New State ORV Draft Plan is out

[Trail_Fanatic]

Post up your thoughts, questions, concerns about anything in it.
We need to be formulating our response.

The Plan:
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/2008ORV_Mgt_Plan_Draft_222536_7.pdf

[USMC 0369]

Would it be okay with you if I printed this our or fwd: this link to Greg Hoffman [Our SBNF AAT organizer out west here] and get his take on it? He's been dealing with this stuff for a long time and can read between the lines pretty good.

I'd be interested to know what Carla thinks about it as well. :idea:

[Trail_Fanatic]

That'd be great!
:thumb:

Time is of the essence though.

It's on my list for this week:

1) Drummond Island Route Review with AB/DNR/MMRC
2) Mast Lake Comments
3) Finish 10th Annual Clean Up flier
4) ORV Plan Revision Comments
5) 4323 Support Letter for MMRC


I have Carla on too many other things to feel comfortable sending this her way too. She specializes is Federal issues, so I try to stick to Federal issues with her.

[Renegade II]

I haven't given a real in depth read yet, but one thing that pops up right away is page six, item #8.


8. The Department recognizes the desire of user groups for additional scramble areas.
Existing compromised sites, such as borrow pits, mines, quarries and pre-existing ORV
damage sites located on state forest lands, will be evaluated to determine potential for use
area designation or restoration. The location of these areas must be considered in light of
other state land management objectives and resource protection.

The "or restoration" is my only concern. If we show them all the areas that are "potential use areas', will any get converted to our use or all get "restored."

Turtle ponds, Baker Rd. and 11 Mile Rd. in Midland County were very popular areas to wheel and would be good candidates for a reopening. The Mounds is a parking lot compared to some of the areas I could show you back there. Just ask some of the Sundowners that ran there in the late 80's, early 90's.

[Trail_Fanatic]

Forest, Mineral and Fire Management
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 30452
Lansing, Michigan 48909-7952



February 25, 2008

Re: Draft Off Road Vehicle Management Plan 2008



To Whom It May Concern,

Please accept the following comments on behalf of the Great Lakes Four Wheel Drive Association.

The System

The ORV System is implemented to execute the “business” of operating and maintaining a system of trails and routes for those members of the public who enjoy the wide variety of recreational activities that fall under the ORV classification. Those members of the public who utilize the ORV system are its “customers”. A business must know its customer base to succeed in offering a desirable product. There is currently no data gathering system in place to track the types, quantities, or desires of the system’s customers. Without this knowledge, there is no way for the Department to evaluate the successfulness of the current system. Dissatisfied customers will seek their product from other sources; in this case the product is recreation. Other sources for ORV recreation are too often found on undesignated routes and trails on both public and private lands. A system that fails to meet the needs its intended user-base increases the probability of off system use and subsequent damage. We are disappointed that the Draft ORV Plan does not attempt to correct the issue of data collection.

Only 17% of the ORV system is designated as Route and available for use by the 4x4 driver. Furthermore, less than 2% of that 17% actually offers 4x4 enthusiasts the opportunity to utilize the capabilities of their 4WD vehicle. The USDA National Forest Service study “Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation in the United States, Regions, and States” (June 2005, H. Ken Cordell) indicates that an estimated 1,499,300 Michigan residents participate in OHV recreation annually. Only 346,000 off-road motorcycles and ATVs were registered with the Secretary of State as of 1/31/07. The largest segment of the remaining 1,153,300 participants is that of the 4x4 Jeep, truck and SUV sector (4x4, hereafter). The proportion of 4x4 users to available opportunity is unsatisfactorily disproportionate. The Draft ORV Plan does not include provisions to correct this imbalance.

GLFWDA finds it encouraging that the Department agrees positive legislative change is required to realize some needed improvements to the system. It is hoped the Department will support legislation when it is brought before the legislature by enthusiasts.


Maintenance, Signage, and Mapping

GLFWDA finds The Draft ORV Plan yields positive direction for system maintenance, signage, and mapping. We look forward to assisting the Department with the implementation of applicable initiatives. It is also encouraging to find “The Department supports the idea of no net loss of trail quality and quantity where the trail is impacted by timber harvesting or other land management activities”.

ORV Operation on State Owned Lands

This section refers to the “Closed unless Posted Open” policy. The application of this policy to the 4x4 enthusiast is ambiguous and needs clarification. Many 4x4 operators are under the impression that this indicates that roads that require a 4x4 vehicle for successful navigation are open in the Upper Peninsula if not obstructed or otherwise posted closed. We suggest reviewing the phrasing of this policy to more accurately covey the intended purpose to all of the types of user groups.

Safety Education

This entire program is intended for the ATV and Cycle segments of the program. Education of the 4x4 segment is virtually nonexistent. This results in 4x4 users who are not knowledgeable of the laws pertaining to 4x4 ORV operation in Michigan. We understand the education of this user segment presents unique challenges and would welcome the opportunity to assist the Department in the development of a strategy for correcting this deficiency.

Expansion of Designated Trails/Routes/Scramble Areas

We are encouraged that the Department will continue to support improvements at St. Helen Motorsport Area. We look forward to completion of the full Master Plan approved in 2002.

We must applaud the Department for point #8. The possible inclusion of currently undesignated, yet highly utilized, “play areas” (compromised sites) is an outstanding way to increase user enjoyment of the system while substantially reducing development and construction time and cost.

The successful implementation of a southern Michigan ORV area requires the Department take a leading role. It is a tremendous disappointment to find the Department shifting lead responsibility for this project to enthusiasts and local units of government. It was not enthusiasts or local units of government who were tasked with the creation of this area. The legislature charged the Department with this responsibility.

ORV Events on State-owned Land

Statement #1 indicates that Event Permits will NOT be approved for ANY situation that would utilize a travel way that is not part of the designated ORV System or fails to meet the strict definition of Forest Road. Current event routes that have been approved for well over a decade would not be approved for 2008 under this definition. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! This language must be modified to include other routes as approved by the Department.

Statement #3 should be applied with caution not to harass or intimidate enthusiasts attending events. Events bring a tremendous economic boon to local communities. Participation may drop if enforcement officers do not perform their role in a socially acceptable manner.

Licensing of ORVs

Licensing fails to collect information about the user or the machine to which it will be affixed. This information is critical to the implementation of a system balancing opportunity with need. The needs of one form of ORV or another cannot be properly determined without knowing what percentage of use the system receives from a particular class of vehicle.

Administration

We anxiously await the implementation of point #8.

Addressing Illegal ORV Use

Off system activity can only be reduced by fulfilling the desires and expectations of the enthusiasts for which the system was created. Michigan’s public lands abound in the features enthusiasts seek. If these types of features are not included in the system, uneducated and insensible enthusiasts will utilize them off-system. GLFWDA fully agrees that all of the methods of outreach proposed in this section should be utilized. However, without first implementing a system that meets the needs of the recreation, it is feared any measure will be inadequate.

Law Enforcement

The ORV Handbook lacks availability to the 4x4 enthusiast under the current system. GLFWDA encourages the Department to investigate the feasibility offormatting the ORV license to include a readily identifiable number that can be traced to a particular vehicle, vehicle class, and purchaser for data collection as well as law enforcement. ORV Handbooks can then be made mandatory for purchasers.

The cost of a CO is prohibitive. It would be more financially advantageous to seek additional enforcement through other means. GLFWDA disagrees with the utilization of additional Conservation Officers while other options exist.

Restoration of Environmentally Damaged Sites

Sites placed in inventory should be evaluated for inclusion within the ORV system automatically as a part of standard operating procedure.

Any management plan to correct the initial cause of problems at environmentally
damaged sites should include evaluation of weather the activity that created the damage is provided geographically near to the site within the system, or if users must travel a prohibitive distance to participate in the recreational form legally. This can serve as an excellent indicator of the geographical locations where system expansion is needed.



Respectfully submitted,

Great Lakes Four Wheel Drive Association

[timbercruiser]

WOW!!! Again, thanks Pat for your work!

That is a great letter. Very Professional.

Keep it up!

[Trail_Fanatic]

http://www.mlive.com/grandrapids/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1204293314130290.xml&coll=6