SERIOUS! URGENT! NACHES CLOSURES????

Your help is needed, NOW!

Membership in also gives us the priviledge of being members in the United Four Wheel Drive Associations - an international organization dedicated to promoting the great outdoors (UFWDA.org).

In the recent newsletter is this URGENT notice and includes suggested action YOU should take to preserve our land use rights.

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Naches Ranger District (Washington State) Urgent response needed!




Randall Shepard, the District Ranger for the Naches Ranger District (Washington State) has proposed two plans for the district that will result in a net loss of trails and trail access for the 4x4 community. Of the two

plans, "#2" is the least restrictive, but it still outlines a complete closure of the district for our purposes for the six months of the year encompassing Winter, as well as the loss of camping areas and over 50 miles of wheeling trails we currently enjoy access to. Option #3 is even more restrictive. (Option #1 is "no change" and is not being considered.) Ranger Shepard has stated his preference for option #2.


The original document, all 268 pages worth can be viewed at; Little Naches Recreation Management Plan.

Instructions for submitting feedback are HERE. Members of WATTORA have been meeting to draft a response to this document. Unfortunately, time is of the essence. While Randy had three years to draft the proposal, he only allowed 30 days for comments and we ate up most of that time printing, reading, digesting and responding to it.

YOU NEED TO SEND YOUR RESPONSE TODAY! Please help spread the word, by
linking directly to the WATTORA thread.

More info is at the WATTORA thread.
The URL is: http://www.wattora.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=45776

BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION. Ranger Shepard will be looking for ways to disqualify your responses... Don't make yours easy pickings!



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Please pass this information on to any other four-wheel organization you may belong to - this is Serious, folks!

Sorry, links broke (above)...

1. The original document, all 268 pages worth can be viewed at; Little Naches Recreation Management Plan. http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/planning/little-naches-rmp/little-naches-rec-mgt-plan-ea.pdf

2. Instructions for submitting feedback are HERE: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/planning/little-naches-rmp/notice-of-ea-availability.pdf


Edit: Issues like this is really what we're all about here at - Time to step up to the plate, everyone!

Sniggs said:

Edit: Issues like this is really what we're all about here at - Time to step up to the plate, everyone!

Click to expand...

A lot of thoughts passing through the head on this. First thing that pops to mind is the dunes at Moses Lake, and the closure there, and the resultant voting by the populace (at least that's the story I hear) where the closure was reversed, mainly due to the economic impact the 4x4ing crowd makes during the season. This is also a strong reason for the Naches/Cliffdell area to make, as they are the ones that stand to lose a significant amount of money if the full/mid sized 4x4 vehicles get the axe.

The next thing is that I agree letters/contact should be made, but they should also go to the state senate/representatives too. In reading the "sample" letter on the wattora web site, if I received that, it would tick me off as it is a little too "in your face" in a section or two. Ranger Mike or whatever his name may be well knows he is not the owner of the land. We are trying to get the Ranger Mike's of the country to help us, not get them ticked off.

Yes we should step up to the plate now, but really we should be stepping up to the plate every day. These closures don't come around just out of the blue normally, they come around because of the jerks tossing sode/beer cans, gutting vehicles, destroying property, etc., and both young and old are culprits in this. Using the wattora sample again, sections of it that are very positive are the parts where success stories regarding other 4x4 areas are exemplified by positive daily work and driving efforts like the Elbe Hills, etc.

I would sure support sending well thought out, polite letters to the Rangers/Senators/Representatives, as a little honey goes a long way. The easy part is to lose the cool, and unfortunately that doesn't help matters at all. But most of all, my personal opinion is that the locals in the Naches/Cliffdell area have to be motivated to stand up, because the Forest Service is going to pay much attention to the local communities thoughts and opinion than the motoring 4x4 people scattered throughout the state as it is the locals that stand to lose financially from this.

Lastly, there are US Senators and Representatives that should be sent the letters too. After all, the US Forest Service answers to the US Congress, and that's where they receive their funding.