OHVing In The Glade Threatened-Need Comments To BLM

Darryl89

Killer Kitty - UTVUnderground Approved
Oct 8, 2009
846
15
18
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Farmington, NM
Well folks, it's that time again...
The BLM has published a Notice of Intent to prepare a Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment and associated Environmental Assessment for the Glade Run Recreation Area located on 21,544 acres in San Juan County, New Mexico. This notice serves as the beginning of the scoping process. The purpose of the scoping process is to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the RMP amendment that will help guide the planning process.

The RMP will consider proposals to make changes to OHV area designations, including the development of management alternatives that include identifying a travel network of routes for specified uses within the planning area.

BLM will announce the dates and locations of any scoping meeting at least 15 days in advance through the local media and at the BLM Farmington Field Office website.

Comments on issues and planning criteria may be submitted until August 14, 2011. It is important that OHV enthusiasts get involved in the designation process by contacting BLM staff. Comments may be submitted at the website: BLM New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas

by email to: [email protected];

by fax to: 505-599-8999, Attention: Outdoor Recreation Planner;

or by mail to:

Attention: Outdoor Recreation Planner
1235 La Plata Highway
Farmington, New Mexico 87401

For further information, please contact Janelle Alleman, Outdoor Recreation Planner, at 505-599-8944 or at [email protected].

View the original notice in the Federal Register.
http://www.arra-access.com/site/R?i=...3Modekjbta4-ig.. <!-- / message -->

While the BLM is starting to redo their RMP, at the same time, the City Of Farmington and MPO (Municipal Planning Organization) are trying to invade the Glade with their road system plan. 2 City Councilors voted to delay the plan, but 2 others and the mayor voted to accept their Plan 3, which shows the Glade as a collector street. But that land is outside of the City of Farmington, and included in the the 2003 RMP, which clearly states in Appendix C, Section 4, Recreation,
"ROWs granted on a case-by-case
basis with site-specific management
constraints that protect the integrity of
the trail system
and other recreational
activities in the SDA and provide for the safety of users."

Some of the councilors and mayor don't seem to understand this paragraph, or they choose to think they are above it and can put roads anywhere they want. Funny thing is, they even are putting roads right over the top of their new mtn-bike trails that their own rec dept are working on.

As for the BLM, here is the text of our OHV response (which includes 4X4s)..
Any comments sent to the BLM should reflect that ALL OF THE GLADE REC AREA needs to remain open to all user groups. That all the trails need to be inventoried again and reopened to 4X4 and OHV/Motorcycle use. That signage needs to be installed throughout the system and kiosks installed with maps and trail info.

[In northwest New Mexico, a very large percentage of all trail users ride ATVs, trail or dirt motorcycles and 4X4s. Motorized off road use in this area (San Juan County) far exceeds the national average. Nationwide, 18.6% of persons 16 years old and older, ride either ATVs, UTVs or off-road motorcycles. But in New Mexico, those percentages rise dramatically to 25.6%. Look around, that means 1 out every 4 persons, age 16 and older, participates in motorized OHV recreation in New Mexico. And I dare suggest, those numbers are even higher in rural areas such as San Juan County.

But even if we take the 2010 census population of San Juan County, which is 130,044 persons and take out those under 16 years of age, we will end up with over 24-25,000 persons in this area that participate in motorized OHV recreation in San Juan County. If only 5% of those total OHVers choose to ride in the Farmington area, at one time, that is still 1200-1250 persons.
Now place those numbers into our primary OHV recreation areas of the Glade Run Recreation area and The Dunes. You can see how over crowded it can become quickly. And we haven’t even added in the large number of persons that travel here from other parts of the US and even other countries.

Every recreational user group contains some individuals who willfully damage our natural resources by ignoring existing regulations and laws, and disregarding conventional trail etiquette as well as common sense. These 5%ers, will break laws and damage our resources, no matter what laws are in place. I’ve seen energy packets scattered along trails, cutting of corners on trails, trails widened because hikers or mtn-bikers didn’t want to ride through mud and many more abuses.

Responsible mtn-bikers, hikers, horseriders, OHV and 4X4 users act as eyes and ears for authorities when these things happen. They observe illegal dumping and report it (often giving law enforcement license plate numbers and vehicle descriptions). With San Juan County starting to charge fees for using Dump Stations, the problem with illegal dumping in the Glade stands to increase.
Also, OHV and 4X4 users, often tell other users what trails they are allowed on or aren’t allowed on, as well as provide other useful information. They act as stewards of the recreation area.

But still, conflicts can arise. What is the mantra and cry of other groups, “Close the trails to OHVs and 4X4sâ€â€¦.again, rather than addressing the root issues. There has been talk of wanting to adjust our recreation area to maintain certain user groups’ “Happiness Levelsâ€. Keep in mind, the BLM Farmington RMP (2003) has already identified the Glade area as with the following characteristics:

“The sights and sounds one can expect to encounter vary from those found in an environment of paved roads, housing developments, power lines, moderate vehicular traffic, and other urban noises to areas natural in appearance with human- caused modifications subdued and blended with the natural landscape.â€

How can we change the above statement so that some users don’t have to “Hear motorized vehicles†and provide a semi-wilderness experience? We can’t. The Glade has been used for over 50 years as a recreation area for motorized OHV’s, Jeeps and the local oil/gas industry has placed many well locations there. Take them both away and you take away a vital part of the local economy. If anyone wants a wilderness experience, without noise from motorized vehicles or human spoils, I can direct them to one of 106 million+ acres of designated wilderness areas in current existence in the United States.

And safety within areas of the Glade if we restrict uses, what happens there. The City Of Farmington has used in the past, at their Road Apple Rally Ride, motorcycles to sweep the trails after the race and provide medical/rescue response to bicycle riders. I’ve even seen UTV’s and 4X4s that carried course marshals/helpers to different points on the course. What about that now, will paramedics be riding bicycles to rescue a downed rider? Do we land Air Care in the middle of the restricted area? And what about access for oil and gas workers, as well as law enforcement personnel responding to calls for vandalism in the restricted area.

Current statistics prove, that OHV recreation is one of the largest sectors of our recreational picture. But for far too long, we have been under-represented in respect to opportunities on public lands locally. We are limited to 3800 acres Open Area in the Glade. Yes, there is The Dunes Recreation Area, but that area is not suited for typical trail riding, but more for sport hillclimbing and sanddune recreation. The Glade has been recreated by motorized OHV’s since the 1960’s. As ATV’s developed, they replaced some of the motorcycles, as well as added to the users, and the sport grew bigger. And with the invention of ROV/UTVs, the sport is growing again. Add to that, the Glade/Choke Cherry area is one of the main birthplaces of Rock Crawling, even hosting National Level Events such as UROC and WERock National Competitions.
What do we, the OHV User Community ask for?

We, the OHV user group, would like to see the Glade Run Recreation Area, remain open to all user groups. Restricting areas to just one or two user groups, while denying other user groups, creates an exclusive area and squeezes the excluded user groups into a smaller area where more problems will build. It also creates a problem for access to other areas for many groups. We recommend that the 2003 RMP, in particular, Appendix C- Glade Run Recreation Area, be enforced and fully implemented. We request our trails in the “Limited Use†Area be fully inventoried and opened back up to OHV use. We also request the 38 mile UTV loop (72inch trail) be reinstated (it uses already established trails for all but approx. 1mile).
Trails need to be designated one of 3 designations:
Single Track-for use by bicycles, horse riders, jogger/hikers and motorcycles.

OHV/ATV/UTV Trails - for use by ATVs, UTVs and any single track user that wishes to use it.
4X4/Full-Size Trails - for use by 4X4s, fullsize vehicles and any of the other user groups that wish to use it.

Along with these actions, signage needs to be installed on all trails (have signs every 300ft on both sides of trail to indicate usage), including directions of travel if needed, and warning signs, indicating road and other trail crossings (including speed limits within 100ft of road crossings). Master map boards should be installed in kiosks, showing travel routes for different types of user groups.

Other info on trail signs and in the info kiosks should be: indicate trail use, difficulty and hazards.

An education program needs to be instated, perhaps in conjunction with the NMOHV Board’s Stewardship Program, that will help distribute maps, info and provide for OHVers to act as stewards to promote and develop the trail system, as well as educate those riding in the Glade. Implement a “User Fee†system for recreationalists in the Glade to help offset expenses. All users, hikers, mtn-bikers, OHVers, 4X4ers and horseriders, would pay into this system.

And more importantly, we all as users of the Glade Run Recreation Area, need to play nice. We need to realize that there are many other users in this area and that often, cooperation among groups, being friendly and courteous, trumps screaming and crying to officials to close such and such user group out. There will be noise, there will be dust, there will be times an ATV rider or motorcycle rider needs to stop and allow a horserider or mtn-biker to pass. That is trail etiquette. That along with education and proper signage, will bring better results than fighting. If there are persons violating enforceable laws or being excessively dangerous, then contact authorities.


Folks, we have to get involved here. We have to submit our comments and fight to keep our recreation open. If you don't take a stand with us, then the non-motorized user groups and their arguments will win.
 

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