Help Protect Your Backyard
...................................You Decide
.This?................................or.............................This?
.
........
If you love to hike, camp, watch birds, and experience the quiet, natural landscape of the Coronado National Forest, now is the time to make your voice heard! Decisions the Forest Service is making today will stand for decades to come. If you are concerned about the growing number of off-road vehicles, join us to find out how you can make a difference. Unless management of roads and off-road vehicles changes, the quiet, pristine forests we value could slowly disappear. Now is the time to voice your concerns.
Take Action: Comment on the Santa Catalina Proposed Action
The Coronado National Forest has presented proposed changes to the current system of roads on the Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains. You have an opportunity to comment on the proposed changes to the road system. Unless management of roads and off-road vehicles changes, the quiet, pristine forests we value could slowly disappear. Now is the time to voice your concerns.
After more than 2 years of research and consideration the Coronado National Forest has determined it can only afford to maintain 9% of the current road system. In light of this information, the Coronado is proposing to add 5.3 miles of road on the Santa Catalina Ranger District, and to close only 1.3 miles of road. Something doesn't add up!
Tell the Forest Service they need to be more serious about protecting our National Forest to keep it quiet and free of pollution. They need to resonsider thier proposal. This is their opportunity to protect the Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains from further motorized destruction. Send the Forest Service your comments.
Tell the Forest Service:
- The proposal for the Santa Catalina Ranger District is not acceptable. This is the opportunity to make positive changes in the management of motorized vehicles and to protect sensitive resources.
- Please take another look at the problems caused by off-road vehicles in the Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains and identify routes to be closed.
- Please consider additional restrictions on motorized dispersed camping in the Happy Valley area to protect wildlife habitat and water quality . Please fulfill your responsibility to manage the land by addressing off-road vehicle use and abuse in the Redington Pass area.
- Focus on closing roads that traverse, cross, or follow streams, arroyos, or riparian areas and sensitive wildlife habitat to reduce route density in the district to no more than one mile per square mile.
- Any proposed road system should be fiscally responsible and must be limited by the Forest Service's ability to monitor and manage it.
- Many roads are redundant and must be closed.
- Many roads are damaging to natural and cultural resources and must be closed.
- Please ensure that there are areas close to Tucson where I can get out into the forest and escape the sights and sounds of motorized vehicles.
Tell the Forest Service your stories about your forest experience being disrupted by off-road vehicle use, or the poor placement of roads.
View a sample comment letter.
_____________________________________________________________
Let the Forest Service know what you think!
Send comments to Ms. Laura White at (520) 388-8419 or comments-southwestern-coronado@fs.fed.us.
If you can't send comments call her and tell her what you think.
Please submit written or verbal comments by April 15. If you do not make this deadline you should still submit comments. They will be considered until the Forest Service completes the next step in the process.
For more information about Travel Management Planning click here.