Ran across a plea for help today that seem worthy of mention. Snowlands Network sent out a notice to protest a proposal by the US Forest Service to allow snowmobiling on nearly all roads in the Giant Sequoia National Monument (not the same as Sequoia National Park). Snowmobiles had been allowed in the monument area, but were restricted to designated roads. This proposal increases the number of roads available for snowmobile use.
Snowlands Network is concerned that this will result in more snowmobile traffic within the monument with the result that skiers or snowshoers will never be able to get away from the noise and two-stroke smoke of snowmobiles within the monument.
To make your voice heard, Snowlands Network requests you send an email to:
Comments-pacificsouthwest-sequoia@fs.fed.us . Be aware that the comment period for this plan was set to expire November 3, 2010 but has been extended to December 3, 2010.
For more information on the plan, go here (https://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia/gsnm_planning.html)
For information on protesting the proposed plan, consider the guidelines proposed by Snowlands Network.
Opinion: I don’t like snowmobiles that much, but do think we need to work with them. If they actually stick to the roads, then my initial view is this is acceptable. The problem is, how to make sure they stick to the roads. In my experience, snowmobilers like fresh tracks as much as skiers. Roads are just access avenues to freshies. Allowing more roads to travel on translates to more off-road travel and the consequent destruction of vegetation, wilderness habitat and wild life. Besides, even if a compromise is reached allowing snowmobiles more roads to travel on, it won’t be a good compromise unless they are threatened with further restrictions or outright banning. Marcus Libkind knows how to play poker with these guys, so if he says protest, I’ll back him on it.
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