Write to ride -Moab BLM plans
The Bureau of Land Management is revising its Resource Management Plan and Travel Plan for Moab. These documents will dramatically affect how people enjoy the desert, and how the desert holds up to such uses. Since public comments are due by November 30th, 2007, you probably already know this much.
The BLM’s Moab Field Office is really large, with relatively few regulations already set in place. These conditions create an exciting opportunity to successfully plan for a smorgasbord of opportunities. The agency’s draft plans are somewhat homogenous, and unnecessarily short-change all kinds of recreation… with the possible exception of BASE jumping.
Ride with Respect has developed a proposal to bolster diversity in their draft. Check out our overview, example comment letter, and detailed maps in the “planning” section of www.RideWithRespect.org. If you agree with the comment letter, don’t worry about plagiarizing it- our final one will wind up being much longer!
To conceive the proposal, the RwR board started with its local knowledge, and consulted others in the community. For areas traditionally traveled by motor, we stole many ideas from Brian Hawthorne of Blue Ribbon Coalition. For less-motorized areas, we revised proposals from the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.
Wilderness designation is a particularly thorny issue among recreationists. Most folks agree with the notion of “setting aside” a portion of public lands. But the legal and political process can have wildly pro- or anti-Wilderness results (pun intended). RwR proposes the majority of “wilderness character” areas in Alternative B (the BLM’s preservation-weighted option). We believe most of these areas have a primitive quality, warranting protection. With a few key “cherry stems,” adverse impacts to wheeled enjoyment are minimal.
Nevertheless, staunch motorheads can support our plan with the exception of “wilderness character” designations. That would retain non-motorized opportunities while avoiding any ramifications of potential Wilderness designation. If you frequently find yourself hugging trees, then support the RwR maps except where they conflict with wilderness character in Alternative B. This combination would further enhance primitive areas, while keeping the core motorized spots intact.
Either way, you’ll be offering something more constructive than most of the feedback that land managers receive. We are confident that the Ride with Respect proposal would benefit all recreationists in the log run. But this won’t happen without your support.
Its shear scope makes this plan as clear as the Colorado River. Don’t drown in the details. Just write the BLM a specific letter about the kind of experiences you value, and your favorite areas or routes. Then endorse parts of Ride with Respect’s proposal, in combination with other groups’ ideas.
After all, land-use planning participation is different than BASE jumping. You need not get it perfect every time, but to succeed you must persist. Thanks for following through! -Clif Koontz
1. Review RwR’s proposal at the “planning” section of www.RideWithRespect.org.
2. Deliver comments with your full name and address to:
BLM Moab Field Office
RMP Comments
82 East Dogwood
Moab, UT 84532
3. If you can’t deliver the letter by November 30th via snail-mail, then email it to UT_Moab_Comments@blm.gov.
