Change in off-highway use proposed at forests

National Forests and Grasslands in Texas Forest Supervisor Fred Salinas is proposing to restrict the use of motorized vehicles to designated roads, trails and areas on the Angelina, Davy Crockett, and Sabine National Forests, and is asking for public comments on the proposal.

The change is required to implement the Forest Service Travel Management Rule which restricts motorized vehicles to designated roads, trails and areas on national forests and grasslands nationwide.

In the past, unmanaged off-highway vehicle (OHV) use has been allowed on the NFGT, but in the late 1980s, restrictions on OHV use were imposed on the Sam Houston National Forest and the Caddo/ LBJ Grasslands. Today, OHV use is restricted to designated trails on the Sam Houston National Forest and is restricted to roads on the Caddo-LBJ National Grasslands and the Angelina National Forest Longleaf Ridge Special Area.

"OHV use is projected to continue to increase in the foreseeable future," Salinas said. "In some areas of the forest, OHV use has not caused any major impacts or problems, but in other areas, there has been severe damage that requires a change in policies in how we manage OHVs now and in the future."

The proposed change would also prohibit crosscountry motor vehicle use from roads and trails for big game retrieval. This will bring all the NFGT into consistency with the management policy for designated Wildlife Management Areas, Salinas added.

"In order to ensure that national forest lands retain their current integrity now and for future generations there is a need to implement this change on the NFGT," Salinas said.

"I invite your comments on this proposed Plan amendment and I value the publics' interest and ideas for management of the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas," Salinas said.

Concerns or comments on the proposed actions may be emailed to comments-southern texas@fs.fed.us or may be mailed to the Supervisor's Office, 415 S. First St., Ste. 110, Lufkin, Texas, 75901.

Comments should include your name, address and phone number, title of the proposal (OHV Plan Amendment) and specific facts or comments along with supporting reasons that should be considered. Deadline for submitting comments is April 20, 2007.

Two websites that offer additional information on the use of OHVs on national forests are: www.fs.fed.us/recreation/pr ograms/ohv/final.pdfwww.f s.fed.us/r8/texas/planning/ nepa_index.shtml

For additional information concerning this proposal or if you would like to have someone meet with you or a group, contact Don Benner at the Forest Supervisor's Office, 415 South First Street, Suite 110, Lufkin, Texas 75901, or call 936-639-8581