>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

ENTERPRISE — Nearly 100 people met Monday at Cloverleaf Hall to give their input on the Forest Service Travel Management Plan.

Maps of numbered roads were available at tables around the room. A road inventory chart was posted describing the roads, their use and whether they will be closed or open according to the current proposal.

Interested citizens were instructed by Wallowa County resident Rod Childers, who conducted the meeting, to locate roads they use or perhaps don’t use and comment on the plan’s status of the roads. Everyone had the opportunity to offer reasons why the roads should or should not be closed.

Wallowa County Commissioner Mike Hayward said it is not the number of responses submitted to the Forest Service that might make a difference, but the quality of information in the comment.

“It’s not right, but the Forest Service doesn’t have to defend why a road is closed. We have to convince them why the road should not be closed,” Hayward said.

Childers said that comments must be submitted to the Forest Service no later than March 31. The Wallowa County Alternative Plan team, he said, needs time to compile the information from the comment sheets and submit it to the Forest Service. Comment sheets were completed and turned in at the meeting. However, for people who were not able to make it to the meeting and wish to comment, forms can be picked up at the Extension office and returned there as well.

Public concerns included closure of roads used by elderly and disabled people who can obtain handicapped hunting permits but may not be allowed to retrieve game they’ve killed because of roads closed to motorized vehicles.

Wallowa County Commissioner Ben Boswell responded that the issue is of concern for him. He urged citizens to be sure to express their concerns to the Forest Service so that they can be addressed in the final decision.

Others commented that some of the roads are closed on paper, but are physically open so that someone may inadvertently use a closed road.

“We are not advocating closing one road that the public is using out there. Only roads that we have been living without, roads that have naturally closed themselves,” Childers said.

One option is to submit a No Action Alternative, but Hayward said that all the roads in the Forest Service plan will close unless input to the contrary is submitted. Then there is a chance that a compromise will be reached.

The team plans to submit the following elements/principals of its Wallowa County Alternative Travel Management Plan to the Forest Service for consideration:

• Off-road access for firewood and big game retrieval allowed for a distance of 300 feet from all motorized roads and trails.

• Motorized user-created trails from road to road will remain open.

• Loop roads, such as Table Mountain Loop and others, will remain open as a loop for use by the motorized public for scenic and wildlife viewing.

• Use of gates and signs will be emphasized for year-round and seasonal closures of roads and trails.

• Maintain motorized open road access for all private land in holdings.

• All roads that are naturally closed – remain closed.

• Encourage use of designated woodcutting areas by district ranger to augment general woodcutting off open roads and trails.

• All roads with physical barriers that have not been breached — remain closed.

• When three or more roads access the same point, look for opportunities to close one or more of the roads (if through same type of terrain).

• Area designed for off-road use (ATV play area).

• Decommissioning should only occur after site-specific analysis shows that resource damage is occurring that impacts watershed health.

• Disabled persons be given permit to be treated as administrated use.

• Non-motorized areas — Wallowa Valley Ranger District (300,000 acres) and part of Eagle Cap Natural Resource Area; HCNA (650,000 acres) and Eagle Cap (340,000 acres)

• Season closures possible for some specific hunting seasons.

Wallowa Valley District Ranger Barbara Van Alstine commented that she was surprised at the degree of polarization the management plan caused.

“I am amazed at how strongly people in Wallowa County feel about these areas,’’ she said. “This is something we did not anticipate. We are so pleased with the number of people here tonight. Baker, Union and Umatilla counties did not have this response. People in Wallowa County are very involved in their communities and these issues.”