PA State Forest Management Plan

[ddechri]

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the effort. I'll keep you posted if I get any additional responses from the BoF.

They certainly can't ignore us this go round.

- Dave

[ddechri]

BoF Follow-up:

Well, we offered a booth to the BoF at the 2008 Jeep Show, but it was gratiously declined. I asked them to consider the same offer for next year.

We had 3000 Land Use Surveys for PA printed up and attempted to distribute as many as possible at the show. We got 140 completed surveys at the show. There may have been only 300 left that were not distributed. They were stuffed in event programs in the goodie bags, stuffed in the spectator programs and pushed at the raffle table. The remainder went home with clubs and vendors for further distribution. I'm hoping many more will be mailed in once folks find them. If you still have yours, send it in!. With someones help, we may be able to get an electronic version on the web for other clubs to link into.

As far as checking out the current Drivable Trail system, I have made trips to Tuscarora (Oct '07) and Sproul State Forests (June '08) to experience the most challenging trails as recommended by those forest's rangers. We have found some enjoyable stock trails, but fewer miles than the BoF advertises. In many cases, the stock trails seem to be an access to a cabin versus a stand alone trail. We have a return trip to Sproul planned for late Oct. '08.  I am also contemplating a trip to Bald Eagle State Forest in early Oct. '08.

Many Thanks to all who helped get the surveys out at the Show.

- Dave

[ddechri]

I just read an interesting fact in the press release for the Rock Run ATV / Snowmobile recreation area (May 2007):

"Pennsylvania currently has 236,275 registered ATV owners and 43,497 snowmobile owners."

And we got 140 surveys back this weekend ....  No wonder they are not worried about closing us out.

[ddechri]

Yesterday I got a summary of the public comments from the SFRMP Update meetings in the mail. That was kind of nice of them I thought. But when I read it, there wasn't much there. So, I went to the BoF website and found the full document. It's 39 pages long (http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/sfrmp/Public_Comment_Summary_2007.pdf). I encourage you to read through at least the recreation section which is pages 3-13 just to understand the combined issues for all user groups. Out of ten pages, 4x4 or OHV as they are calling it is summarized mostly on page 13 and even then, itis lumped in with Dirt Bikes:
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Off Highway Vehicles (OHV), Dirtbike-motorcross, and street legal motorcycles

The 2007 SFRMP Update Process generated numerous
comments from additional motorized sports groups interested in
seeking access to recreational opportunities on the state forest
system.

As a group, these public comment participants felt that
designating trail systems that could be available for their
pursuits and collecting registration fees from their use
represented a compatible and desirable addition to DCNR’s
outdoor recreation programming.

Frequently emphasized themes included:
• The generation of additional revenues to the agency and
positive economic stimuli to state and local economies
from increased utilization of existing recreational
infrastructure
• Willingness to cooperate with other user groups and the
agency to develop user guidelines and designated areas
that would align these pursuits to the overall goals and
constraints of the agency
• Perceived cultural and social value of increasing the
range of activities available to connect people to nature
and the out-of-doors
• Provide positive outdoor alternatives for youth that could
compete with indoor activities like video games

DCNR’s response to Comments Received on Recreational Issues:
Opportunities for Night Sky, OHV, and Street Legal Motorcycle
enthusiasts

The Bureau of Forestry will investigate the feasibility of identifying and
providing new locations for night sky viewing within the state forest system
and will try to consider ways to meet the expressed needs of this relatively
new user group.

Improved public use maps with clearer definitions for vehicular travel on
the state forest road and drivable trail system will soon be available to
better identify existing opportunities for OHV and street legal motorcycles
within the state forest system.
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So, the bottom line is they are going to make new maps so we have a better understanding of the existing trails that we aren't supposed to be on. The good news is I feel that captures the ideas I and other were trying to get across. The bad news is that our issues only rated a small mention compared to the efforts to capture the other user groups. At least we did better than the equestrians that got 2 sentences.

Of course this may have very much to do with the poor representation from 4x4 enthusiasts the public meetings.

The next round is in 2012 and by then we better be ready!