Public Comment: Medicine Bow National Forest Plan Revision

Recreational Access and Conservation - Conservation and Public Service Activities

Dedicated to conservation and multiple use of public lands for recreation opportunities.

Dear Fellow Recreationist:

The Medicine Bow National Forest in Wyoming is undergoing a Forest Plan Revision. The last Forest Plan was created in 1985 and the new plan will govern the management of the Medicine Bow National Forest for the next 10 to 15 years. To help protect the rights of ALL recreationists to access and recreate on public lands, "Recreationists of the Bow" was established as a grass-roots organization dedicated to supporting public access and use for ALL recreational users of the Medicine Bow National Forest.

The Forest Service has released a list of six Alternative Themes and Major Issues that will be used to develop Alternatives. None of these Alternative Themes favor sustainable multiple-use recreation. When the Alternative Themes were developed, the Medicine Bow Plan Revision Team failed to recognize that recreation is the major use of the National Forest. The Forest Service stated in their Recreation Agenda that "...the Forest Service must meet the Nation's growing need for outdoor recreation in a manner that protects the health, diversity, and productivity of the land...". The current Alternative Themes fail to support this stated purpose.

Four of the six proposed Themes severely limit or eliminate the public's right to use key riding/play areas. One theme proposes that all Roadless Areas be recommended for Wilderness Area designation. We favor a Backcountry Recreation Area designation instead. Backcountry Recreation Areas preserve the "back country" character present in Roadless Areas while maintaining a wide variety of recreational opportunities for the public. Opportunities can include snowmobiling, skiing, hiking, hunting, horseback riding and bicycling. Additionally, Backcountry lands are managed to maintain forest health so our families can recreate on these lands into the future. Currently 30% of the Medicine Bow's total acreage is considered Roadless. These Roadless Areas include such popular spots as Medicine Bow Peak/Gaps Areas, Laramie Peak, Libby Flats, Sheep Mountain and Deep Creek. We do not think that making 319,738 acres (500 square miles or 30% of the MBNF) off-limits to snowmobiles, ATVs, mountain bikes and other users promotes multiple-use recreation.

A new Alternative Theme must be considered, a Recreation Theme. The purpose of this Theme is to emphasize opportunities for recreation on the Medicine Bow National Forest. Snowmobilers, Skiers, OHV Users, Mountain Bikers, equestrians, and other Sportsmen will all benefit from a Recreation Alternative. The following is the text of the Recreation Alternative Theme proposed to the Medicine Bow Plan Revision Team:

Alternative C (formerly Proposed Alternative 7): This Alternative would modify the current Land and Resource Management Plan by increasing emphasis on recreation. The Management Plan would address sustainable multiple-use recreation and apply management tools to address the needs for each recreational activity. Vegetation, wildlife habitat and watersheds would be actively managed for forest health. Inventoried Roadless Areas would be managed as semi-primitive, multiple-use, Backcountry Recreation Areas. All current recreational opportunities on the forest would be maintained with winter and summer uses being managed as separate entities. No new Research Natural Areas (RNAs) or Special Interest Areas (SIAs) would be proposed. No new Wilderness Areas would be recommended for designation.

There is urgency to this. The Forest Service and the Medicine Bow Plan Revision Team need to know that the public favors a Recreation Alternative Theme. Your recreation freedom is at stake. Now is not the time to stand idle and let someone else dictate how you will recreate on your National Forest. A series of public comment meetings is being held throughout the state of Wyoming. We are asking you to voice your support for a Recreation Alternative and Backcountry Recreation Areas.

Please take a few minutes to write a letter, make a phone call, or email your support of a Recreation Alternative. Your fellow Recreationists will thank you. To secure a Recreation Alternative, comments must be received by December 1, 2001.

Use this information to write your own letter or CLICK HERE to send a pre-written letter to the Medicine Bow Forest Plan Revision Team.

Mail Letters to:
Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests Plan Revision
2468 Jackson St.
Laramie, WY, 82070

You can also contact Dave Harris, Team Leader, directly at daharris@fs.fed.us or (307) 745-2403.

For more information, contact:

Matt Burkhart
Public and Media Relations Recreationist of the Bow,
PO Box 460
Laramie, WY 82073
mbrecreationist@yahoo.com