003 9:47 AM | | Oh Bob,
Now you're psychic. You can read my mind and Mary's as to our position on the tunnel; ASSume away.
I'll tell you what, when and if your house ever burns down I'll join you in a party to celebrate "Ain't nature grand!"
And I've spoken with members on your fire council, they don't seem as accepting about losing their homes.
Kind of generalizing about how I'm hated up there. I think Dana Judd would disagree.
It seem to me that when I installed the trails signs and repaired the erosion in the Wilderness areas I saw more evidence of mountain bike tracks dried mud then I've ever seen motorcycle tracks on the trails in the non-wilderness area.
But then again mountain bikers like you never break the rules or go fast down public single tracks, especially since you are a member of the Sierra Club Mountain Bike Committee that is trying to stop this behavior - right Bob?
or should I say Bobnoxious.
( - ; |
| Me Sheep, I squish hornet with my large hooves | smilycook
Nov 7, 2003 7:42 AM | | The residents who live near national forest need to realize they live in a forest ecosystem that depends on fire. Some trees in western forest need fire to cause there seeds to open up and reproduce, they have evolved with fire as a natural and needed component.
Just like those people on Cape Code and those who live on the barrier islands in NC who accept that a storm could come throught at any time and wash away there homes! So too do those people who live near national forest and in the west that a fire could burn down your house or a mudslide caused by a fire could wash away your home.
Baaaah! |
| I think you mean Cape Cod | Dances With Hornets
Nov 7, 2003 9:57 AM | | I suggest you read my Healthy Forests update and see what an expert says about the type of fires we are having and why they are not the type of fire that historically burned.
Once the rains come, and as mentioned in my alert, the earth is eroded away into the streams, we'll see how benificial these fires are.
The County Flood Control District was contacted by Fish and Game to assist them under mutual aid in advising them on preventing damage to watersheds in the hope of protecting them and the species that call them home.
Is Senator Feinstein a lier in her letter to me regarding her concerns about the forest? Is she known as a person that supports OHV interests over environmental interests?
You guys truly amaze me. |
| Nature will always have its way | smilycook
Nov 7, 2003 10:28 AM | | I have read what some of your experts say and tend to disagree with some of those so called experts that say crown fires are not historical. Take for example a lodge-pole pine, generally they live for about a 100 years and then become prone to disease. The disease tends to kill off a number of trees and make the trees prone to fire. The entire lodgepole pine stand will burn to the ground in a stand replacement fire, with crowns burning. This fire will then allow the seeds dropped by the pine trees to sprout and then the cycle starts all over again. After the first year or two the area will become prime elk and deer territory as they feed on fresh grass and sapling. It may be ugly to some people but it is a natural cycle, the only way the media portrays fire is as evil and deadly. This viewpoint needs to change, it has not helped us for the past 93 years. Where does the Healthy Forest Bill address this need of education.
And I think thinning trees will give people a false sense of security, just like building an ocean barrier tends to give ocean front communities a false sense of security. It does not mean that I am against thinning or logging, but don't go and tell a family that lives around a thinned forest that there house will never burn, because it will if they live in the west. |
| Hornet's experts need to read some history | smilycook
Nov 7, 2003 11:04 AM | | The great fire of 1910 occurred in areas of vast untouched land. Land that had seen little human activity and trails and roads were few. This was natural untouched land and yet a fire occured here that burned the crowns of trees and would burn the skin off your body if you got to close, the soil was baked. Proof that some of those experts don't read there history books. I would highly suggest people read a book on this fire! If you want a recommendation let me know.
Some excerpts from the great fire of 1910:
"Merciless velocity"
The wind swept up the main valley from the west and south that late afternoon of August 24. It drove the redhot flames in searing blasts across the dividing ridges between the creeks, leaping from crest to crest across milewide chasms in walls of flame. The generating heat from these ridge fires created vast heat-chimneys with terrific suction from the bottoms of the creeks upward so that roaring furnaces of fire, hot ash, smoke and exploding fumes from the thousands of burning trees, shrubs and brush moved with merciless velocity up the narrow gorges, generating infernos of heat and suffocation beyond description...
"Seething caldron"
It was then that we saw a wal I of bright-red flame leap from the west ridge to the east ridge of Thomas Creek, a milewide jump, in a moment of time. Then the flames sucked down into the depths of the canyon of Thomas Creek and swept upward toward Round Tom Mountain in a seething caldron of falling trees, with soot and smoke and flaming branches soaring high into the air. Acres of timber went down in a flash and no power on earth could save it...
"A continuous stream of fire"
Looking down the valley, one could see the fire coming on with a rush and a roar that once seen and heard can never be forgotten, and the flames leaping 300 feet high meet in an arch extending from one hill top to the other. A fierce gust of wind would strike the summit and flames would leap clear across from one summit to the other in one continuous stream of fire for a distance of over a half mile. It would have been a most beautiful sight had one not realized that in the next moment you might be caught in its fiery folds and know no more...
Excerpts from W. G. Weigle's report concerning the deaths of 18 members of Lee Hollingshead's crew on the West Fork of the Big Creek of the St. Joe River. Panic?stricken, they fled into Henry Dittman's cabin, where they perished when the cabin exploded in flames. The rest of Hollingshead's sixty?man crew worked its way to safety in a burned over area. |
| Gosh, fire is so great let's hope another 19 million acres burn | Dances With Hornets
Nov 7, 2003 2:17 PM | | Smilycook AKA BurnbabyBurn,
Geesh, I never realized what a great thing fire is. Maybe if we are lucky another 19 million acres will burn over the next three years as was done since 2000.
I'm sure no species died in those fires and we don't have to worry about closures due to rehabilitation or lawsuits filed to protect endangered species in the remaining habitat that was not burned.
That the environmental movement won't take advantage of the destruction to remove trails or as an excuse to further limit our access.
Let's see who is proven right over the next year. |
| Speaking of God... | The Preacher
Nov 7, 2003 2:38 PM | | ...as you did in your other post, this event may very well happen again. If it does, it will be God's will, and there won't be a damn thing man can do to stop it. I mean what are you going to do, clear cut 50 miles into the mountains next to any structures?? Even if you did that, an earthquake might come along the day after the next big fire and level all the houses anyway. What's next, The Healthy Faultline Initiative? There are some things that will always be beyond the control of man. |
| Speaking of God... | Dances With Hornets
Nov 7, 2003 4:58 PM | | Preacher,
You speak of things so true in your last sermon.
( - ;
I guess that works both ways right? Why should we protect our wild areas against logging if a fires going to come along and burn them all down anyway. What good would it have been to protect from logging the areas around Mount St Helens if they were going to be leveled anyway by a volcano?
What about protecting the area around Rainer, which is feared to be just as explosive as Mount St. Helens.
Siesmic activity and temperatures have increased in the area of the caldera in Yellowstone and scientist are becoming concerned. Why protect this area if its just going to dissapear in a volcanic eruption?
I wonder if we found a way to prevent these natural things from happening would the environmental organizations insist we don't try to manage nature?
Now Preacher get your holy behind to the IMBA get together tonight; you are needed.
I know you'll preach to them all about the evils of alcohol and demon weed.
Do I hear an Amen! |
| You're truly an asshole. | The Preacher
Nov 7, 2003 8:40 AM | | Your negative comments are only pushing people like me further and further away from your cause. Gosh darn it, have fun inhaling the BRC's fumes. |
| For a Preacher you sure have a potty mouth | Dances With Hornets
Nov 7, 2003 10:00 AM | | If you were catholic you could go to confession and ask forgiveness for cussing.
My intent is not to convince people like you. My support comes from mountain bikers who don't agree with you.
I kinda like you preacher, in a non-sexual way.
( - ; |
| "My support comes from mountain bikers who don't agree with you" | The Preacher
Nov 7, 2003 10:52 AM | | Then please stop trolling and trying to get people to read your voluminous rants on a board that is called "IMBA-Save the Trails." Really, your ego amazes me. Who the hell has the time to read all that crap? Just post a link to your site -- where your rantings belong -- and if anybody wants to go there, they will. Judging from the responses on the Warriors Society discussion board, I doubt this will happen much, though.
Even if IMBA were the dark evil-doers that you portray them to be, I bet they are still getting a good laugh, as they just sit back and watch you dig yourself a deeper, and deeper hole by alienating potential allies. You don't see people from IMBA (or from IMBA affiliates) going to the Warriors Society (militant) discussion board and arguing their points. To the contrary, the ONLY postings on your board seem to be from you and a few of your followers. |
| Ah, but what posts on this poorly visited board gets hits? | Dances With Hornets
Nov 7, 2003 2:05 PM | | Preacher,
That is the beauty of free speech and in the case of this board, I'll take advantage of it.
If my posts are as far out as you claim, you have nothing to fear if people read them.
What posts on this board will get the most hits over the next week? You should be grateful to me for attracting traffic to this board. And if it wasn't for the usual suspects posting against my alert it wouldn't be read, and I thank you all for that.
As far as our message board, we have never promoted it as a message board, it's intent is more to serve as a way of posting our weekly news or information on our events. In the past we've told people they would be better served posting on other boards.
We did have one person constantly posting putdowns, you wouldn't know anything about that Freddy the Frog, I mean Bob, now would you. But we took care of that by forcing registration before you could post.
I don't consider IMBA dark evil-doers, I've never said that. Is this a fruedian slip on your part? I've said they were naive, sort of like the Jews who ignored Hitler when he first came to power. If what you said about IMBA sitting back and laughing is true, I would indeed welcome that, I like being underestimated than overestimated.
I'm not worried about alienating potentail allies, as a matter of fact I am always being approached by groups asking my assistance, such as County Supervisors to mediate disputes. The Irvine Company asked me to attend a meeting this Tuesday to dicuss their plans for the Fremont Reserve.
But since you are the Preacher I ask you to lay hands on me to absolve me of my transgressions, and while your at it say a prayer for Bob's house in Silverado.
If it does ever burn down in a fire he had better hope we do not have rains, his cabin is located under an acient landslide according to county geologists, he'll need all the prayer he can get. I hope he has insurance to cover acts of God. But then again maybe you could intercede with the big guy up above Preacher.
Amen! |
| About those allies... | Dances With Hornets
Nov 7, 2003 4:17 PM | | Preacher,
It wasn't only mountain bikers who were upset with the "Cooperative Aggreement."
And I have allies in surprising places.
Kat Hayden who, wrote the following, has been involved with Jim Hasenhauer on state recreational issues. As a side note, Candace Oathout of the BackCountry Horseman is our legislative rep and advisor:
"At a time in history when all Americans should support access to our public lands and the resources that the rest of the world covets, it is insane for any user group to support more wilderness.
http://www.mtbreview.com/hotnews/imba/ipr072.shtml
Public land belongs to all Americans to begin with and should not be withdrawn and made available to a few under the Wilderness Act. Local governance is defeated and federal governance reigns. Where are your states rights?
Preservation/grandfathering of pre existing uses have been largely ignored or defeated. Agencies consistently remove traces of our heritage so that even the chosen few have diminished access. Many roads and trails are vertically mulched by the agencies under the guise of rehabilitation following wildfires. Only lines remain on outdated maps and omitted from new management plans.
The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and its mandates for clean air, clean water, ESA, and areas for critical habitat have reduced public lands mandated for multiple use to de facto Wilderness. How can IMBA's apparent unholy alliance with wilderness advocates possibly benefit the rest of us?
Kathleen Hayden
Vice Chair of Trails for California State Horsemen Association (CSHA) http://www.californiastatehorsemen.com/
Public Lands Chair for the Caballeros Del Sol unit of BCHC (just go to search engine and type in Backcountry Horsemen of California, then my unit, Caballeros del Sol http://www.bchc.com/units.html
Board Member of the Action Coalition
Task force Leader for the California Riding and Hiking Trails BCHC
The "Equestrian" that fergie made fun of pictured on the cover of our newsletter is Tom Anderson the Executive Director of the Equestrian Coaliton of Orange County:
http://www.warriorssociety.org/Newsletters/2003_Summer/index.html
Tom supported us on opposing the wilderness designation. He once went to a meeting in Silverado just to state the fact that they supported our access.
Tom sent me several photos of a large group of Equestrians who appreciated the work we had done in the wilderness.
Dana Judd represented Equestrians, including the Equestrian Coalition at our wilderness meetings. She opposed the Wilderness Designations. She is also a resident of Silverado and a good friend of mine.
I have even discuss our trail sign program with Connie Berto, the mountain bike hater in Marin and a member of the BackCountry Horseman and she is very upset about the banning of equestrians from the Headwaters.
Equestrians for the most part hate mountain bikers, or understand the same threats to our access as theirs.
I work with many equestrian leaders who feel the former and like I are increasingly dissapointed with IMBA.
Increasingly equestrians as a whole, like Connie Berto, are beginning to understand the ideology of the environmental movement and see no need to support more wilderness. This the environmental movement is a poweful lobby that needs no help. On the contrary, they need to be stopped.
In what way has IMBA benifited from this agreement?
What does the environmental movement call IMBA when they act to protect our access?
Read the following sent to me by an equestrian supporter. I apologize for the formatting - I couldn't get it to format right when I pasted it from the email it was taken from:
Subject: IMBA Reneges on Agreement with Environmental Groups, Withdraws Support for Wilderness
At 07:40 AM 6/15/03 -0700, "Rivenes" > wrote:
On June 10, our Board of Supervisors voted down the previous Board's support of wilderness in the Tahoe National Forest. Attached is a ;etter I wrote to the Board before their reversal decision. At our previous Board's request, we had reached a negotiated agreement with the mountain bikers, which they now have abrogated. Essentially, they don't want to restrict any areas from future mountain biking, even when they sign an agreement. I assume you have seen Bike Magazine's July issue where they advocate finding the fine line of natural terrain. The pictures all show off-trail biking. Of course, we see
bike tracks all the time on the Pacific Crest trail, where biking is not allowed.
Don Rivenes Thank you for that eloquent letter! IMBA also reneged on its Park City Agreement with the Sierra Club, before the ink was dry....
Yuba River Wildlands Campaign PO Box 1937 Grass Valley CA 95945 June 10, 2003 Nevada County Board of Supervisors Rood Center Nevada City, CA 95959
Dear Supervisors, I am Chair of the Yuba River Wildlands Campaign, an
organization of local groups working for wilderness and wild and scenic river designation of Nevada County lands and rivers. I also am Conservation Chair of Sierra Foothills Audubon Society, with over 800 members in Nevada and Placer counties.
We were greatly disappointed by the bad faith actions recently taken by Bicyclists of Nevada County and the International Mountain Biking
Association in revoking support for Grouse Lakes and Castle Peak proposed wilderness.
First, after two years of negotiations culminating in a Memorandum of
Understanding signed by BONC, IMBA, California Wilderness Coalition, and Yuba River Wildlands Campaign, BONC and IMBA sent a letter to Senator's Boxer and Feinstein, rescinding their support for these areas, without prior notification or discussion with their partners in the Memorandum.
CWC received a copy of the letter, while the Yuba River Wildlands Campaign received nothing.
Second, their letter characterized our groups as having made inaccurate assertions to them, regarding minimum size of wilderness areas. We researched each of the exceptions to the 5,000 acre size limitation required by the Wilderness Act, and each were either additions to existing wilderness areas or unique existing managed areas such as islands.
In no case has a currently managed roadless area been chopped up into smaller areas to accommodate other uses. Even the cherry-stems negotiated with BONC make the area less manageable. You have a copy of a letter for CWC and YRWC to BONC refuting their assertions.
Finally, again without notifying their partners in the Memorandum or
responding to our letter, they asked for today's agenda item. Frankly, all this does not bode well for other local groups that may be working with BONC or IMBA on current and future county trails.
Given that the Memorandum is no longer in force, including its negotiated boundaries, we are still willing to live with the boundaries as negotiated.
We have excluded Summit Lake and its environs for the benefit of the new Donner Rim hiking/biking trail sponsored by the Truckee Donner Land Trust.
We eliminated 3,000 acres of Red fir forest to the south of Grouse Lakes, because of the Fordyce Creek Sierra OHV Trek slicing across the roadless area. Even though many hikers are upset that most of the beautiful lakes of western Grouse Lakes are not included in wilderness, and that cherry stems go to Glacier Lakes and Mt. Lola, we feel that mountain bikers have made a case for excluding these trails.
There are over 257 miles of one-way mountain biking trails within the Tahoe National Forest and over 659 miles in the vicinity, including the destination site of Downieville, whose roadless areas were excluded from wilderness consideration because of mountain biking concerns. These trails are accessed from 2,850 miles of Forest Service roads in Nevada County alone. Only 10 miles of mainly unofficial trails not included on Forest Service trail maps have been included in the proposed wildernesses.
Nevada County is only one of two counties statewide that has no wilderness,even though it has over 500,000 acres of public land, and eligible areas.
This could impact future economic welfare. On April 11, the Interior
Department told Congress that it intended to halt all reviews of its Western BLM land holdings for new wilderness protection and to withdraw that protected status from about three million acres in Utah.
Because of this decision, the Outdoor Retailers Association, a coalition of 1,100 retailers that holds Utah's biggest conventions, pumping $24 million into the state economy each year, has threatened to take its business elsewhere, to a state more sensitive to wilderness protections. Frank Hugelmeyer, president of the association said a recent poll of his members found that 92 percent favored protections for existing areas designated as wilderness and 80 percent favored creating new wilderness areas.
By the way, this administrative decision shows that current administrative vehicle control restrictions in Grouse Lakes can be easily overturned, compared to wilderness protection, which requires an Act of Congress to overturn.
Today you have an opportunity to reaffirm your support for protecting these public lands and creeks that will be included in the reintroduced bill of Senator Boxer. Wilderness designation for Grouse Lakes and Castle Peak has written letters of support by over 80 businesses and 200 individuals in Nevada County, support of additional local groups representing thousands of citizens, plus major local and national organizations affiliated with the
California Wilderness Coalition.
By rejecting this request by BONC and IMBA, you will be supporting current and future generations of Nevada County, California and U.S. citizens for protection of areas that, according to the Wilderness Act, "have been affected primarily by the forces of nature, with the imprint of man's work substantially unnoticeable", and with "outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation".
As to wildlife protection, the Colorado Division of Wildlife recently
stated: "Human activities in or near wildlife habitat may cause some animals to alter their activity and feeding patterns. Although such alterations may seem relatively harmless at the time to the casual observer, they may have non-trivial consequences for the animal. For example, stress that results from human disturbance may lead to increased susceptibility to disease, reduced reproductive output in some species, or abandonment of the area temporarily or permanently." In addition, people may unintentionally carry seeds, spores, or other material on their person, equipment, or vehicles that may spread exotic weeds or other invasive plant species. Conservation
biologists warn that exotics may some day overtake habitat destruction as the leading cause of species endangerment and extinction.
A slow and careful pace through these areas, along with a sense of wonder, will minimize these impacts. To many people, just knowing the wildlife habitat is protected is sufficient without having to even visit these areas.
Wallace Stegner wrote many years ago in his famous Wilderness Letter,
"Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed; if we permit the last virgin forests to be turned into comic books and plastic cigarette cases; if we drive the few remaining members of the wild species into zoos or to extinction; if we pollute the last clear air and dirty the last clean streams and push our paved roads through the last of the silence".
Thank you for your consideration of this letter.
Sincerely, Don Rivenes, Chair Yuba River Wildlands Campaign"
Hmm, here's another "Wildlands Campaign."
May be the reason IMBA is really disliked by the environmental movement is because "IMBA also reneged on its Park City Agreement with the Sierra Club" as was stated in the beginning of this newsletter.
Was the "Cooperative Agreement" meant to address IMBA's violation of the Park City Agreement? If this is so, then I apologize for criticising them over it. |
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