9-12-07  # 738

STATEWIDE PUBLIC MEETINGS

ON STATE FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN

  Comments Sought on Proposed Changes

A series of nine meetings will be held by the state Bureau of Forestry to seek public input on the management of Pennsylvania’s BOF.

                   Some Important items on the agenda:

     Expansion of ATV corridors in State Forests

      Lifting of a moratorium on shallow-gas drilling

      Allowing commercial wind turbine development on BOF lands.

      Designation of > 13,000 acres as wild and natural areas

DCNR Secretary Michael DiBerardinis said “Hearing from the public gives us insight into their needs and concerns related to the forest, which allows us to adapt our management strategies.”

Please mark your calendar and attend one of the

Meetings.  Your input is very important

The meeting dates and locations are:

        Sept. 12, Ramada Inn, State College;

        Sept. 18, Renovo Elementary School, Renovo;

        Sept. 19, Brady Township Community Center,                                            Luthersburg (near Dubois);

        Sept. 20, Potato City Inn, Coudersport;

        Sept. 25, Antiochian Village, Ligonier;

        Sept. 27, The Inn at Reading, French Creek;

        Oct. 1, Genetti Hotel, Williamsport;

        Oct. 2, Holiday Inn/Dunmore, Scranton;

        Oct. 4, Hotel Carlisle and Embers Convention Center, Carlisle.

                  Meetings are scheduled for 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm

For a list of “Talking Points*” on a few of the important topics, contact ForestCoalition@aol.com

                       See sample below:

* Talking Points on BOF’s “Connectors to Trespass” :

Projected to cost $2.25 million, the “strategic connector” initiative for ATVs would emphasize “long rides traversing new territory”. Sadly, that is not compatible with good stewardship of our forests or public safety.

Rather than keep the ATV damage to a minimum by investing in improving the self-contained sacrificial areas in State Forests, this initiative would link present legal ATV areas to “the outside” – Township roads. These connectors are “corridors to trespass”.

A DCNR survey taken seven years ago documented 2,535 miles of unauthorized ATV use. It stated that “There was no correlation found that providing trails in areas decreased the illegal use”. The seven Forestry Districts with legal ATV trails actually had an average of 50 more miles of illegal use. If legal riding areas are not clearly delineated and exits blocked, those trails also serve as corridors to trespass throughout the forest; vernal ponds and wetlands are favorite targets, along with steep, easily-eroded slopes.

Recommendations by DCNR at that time (July 11, 2000) stated “An increase in enforcement numbers and staffing numbers in state forest districts is desperately needed.” Proper enforcement could have been  entirely funded  (100%) by the ATV Restricted Fund (paid for by ATV registrations).

The new BOF “Strategic Connectors” do not provide for adequate enforcement.            Every dollar spent on ATV trails should be matched by a dollar spent for enforcement. A good question to ask would be “What percentage of the ATV/Snowmobile restricted fund is spent on Enforcement?”

If you get an answer, pleas let us know.

ATVs are not “the economic salvation of rural Pennsylvania”. The hunters, hikers and wildlife-watchers provide the vast majority of that economy. Nature-Based Tourism is not compatible with this trend in ATV trespass. 

The projects:

• 1-mile connector trail - Susquehannock State Forest; $5,000;

• 1.5-mile addition to Sideling Hill trails in Buchanan State Forest; $20,000;
• 20-mile expansion to Jack’s Mountain trails in Bald Eagle State Forest; $200,000;
• 6.6-mile connector from Sproul State Forest;$1,500,000; and
• 13-mile upgrade; Delaware State Forest; $500,000.

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Detailed information about the plan can be found on the DCNR Web site at www.dcnr.state.pa.us (choose Forestry, then State Forest Resource Management Plan 2007 Update)          You may submit comments online or through the U.S. mail to:

DCNR – Bureau of Forestry, State Forest Resource Management Plan Update, P.O. Box 8552, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8552.

One who speaks up is louder than 10,000 who remain silent  .   .   . BE HEARD !

 http://www.paforestcoalition.org/

The Pennsylvania Forest Coalition is a unique alliance of hunters, hikers, anglers, landowners, wildlife-watchers, paddlers, bikers, churches and conservation groups who are united in our concern for the stewardship of our public lands. Our mission is to link the groups together via timely e-mailings on important environmental issues.

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