Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Horsemen, legislators say wilderness area’s a disaster

Horse packers fed up with the lack of trail maintenance and the frequency of wildfire in Idaho’s largest wilderness area are asking legislators to declare it a natural resource disaster area. House Joint Memorial No. 1 seeks disaster status for the pristine Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area. Sponsored by Rep. Lenore Barrett of Challis and Rep. Marcus Gibbs of Grace — and authored by the Salmon Chapter of the Back Country Horsemen of Idaho — the resolution represents a shot across the bow of the U.S. Forest Service, which manages the 2.3 million-acre area in the mountainous heart of the state. For years the group has been asking district rangers, forest supervisors and regional foresters to increase trail work in the wilderness area. Now, members are hoping to get the attention of Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “We came to the conclusion we have been working on the wrong end of the government mule, that we somehow need to get the head’s attention and a joint memorial from the Idaho Legislature would be a good way to start,” said John Burns, a retired forest supervisor from Carmen and a former Idaho Fish and Game commissioner. The agency has fallen behind schedule in its annual effort to open and maintain the 2,500 miles of trails that weave over and through the area’s tall granite peaks, lush meadows and steep river canyons. Exacerbating the problem are wildfires that weaken trees and make them prone to falling in the years, and even decades, after the flames have died...more

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Time for the forest users to buy a cross cut saw, learn how to sharpen it, and then learn how to pull it. And then learn how to pack it on a horse. Have fun, it's WILDERNESS!

Anonymous said...

We will have fun alright! The Whitewater/Baldy Fire last summer has left many trails in the NW part of the Gila Wilderness closed and unpassable, and according to the USFS will probably be 2 to 5 years before they appropriate all the needed monies and get to and maintain many of the trails, as it is not just a matter of cutting logs, it is a matter of major tread reconstruction in many vital spots. Many of these trails remain closed, although the the Forest is open you can't use the trails but you can go cross country. Go figure. Jeez! If and when they open the trails maybe you better learn how to pack a shovel along with your saw. Enjoy the burnt up Wilderness! You better keep your saw sharp for many years because there are many thousands of big burned matchstick trees that are going to fall across the trails.

Anonymous said...

I wonder how many of these people want to cut USFS funding or have the state take over this federal land? People like this always want a hand out from the federal gov when it benefits them, but when it doesn't oh my they fuss and say the money is wasted. Seems to me they speak out of both sides of their mouth.

Some food for thought.