Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Bimonthly Newsletter of the Wildlands Center for Preventing Roads. March/April 1998. Volume 3 # 2
At a time when the federal government has publicly Valley, past hay fields and cattle herds and ever-more
acknowledged the importance of roadless area values with an common subdivisions. We chose not to stop at St. Mary’s
(albeit temporary) moratorium on building new roads in these Mission, the earliest anglo settlement in Montana, though it
otherwise unprotected areas, the Forest Service, in a remote would be an appropriate starting point to understanding the
corner of southwestern Montana, seems determined to build issue at hand. There, in 1842, an enterprising Catholic
new roads into just those areas that we have legislatively missionary showed that whites could survive in this inhospi-
protected: designated Wilderness. table territory by irrigating its produc-
tive soils through the dry part of late
summer. Agriculture has been the
J
uly 24th, 1997. I mainstay of the Bitterroot’s economy
since then, and irrigation is the
find myself leading mainstay of agriculture. Father De
what feels like a Smet’s “innovation” — irrigation — is
small army up a trail what allowed considerable settlement
in this valley, and today we are going
in the Selway-Bitterroot into the Wilderness to view some of
Wilderness of western the physical consequences.
Montana. Usually when I lead trips in
Wilderness, I talk about how and why
The Bitterroot Range receives light we should minimize our impact on the
use compared to other major ranges in landscapes, wildlife and other people
the Rockies, partly because these we encounter. The conversation may
mountains aren’t as high and spectacu- stray from how to leave a clean camp
lar as others and partly because of to the enabling legislation that made
Montana’s sparse and well-dispersed all these considerations possible: the
population. The Bitterroot Mountain’s 1964 Wilderness Act. But today our
crest delineates the Idaho/Montana conversation has been robbed of any
border for over 200 miles, but the 1.3 philosophical discussion of how we
million acre Wilderness actually covers can use federal lands responsibly.
more of the former than the latter. Here in Bass Creek a decision has
From the crest, the mountains tumble already been made. Our goal is to
down into Idaho’s Selway river country examine the type and amount of
and beyond: the Selway-Bitterroot Crib structure at the Tin Cup dam. The Forest impact the Bitterroot National Forest
Wilderness is contiguous with vast Service has built roads within designated (NF) deems acceptable within this
tracts of still-undeveloped, unprotected Wilderness to repair old dams like this one, Wilderness, and to consider the
built earlier this century for irrigation. Photo implications for Wilderness dams and
public land that bump into more
by Jamie Lennox. roads throughout the United States.
designated Wilderness. This continu-
ous stretch of wild country is the largest of its kind in the We leave the trailhead walking
lower forty-eight states. west along a road. It follows the narrow corridor of the
We are coming from the decidedly more civilized creek bottom, pushes over a small rise and enters a flatter,
eastern edge of the Wilderness. The party of seven that I am more open valley. We pass the sign: “You are now entering
hiking with drove less than a half hour from the university the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.” We are still on a road, a
town of Missoula to arrive at the trailhead. We traveled road that continues 5 miles further into the Wilderness and
south through the flat bottomland of the Bitterroot River
— continued on page 4 —
From the Wildlands CPR Office...
I Can See Clearly Now...
The hubbub over the Clinton Administration’s new roads policy is beginning to
die down, but the confusion surrounding it continues to grow. In our efforts to find
out what is happening with the policy, we continue to receive contradictory informa-
Wildlands
tion from practically everyone we speak with. Just after our last RIPorter, the Forest C
Center for
Service told us that the 60,000 miles of ghost roads recently discovered included P
Preventing
only user-created, and not temporary roads, and that the 60,000 mile figure was R
Roads
extrapolated from Region 4 data. Just before this issue went to press, however, they
told us that 60,000 is a known number, not an estimate. They also said it includes P.O. Box 7516
temporary and all other types of roads. Then the Forest Service acknowledged that Missoula, MT 59807
the real number of ghost roads is “significantly more than 60,000” according to (406) 543-9551
Acting Director of the Engineering Staff wildlandsCPR@wildrockies.org
www.wildrockies.org/WildCPR
Skip Coghlan. All of the data came from
the Washington, DC office of the Forest
In this Issue
Service. Now if the media and engineer-
Wildlands Center for Preventing
ing departments would only start talking Roads is a national coalition of
to each other, we might get some useful Water, Wilderness and Roads, p. 1 grassroots groups and individuals
information. The comment period for Katherine Deuel working to reverse the severe
the interim roads policy was extended ecological impacts of wildland roads.
another 30 days to coincide with the 60 Odes to Roads, p. 3 We seek to protect native ecosystems
Tom Lyon and biodiversity by recreating an
day comment period on the long-term interconnected network of roadless
policy (deadline March 30). We hope you Legal Notes, p. 6-7 public wildlands.
received either an e-mail or snail mail Jacob Smith
alert from us on this issue. If you lost it Director
and still want to write comments, please Bethanie Walder
Wildlands CPR Annual Report,
contact us ASAP.
p. 8-9 Development Director
Tom Youngblood-Petersen
Thanks... Bibliography Notes, p. 10-11
Office Assistant
Karen Wood Dana Jensen
Many, many thanks to Patagonia,
especially the Reno and Dillon outlets.
The Reno store recently donated a bunch DePaving the Way, p. 12 (anti) Motorized Recreation
Bethanie Walder Program
of gear to use on field excursions, and Jacob Smith
the Dillon store made a generous grant to
our ORV program. We love ecologically Lost and Gone While Driving Newsletter
correct corporations - thanks Patagonia!! Ghost Roads, p. 13 Dan Funsch
As always, thanks to all of you who have Mark Huffman
Interns & Volunteers
sent donations, joined or just supported Ben Irey
our work, it makes all the difference in Ask Dr. Roads, p. 14 Scott Bagley
the world. Many thanks to our member Dr. Roads, Master of what? Vivian Roland
Deb Patla in Wyoming for sending the
Board of Directors
newspaper column that we have re- New Resources Available, p. 14 Katie Alvord
printed on page 13. Mary Byrd Davis
Kraig Klungness
Sidney Maddock
New Arrivals Rod Mondt
Cara Nelson
Wildlands CPR welcomes our new student intern from the University of Mon- Mary O'Brien
tana this semester. Ben Irey, an undergraduate, finished hiking the Appalachian Trail Tom Skeele
last fall. He is back in school and will be doing some ground-based monitoring of Scott Stouder
temporary road compliance on the Bitterroot or Lolo National Forest.
This issue of the RIPorter has a new section - DePaving the Way. We will use this Advisory Committee
Jasper Carlton, Libby Ellis,
column as a place to inform you about high-priority issues relating to roads and Dave Foreman, Keith
wildland ecosystems. We hope it offers you timely information that you can use in Hammer, Timothy Hermach,
your road challenges. We also have included our 1997 Annual Report in this issue, Marion Hourdequin, Lorin
therefore you won’t find any regional reports. Look for them next time. Lindner, Andy Mahler, Robert
You also may notice a new look for The RIPorter. Since Unity DP unbleached McConnell, Stephanie Mills,
Reed Noss, Michael Soulé,
recycled paper is no longer available, we have switched to Eureka 100. This paper is Dan Stotter, Steve
100% recycled, made from 100% post-consumer waste. And although it is white, it Trombulak, Louisa Willcox,
is non-chlorine bleached. Bill Willers, Howie Wolke
Momentum
by Tom Lyon
I
’ve been thinking a lot about why rationally; we
road construction is innocent until know this can’t go
proven guilty — why we on the on. What if
minority side have to struggle so hard everybody in the
even to get a hearing. We never got one world lived like
on the Final Environmental Impact this? But we take
Statement that the Utah Department of the money. We go
Transportation prepared for Logan ahead and drive
Canyon, Utah. It was an unbelievably the car — wonder-
bad document, full of false assumptions ing what all these
and misused or faulty statistics. It sailed other people are
through, as such things do. Then the doing on the road, Logan Canyon, Utah. Photo by George Nickas.
Forest Service dismissed our 187-page why the traffic is
appeal with a page and a half bureau- so dense.
cratic slap, the back of the hand. But Shouldn’t they be at work, or in school beings, however; the world doesn’t work
why? Why is it so easy for them, and so or something? We’re streaming down in parts. What a strong and sad disease it
hard for us? Why do the “Indians” the highway, part of the momentum. is, that we don’t see this.
always lose?
What we don’t often see is that It’s fortunate that along with the
I remember sitting at the big table momentum makes us stupid. It shuts off ego-mind, the identity-builder, evolution
with Utah Department of Transportation awareness of the real, related, interde- provided a capacity for wider, relational
and Forest Service representatives in the pendent world. Keeps us within our awareness. This is where we touch the
early days of the Logan Canyon contro- metallic shells. Keeps us going straight world of source, where we see the tree
versy. UDOT, the Forest Service and the and fast on the road we have built. This in its own right, feel its bark, feel into
Federal highway people had convened is truly a massive mental and spiritual the life that stands there flowing upward
an “Interdisciplinary Team” that disorder. We straighten, simplify, and and downward, feel compassion with it.
included a few environmentalists. We speed up — the classic linear mentality, This is where we don’t just leave the tree
would all present our different views the classic mistake. This is what the alone, we honor it as a fellow vessel of
and arrive at a consensus. But no such Logan Canyon project is: an accurate sacred life. In relational awareness, we
thing happened: we could not see why expression of who we think we are and get a bit of perspective on this fierce
a faster, straighter road should be built, what we think the world is. What makes little identity thing. We see the good-
and they could not see why we preferred our situation so difficult now is that we ness of a winding, slow road, and the
a winding, slower one. It was as if the haven’t just made a technical mistake, greater beauty of a roadless canyon. We
two sides spoke absolutely unrelated we have become identified with our don’t feel in such a hurry. We have
languages. The momentum, however, construction. The straight, fast road, and stepped aside from the clanking,
was theirs, and after a number of the salary increase, etc., become crucial whirring machinery for a time. This kind
meetings they dissolved the ID team, to our always-accumulating identity. We of seeing doesn’t translate well into
sent us letters of thanks, and went ahead are dedicated to safeguarding and bottom-line language — it doesn’t carry
with the project the way they wanted it. expanding this identity above all, and across the big table very well. But when
our tight allegiance keeps us from we are alive this way, aren’t we more
You can see the same onrushing seeing, from knowing in any deep way likely to do the right thing?
impetus operating in other parts of our what we’re doing. The new, fast, straight
strange life. A woman in Iowa gives birth road in Logan Canyon is like such roads Tom Lyon is recently retired from the
to seven babies, to general approval. anywhere, a symptom of our not seeing University of Utah, where he has been a
(Hardly anyone sees population growth the world. professor since 1964. He edited the
as the real, hurtful thing it is.) The classic anthology This Incomparable
economy grows daily, to general Speaking from the state of identity, Land: A Book of American Nature
approval (what gloomy faces we will see, we call our impacts “side effects,” a Writing, and he also edits the journal
if it should ever not grow). NAFTA goes revealing phrase. In Logan Canyon, there Western American Literature. Mr. Lyon
through; GATT goes through. Full steam will be “side effects” on Logan River, on has been honored with conservation
ahead. You and I get a raise, and we not Beaver Creek, on trees, birds, flowers, awards from the Utah Wilderness
only don’t refuse it, we think it could snails, snakes, worms, deer, elk, and on Association and the Bridgerland Audubon
have been more. We know better, and on. In reality, these are not “side” Society.
T
he Biodiversity Legal Foundation
(BLF) and the Fund for Animals
(Fund) recently settled a lawsuit
they had filed against the National Park
Service (NPS) over the management of
winter recreation in Yellowstone
National Park (YNP). Their effort
provides one example of taking legal
action to force Federal land manage-
ment agencies to manage motorized
recreation responsibly.
After considerable research, the BLF
and the Fund concluded that winter
recreation, especially motorized activity
(primarily the use of snowmobiles and Motorized recreation during the winter disturbs wildlife at a time when
snow coaches) was likely having they are most vulnerable. File photo.
significant adverse environmental
impacts on Yellowstone. They sought
fundamental changes in the Park
Service’s winter recreation management
policies. The BLF and the Fund further counts. First, the NPS should have The Settlement
determined the NPS was violating prepared an Environmental Impact After extensive negotiations, despite
numerous Federal statutes, and the Statement (EIS) concerning winter concerted efforts by industry groups to
agency’s ongoing winter recreation recreation and its environmental effects. intervene in the lawsuit, the parties to
planning process was unlikely to Second, the NPS should have supple- the litigation agreed to a settlement.
remedy the legal deficiencies. These mented its 1990 Environmental Analysis Signed by the Court in late October
organizations, along with Predator on winter use in YNP in light of signifi- 1997, the settlement agreement con-
Project, the Ecology Center, and a cant new information and circumstances. tained several key provisions:
number of individuals as additional co- The lawsuit further contended that The Park Service agreed to complete
plaintiffs, filed suit against the NPS (in winter recreation in Yellowstone was a comprehensive EIS on winter visitor
the District of Columbia, U.S. District likely harming the grizzly bear and the use by September 2000 (with specific
Court) in May 1997 to force compliance gray wolf, two species listed under the deadlines for the initiation of scoping
with legal and regulatory mandates ESA. The ESA required the Park to and the publication of a draft EIS).
concerning recreation management and consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife During this interim period (until a
environmental protection. Service (FWS), which it had not done, Record of Decision is signed regarding
and the FWS was required to issue a this new winter visitor use plan), the
Biological Opinion concerning the NPS agreed not to begin construction on
The Lawsuit impacts of winter use on the grizzly bear winter use facilities (with several specific
The Fund et al. argued that the NPS and gray wolf, which it had not done exceptions).
was violating four major environmental either. The Park Service agreed to prepare
laws: Finally, the Fund et al. claimed the a Biological Assessment and request
NPS violated the National Parks Organic formal consultation with the FWS
* the National Environmental Policy Act and Yellowstone National Park’s
Act (NEPA); regarding impacts to species listed (or
enabling legislation by failing to “con- proposed for listing) under the ESA.
* the Endangered Species Act (ESA); serve the wildlife” of the Park and to The Park Service committed itself to
* the National Park Service Organic “leave them unimpaired for the enjoy- prepare an EA with the proposed action
Act; and ment of future generations,” 16 U.S.C. of closing one or more road segments to
§1, by failing to leave them “in their winter visitor use in order to more fully
* the Yellowstone National Park Act. natural condition,” 16 U.S.C. §22, and study the impacts of snowmobile
several additional (and related) regula- grooming on YNP bison, one of the
With respect to NEPA, the Fund, et tory violations. The lawsuit also in-
al. contend that the Park Service failed plaintiffs’ major concerns.
cluded Administrative Procedures Act
to fulfill its legal obligations on two and Mandamus Act claims.
Introduction
From the ground up — from
Programs and
grassroots activists to the general public Projects
to the halls of Congress — people turned
their attention to the issue of wildland
roads last year like never before. Wild- Outreach and Membership
lands Center for Preventing Roads was Outreach and member services
instrumental in this process: providing include distributing our bi-monthly
resources to conservationists, defining newsletter The Road-RIPorter, handling
the emerging policy debate, and elevating information requests, making public and
it to the national level. This 1997 Annual conference presentations (slideshows,
Report outlines our accomplishments for papers, etc., average two per month), and
the past year and gives an overview of organizing events. Over 500 requests for
our program activities. If you would like information came from small and large
more specific information, please contact organizations, print and broadcast media,
us. As we look ahead to our ongoing Congressional aides, and agency person-
challenges, we will continue to stress the nel. We heard from as far away as New
importance of preventing roads and the Zealand, Australia and Israel, in addition
growing need to remove them from to numerous requests from Canada.
wildland ecosystems. We distribute roughly 700 copies of
our newsletter every two months, and
our mailing list grew from around 400 to
Organization over 550 groups and individuals in 1997.
In February 1997, Wildlands CPR got Wildlands CPR seeks to recreate an The Road-RIPorter is filled with informa-
its non-profit [501(c)(3)] status from the interconnected network of roadless public
wildlands. White sage in Casper’s Park,tion you can use to challenge roads and
IRS. (We had been a project of The motorized recreation, and articles have
Wildlands Project in Tucson, AZ.) Our California. Photo by Mark Alan Wilson.
been reprinted in nearly a dozen
steering committee became our board of environmental journals and newsletters
directors, Keith Hammer and Jasper in the past year.
Carlton stepped down to join our board of advisors, and
shortly thereafter Scott Stouder and Mary Byrd Davis joined
the board to fill the vacancies.
We began ‘97 with a small staff. Bethanie Walder served
“Your 11th hour faxes were vital in our
as 3/4 time Director and Aaron Jones as 1/4 time office
assistant. Dave Havlick and Jim Coefield produced The litigation effort to stop roadless area logging
Road-RIPorter, and we worked with over a dozen volunteers on Kenai lake.” (they won!)
and interns. Scott Bagley authored The Road-Ripper’s Guide to
Wildland Road Removal and updated our bibliographic data-
— Jay Stange,
base with help from Alex Brooks and Catherine Shoemaker. Alaska Center for the Environment
John Dillon took our slideshow to Wyoming, Colorado and
Utah. In April, Tom Youngblood-Petersen became our 1/2 time
development director, responsible for fundraising, develop-
Publications
Our 1997 focus was strengthening our clearinghouse
resources, and that’s what we did. A key publication was The
“Wildlands CPR has been the supreme Road-Ripper’s Guide to Wildland Road Removal, the fifth and
latest guide in the Road-Ripper’s Handbook. Available in March
catalyst in getting us this far.” 1998, this guide explains how roads are built, where and why
— Dave Willis, Director, they fail, and how to assess and influence road removal
projects. It takes a complex process and gives you the techni-
Soda Mountain Wilderness Council
cal information needed to work on or simply understand this
issue. We also published several other reports in 1997,
ment, and membership. In September, Dana Jensen took over including “Understanding National Forest Road Economics,”
Aaron’s job — he moved to Portland. The beginning of ‘98 saw and reports on ORVs, road removal and road impacts.
more hours for our staff and a new program to fight motorized Our bibliographic database on the ecological effects of
recreation. Jacob Smith will work 1/2 time through his office roads now is current through late 1997. We conducted 53
in Boulder, CO. In addition, Dan Funsch, former outreach bibliography searches in 1997 (compared to 22 in 1996) and
director for Alliance for the Wild Rockies took over Dave also sold 6 complete bibliographies. The next update will be
Havlick’s portion of The Road-RIPorter. completed in 1999.
Outreach/
Member
39%
44% Administration
36%
1997 Wildland CPR Revenue
Grants
91%
Workshops
We conducted three workshops as part of conferences in
National Legislative/
the northwest and the Great Lakes region. Bethanie presented Management Issues
half day workshops at the Western Ancient Forest Activists
Conference in Ashland, OR in February; the Oregon Natural Roads made big news in Congress in 1997, and Wildlands
Desert Association Conference in Malheur, OR in April; and CPR was in the thick of it. We assisted groups fighting the
the Forest Reform Rally in Ely, MN in September. All three “Pave-the Parks” Rider to gain right-of-way access through RS
were well attended and spawned road assessment work in the 2477 (Revised Statute 2477 of the 1866 Lode Mining Act). We
different regions. One attendee from the Minnesota work- also assisted with key lobbying efforts to support the Porter/
shop, for example, has organized a group of college students Kennedy and Bryant amendments to cut congressional
to do a series of road surveys on the Chequamagon National appropriations for road construction on National Forest lands.
Forest in Wisconsin. We are planning to convene more road Finally, in late 1997, the Administration began working on an
removal workshops in 1998, as well as a new workshop — interim policy for roadless area protection, as well as changes
fighting motorized recreation on public lands. to how they deal with roads on National Forest lands. We
continue to track this important issue, and will be active as it
develops.
Roads and Toxic Pollutants Roadways introduce pollutants into aquatic systems
by Karen Wood through a variety of ways. Photo by Kraig
Klungness.
R
oads introduce a variety of toxic pollutants to the surrounding soils,
vegetation, air and waterways. Highways are a source of chronic, Snowmelt contamination has the
seasonal and accidental pollution (Balades et al. 1985, Reid 1993). Salts potential to alter both the species
from road de-icing agents (NaCl and CaCl) and lead from gasoline are common composition and biomass of wetland
contaminants associated with roads, but pollutants also include nickel, copper (part vegetation. For example, when watered
of clutch lining), zinc (additive to tires), oils and greases, tire rubber, and cadmium with pure snowmelt, only two out of five
(Isabelle et al. 1987, Bellinger et al. 1982, Nolte 1988). Pollutants are deposited onto wetland species germinated, and the
roads through vehicle emissions, dust fallout, wear on tires and traffic, and direct germination rate of the two successful
application, as in the case of de-icing salts (Wada and Miura 1984, Bellinger et al. species declined by 50 percent. Runoff
1982). Levels of zinc and lead are related to traffic level (Balades et al. 1985), while from roadside snowmelt could change
de-icing salts are related to climate and the amount of snowfall and salts applied in a species composition of wetland vegeta-
season. tion by causing a decline in intolerant
species, making more habitat available
Transport of Pollutants Away From the Road for tolerant plants (Isabelle et al. 1987).
Sodium and calcium chlorides were
Pollution from roads is introduced into the surrounding environment through a)
found in high levels 10 meters from the
changes in the quantity of runoff due to the creation of large impervious areas, and
highway on a road in southern Ontario,
b) changes in the quality of run-off from vehicular pollution (Bellinger et al. 1982).
but declined to background levels at a
Transport of pollutants away from the road occurs by one or more of the following
distance of 30 meters. Outside this area
mechanisms:
there was little accumulation (Hofstra
and Smith 1984). Another study of
* Soluble contaminants dissolve in run-off water; migration patterns of road de-icing salts
* Insoluble particulates act as sorbents for pollutant ions, which are then found a significant correlation between
transported by runoff water; a vehicle’s velocity and the maximum
distance to which the salt migrates,
* Surface contaminants are transferred to the atmosphere either as dry particles
affected by the variables of wind, road
or dissolved in surface water (spray) (Bellinger et. al 1982); or
gradient and geometrical features of the
* Contaminants in snow are pushed off the sides of roads by snowplows or road (McBean and Al-Nassri 1987).
concentrated in snow-dumping sites (Scott and Wylie 1980, Lockery et. a. 1982, Several regions of Canada ban snow
Hofstra and Smith 1984). dumping from within 150 feet of a
waterway because of the consequences
Pollutants accumulate on the road surface and are flushed out in great quantities of saline runoff (Lockery et al. 1982).
by rainfall. A few rain events can quickly introduce into the environment as much as Salt affects fresh water bodies because
30 percent of the annual pollution load of motorway runoff waters, especially if the the more dense saline water tends to
rains follow a long dry period (Balades et al. 1985, Wada et al. 1984). Road charac- move into the deeper part of the lake
teristics and climate play a more significant role in the removal of pollutants than basin. In a study of First Sister Lake in
mean daily traffic (Balades et al. 1985, Grayson et al. 1993, Bellinger et al. 1982). Michigan, saline water was found to
remain separate from the lower density
De-Icing Salts fresh water, preventing mixing of the
Sodium and calcium chlorides can impact vegetation through soil contamina- lake and causing a temporary stratifica-
tion, direct foliar contact, and water pollution. Sodium concentrations in soil can: tion. Laboratory and field tests indicate
that the salt left the lake and entered the
* lead to displacement of other cations such as calcium, magnesium and
ground water of the area (Judd 1970).
potassium in soil, rendering these other cations unavailable for plant uptake (Fleck et
al. 1988, Hofstra and Smith 1984);
A study of streams receiving runoff
* create osmotic concentration gradients and changes in soil structure and pH, from a highway in the Huntington
leading to soil stress in plants; and Wildlife Forest in New York found
* result in toxicity, plant injury, and increased susceptibility to disease through significant increases in chloride concen-
uptake into the vegetation (Fleck et al. 1988).
I
n December 1997, the FS revised their estimate of the National Forest road the Forest Service absorbs the responsi-
network from 380,000 to 440,000 miles. The extra 60,000 miles comes from bility and cost of complying with the
unauthorized and unengineered roads — including the ubiquitous, stealthy, FSM.
temporary road. The Forest Service has no method for tracking temporary roads, nor Therefore, temporary roads can
does it include public highways, state or county roads in its inventory. However, legally remain on the ground for up to
temporary roads cause lasting impacts to the National Forests, as explained below. 20 years or more, yet they are con-
Temporary roads are not considered “system” roads (see “glossary,” RIPorter V3, structed with few, if any, environmental
#1, p11). Most often, they are constructed in conjunction with timber sales, and safeguards. This leads to increased
financed by the timber purchaser. Timber sale contracts typically require that erosion and sedimentation, access for
temporary roads be obliterated and revegetated, but they often remain on the ground illegal off-road vehicles, and other
after the contract is closed, at which point they become the responsibility of the problems. But because temporary roads
Forest Service. aren’t tracked, their total mileage and
The Forest Service has impacts are unknown. Their status as
no design constraints for non-system roads often makes them
temporary roads other than priorities for obliteration, though timber
clearing width and location sale contracts require this anyway. And
(though location is decided as the agency obliterates these roads,
in conjunction with the total road mileage doesn’t change
timber purchaser). Best because they are not part of the system.
management practices (in Therefore, scarce obliteration funds are
states having them) may wasted fixing problems that timber
also apply to temporary purchasers were supposed to pay for,
road construction. If a while obliteration for system roads
temporary road is proposed proceeds at a snail’s pace and road
for sensitive habitat, the construction and reconstruction
Forest Service can impose continue to scar the landscape.
design parameters, but that In addition, the Forest Service has
The Forest Service has no method for tracking temporary changes the road designa- been known to misapply the term
roads, or assessing their ecological costs. Photo by Keith tion from “temporary” to “temporary” to allow road construction
Hammer. “specified short-term,” and in places it is prohibited. The FSM
qualifies the road for federal (2432.35b) states: “Use temporary roads
funding under purchaser road credit provisions. In addition to the lack of design only for short-term non-recurrent
constraints, no length constraints exist; a temporary road could be 1/8th of a mile or purchaser use.” But when the Superior
18 miles. In addition to timber sale access, temporary roads often are used for National Forest, as part of a Forest Plan
mineral and gas exploration. Amendment, implemented road density
Environmental analyses consider a maximum amount of temporary roads for a standards to comply with wolf habitat
project, and the contractor is limited to this amount. The FS sale administrator and requirements, the standards exempted
the timber sale contractor then jointly determine where they will be built. temporary roads from density calcula-
According to Forest Service Manual (FSM) 7703.1, the agency is required to: tions. Since the Amendment, the
“Reestablish vegetative cover on any unnecessary roadway or area disturbed by road Superior has built few forest develop-
construction on National Forest System lands within 10 years after the termination of ment roads, but it has built and rebuilt
the activity that required its use and construction.” temporary roads.
Regardless of the FSM 10-year rule, temporary roads can remain for much Temporary roads cause significant
longer. For example, timber sales typically last 3-5 years or more. If a temporary impacts on the land, require little
road is built in the first year of a 6 year timber sale, its intended use doesn’t end until environmental oversight and remain
the sale is complete — 6 years. The timber contract often requires the purchaser to untracked by the Forest Service. They
close, obliterate and revegetate the temporary road prior to closing the contract. In often remain on the land beyond their
other cases, however, the contract requires the purchaser to pay for the Forest allowable term and eat up limited road
Service to close/obliterate the road a few years after the FS completes revegetation obliteration money that might be better
work, slash burning, etc. So this temporary road could remain open through this 6 spent on system roads. Wildlands CPR
years, plus another 2-3 years before the 10 year clock starts ticking on the FSM is continuing our research into how to
guidelines. According to several agency road specialists, FS contract administrators understand and challenge temporary
also have signed off on contracts even though closure/obliteration has not been done. roads. For more information, please
Once the contract is closed, the timber purchaser is absolved of responsibility, and contact us.
M
y friend Kranston arrived in mostly the western part of the United for the missing roads in our national
Jackson last week and called States.” forests, which have been
the Forest Service to volunteer. Well, I said, so they lost 60,000 misremembered by Forest Service
To help them look for their lost miles of road. But why focus on the officials.
roads. negative? They found it, didn’t they? “Rather than whining about the
He showed me a newspaper “But it makes you wonder how government losing roads and pointing
clipping that explained the problem. much more is out there ‘escaping fingers, citizens can help solve the
“Seems the Forest Service has a lot inventory,’ “ Kranston said. “If they problem,” he said. “And it might be an
of roads it can’t find,” he said, waving admit they lost 60,000 miles of road this inspiration to other people to volunteer
the article at me. “Might be a million long, might be another 60,000 miles out their efforts in other matters.”
miles of road out there in the forest that there someplace, or more? Who knows? Such as? I asked.
they can’t remember are there.” That’s the thing about things you don’t “Well, if the Forest Service mis-
Seemed somewhat exaggerated to know about — you don’t know about placed 60,000 miles of road, how much
me. them.” has the Park Service lost? Or the Bureau
“No,” he said, “It’s true — some- Which is why Kranston decided to of Land Management?
what, anyway. ‘Ghost roads’ they call help. He’s offering to organize search “What about Teton County and
them, Forest Service roads that go from parties that will go out into the forests Jackson and the state of Wyoming? What
nowhere to someplace without the and look around. They will keep their about the Federal Highway Administra-
Forest Service being aware of them, just eyes open for roads. When they see tion — I mean we might discover there’s
wandering around in the woods mysteri- them they will drive along them, thousands of miles of interstate highway
ously.” verifying they aren’t just small bare we’ve forgotten,” Kranston said. “Maybe
The article said the Forest Service patches in the grass, but really roads, there’s people who drove onto those
planned to spend $5 billion to repair uncharted interstates and now they’re
373,000 miles of backcountry road. out there driving around lost, wondering
During its preparation, the Forest Service how to get back onto highways that are
“found” another 60,000 miles of roads, still within the knowledge of govern-
that, according to the Associated Press, ment officials.
“had escaped the government’s inven- “We might find tens of thousands of
tory.” Americans who have been counted as
“I lost my keys last week,” Kranston missing or dead,” he said. “Judge Crater,
said. “Left them stuck in the garage door Jimmie Hoffa, Amelia Earhart, all those
and thought I’d dropped them.” Looked sailors gone in the Bermuda Triangle,
around, after about 15 minutes I went New Kids on the Block — maybe they’re
out and there they were, hanging there.” out there driving around on ‘ghost
I didn’t see what that had to do with roads’ waiting for rescue.”
anything. That struck me as taking good
“Just that I never lost 60,000 miles information — about the lost Forest
of road,” he said. “Just that I don’t Service roads — and extrapolating
understand how you can build 60,000 beyond what was reasonable. But
miles of road — dirt road though it Kranston thought I was rejecting his
might be — and have it slip your mind.” theory too soon. Like I said, he had
I told him the national forests are a called the Forest Service and volun-
big place. You can’t expect Forest Service teered to start looking.
officials — especially when they’re And?
always being transferred and promoted “They said I had to talk to the
and retiring and being replaced — to district ranger,” he said. “But that he
keep track of every single mile of road went out on a road inventory last week
they had. That would be unreasonable. and they hadn’t heard from him since.”
“Sixty thousand miles of roads is
Photo by Jim Coefield
enough to go around the planet twice Mark Huffman is a columnist with the
and then some, enough road to get a Jackson Hole News. His column is reprinted
quarter of the way to the moon, enough and find where they go. They will then here by permission.
road to wear out a set of tires. report to Forest Service officials.
“And it’s not like it goes around the “It’s all part of that volunteerism Editor’s Note: If you want to look for ghost
world or off into space, so they don’t thing the Republicans are always talking roads — get a copy of our Road Ripper’s
have that excuse for losing it,” Kranston about,” Kranston said. “About us taking Guide to the National Forests. It’s got step-
said. “It’s all in the United States, and responsibility for ourselves, including by-step instructions to help you uncover
those “misremembered” roads.
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