[ Home ] [ Newsletter ] [ Late Breaking News ] [ Upcoming Events ] [ Shawnee Forest Facts ] [ Attention Trail Users ] [ Related Web Pages ] [ STC Recent Events ] [ STC Officers ] [ Membership Form ]

Newsletters: [ October 2005 ] [ May 2005 ] [ February 2005 ] [ December 2004 ] [ September 2004 ] [ May 2004 ] [ December 2003 ] [ September 25 Update ] [ September 2003 ] [ May 2003 ] [ December 2002 ] [ July 2002 ] [ April 2002 ] [ December 2001 ] [ October 2001 ] [ July 2001 ]

The Shawnee Trail Conservancy, who were enjoined by the Blue Ribbon Coalition, Illinois Trail Riders, and IFOR (Illinois Federation for Outdoor Resources) filed a lawsuit in late March in Federal court in Benton, IL against the Shawnee National Forest and its Supervisor Forrest Starkey, claiming failures to properly manage and provide for recreational access opportunities on the forest. The suit alleges the Forest Service has failed to conduct planning or maintenance necessary for off-highway vehicle and equestrian access, and also attacks the agency’s efforts marking and managing "natural areas" throughout the forest. The recreation groups are represented by Attorney Paul Turcke of Boise, Idaho. After years of meetings between recreation groups and the FS in which nothing was accomplished, this course of action seemed the only solution.. The FS usually reacts when a judge dictates to them. In the case of ATV access though, the FS HAS NOT YET analyzed the impact of ATV use on the forest as required by Judge Gilbert’s 1995 ruling in a suit brought forth against the FS by RACE and the Sierra Club. Judge Gilbert remanded the Plan and ATV use in the forest was banded UNTIL THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY WAS COMPLETED! Equestrian trails were supposed to be built in 7 natural areas but instead trails were closed in all 81 natural areas in 1997 and 1999. The Natural Area EIS has been in process for 2 years with equestrian trails being proposed by the FS in only 5 of the NA’s. The so-called trail proposed by the FS through Lusk Creek Canyon is only a 1/10th mile trail on the boundary of the NA on an old road bed. The majority of NA’s are much larger than they are supposed to be in the plan as indicated by the FS’s own boundary GPS calculations. Sizes can not be legally increased unless a new Forest Plan is written but FS officials have marked off "natural areas" which have no legal descriptions indiscriminately eliminating horse trails. The boundaries of some Natural Areas, such as Bear Track Hollow, which is in Gyp Williams NA have grown recently, thus closing an additional horse trail. The proposed closure of 172 acres at Jackson Falls and 70 acres adjacent to Jackson Hollow as evidenced in the Natural Area DEIS only fuels our mistrust of the FS management. These highly scenic popular trail riding areas are NOT Natural Areas but the FS wants to close them anyway.

On March 15th, the Forest Service published their intention to Revise the 1992 Amended Forest Plan, which is the tool by which the forest is to be managed. Public comment on the new plan will be sought until June 3rd. Several "open houses" were held across the state by the FS to explain their proposals. A copy of the plan is available on their website at, under Forest Planning. Copies are also available in libraries throughout the state of Illinois. We encourage everyone to read the proposal and respond with your personal comments. Enclosed in this newsletter is a response prepared by STC officials which is in form letter fashion. The FS prefers individual responses but if you do not want to prepare your own personal response then, please sign this form letter and mail it to the forest service BEFORE JUNE 3rd. Make copies and have your friends, family and interested organizations also send in their comments. PUBLIC COMMENT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN THE FORMULATION OF THE NEW PLAN. If you want to use and enjoy the forest as a trail rider, hiker, biker, hunter, birder, ATV rider, camper, fisherman, rock climber or are just an interested citizen, then it is essential that you comment about your access to and the management of the Shawnee Forest. Mail comments to:

NOI- FP REVISION, SHAWNEE NATIONAL FOREST, 50 HWY 145 SOUTH, HARRISBURG, IL 62946 before June 3rd.

These are the revision topics which are to be considered in the new forest plan.( 1)WATERSHED RESOURCES (2).BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, WILDLIFE AND AQUATIC HABITAT (3) RECREATIONAL MANAGEMENT (4) FOREST ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY (5) MINERAL RESOURCES (6) WILDERNESS, ROADLESS AREAS, WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS (7) LAND ADJUSTMENT

The FS proposes that horses be allowed to ride only on designated, marked, mapped and maintained trails and that user-made trails be closed! Also the handicapped access permit for disabled ATV riders will be discontinued since ATV’s will be allowed on some of the lower class forest roads which all ATV riders may ride on. The amount of miles of ATV trails is not specified though. These lower class roads will be closed to cars, trucks and 4x4 vehicles. Unless you are comfortable with these proposals and many other new policy changes, you’d better respond.

The Forest Plan provides a programmatic framework for decision-making on the Shawnee National Forest activities, goals and objectives for the next 10-15 yrs. To be included on the FS mailing list call 618-253-7114 or e-mail comments to: mlross @fs.fed.us Attn: Forest Plan Revision. After this Stage I of the Plan Revision the FS will conduct public meetings during 2002 and develop a range of Alternatives for addressing issues associated with revision topics. The Draft Forest Plan (EIS) will be sent to those who are on the mailing list in 2003 for final formal comment . Various Alternatives which the FS will propose after reviewing the public comments during 2002 including this NOI comment will be considered in preparation of the Draft EIS. The Final Environmental Impact Statement and Final Forest Plan will be issued in 2004 by the new Regional Forester in Milwaukee, WI., Randy Moore, who comes from the Mark Twain National Forest in Mo. Missouri trail riders feel that he is a good man and has been beneficial to recreationists.

Monthly meetings hosted by the FS were held at the Marion High School over the past year regarding the establishment of a designated trail system in the Shawnee. THE FOREST SERVICE HAS PROPOSED IN THE NEW FOREST PLAN THAT HORSES BE RESTRICTED TO DESIGNATED TRAILS ONLY. HORSES WILL NOT BE ALLOWED ON "USER-CREATED TRAILS". Since there are very few designated equestrian trails at the present time(The River To River Trial is the only one around Eddyville), it is essential that existing trails become designated and that other user trails that are not designated will still be able to be ridden on. Several people have obtained topo maps from the FS and are drawing in trails that they wish to become designated, however, I urge everyone who is interested in submitting trail proposals to the FS, please do so soon.. Since no one is familiar with trails throughout the entire forest, if you have knowledge of trails in a particular area and want to continue to be able to ride on them, please lend your expertise and get involved. The campgrounds especially, whose business is dependent on having trails on which their customers may ride, should make very sure that trails in their area become proposed for designation. Likewise, saddle clubs, riding groups and individuals should make sure that their favorite trails are designated. DON’T DEPEND ON SOMEONE ELSE TO SAVE YOUR TRAILS! Several trail maps were presented to the FS at the April 16th meeting in Marion. All trails must all go through the same arduous EIS procedure to comply with NEPA.. Since trail maintenance can occur only on designated trials, it is essential that trails must become designated, ESPECIALLY NEAR THE CAMPGROUNDS WHERE IMPACT IS HIGH. These trails can then receive necessary maintenance to prevent erosion and resource damage. At this final Trails Master Plan meeting on the 16th, environmentalists stated that they were proposing NO TRAILS BUT WANTED THE FOREST SERVICE TO DESIGNATE EQUESTRIAN TRAILS ACCORDING TO WATERSHED POLICY GUIDELINES. Their primary concerns were Lusk Creek and Bay Creek watershed where equestrian trails were supposedly causing sedimentation and erosion. Since water shed regulations could close trails near these creeks and many other tributaries which flow into them, this could be devastating. Bruce Slover, resource manager of the FS, said "that the water shed trail analysis development method was favored by the FS". Although attending all of these meetings is frustrating, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT EQUESTRIANS, CAMPGROUND OWNERS AND OTHER INTERESTED RECREATIONAL USERS ATTEND SO THAT THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD! Check out the Sierra Club’s website, if you want to know how they feel about horse campgrounds and user-created trails! They want the campgrounds shut down and user trails obliterated!
 

Eco-terrorists have recently channeled their aggression not only at horse people who use the trails by piling brush in many area trails, laying old woven wire in the trail leading to Jackson Hole and putting heavy gauge nylon fish line on trails near Lusk Creek and Burke Branch but they have resorted to attacking individual homes and campgrounds. Significant amounts of nails and carefully crafted nail-jacks were seeded on the driveways of STC officials near Eddyville. Our pasture fence was cut which allowed two horses to escape to the road which could have resulted in not only the horse’s death but the injury or death of those hitting them. Fortunately, we were able to get them back into the pasture before there was an accident. A black cat was also killed and thrown on our driveway. These criminals, who are hoping to injure people and animals, belong behind bars. The Pope County Sheriff is investigating as is Forest Service Law Enforcement. Officials suspect local radical environmentalists who have a history of such deviate behavior. These people, who think that they are going to stop trail riders from riding by piling brush in the trail, are causing more damage to the forest because new trails are created around the blocked areas. Harassment and intimidation only infuriates horsemen and makes them more determined! Law officers suggest that all riders carry a camera with them and take pictures of these booby-traps and of suspicious individuals whom they may see in the forest. Document each photo with the date, time, place and names of those present. Mail them to STC along with your name and phone number or give them to your campground owners who will get them to us and police. According to our attorney, this information will be beneficial in court. Pay attention when you’re riding so that no one gets hurt!

At the April 18th STC meeting, it was suggested that campgrounds might seek voluntary donations from their campers to be put into STC’s Trail Maintenance Fund for trail maintenance projects on private property and on designated forest service trails. All of the campground owners who were at the meeting felt that appreciative trail riders would gladly donate to have better trails. Hopefully, all campgrounds will support and participate in this program. Money is needed for gravel, bridges and labor for proposed projects. Volunteer labor and equipment are also needed. Several members and campground owners have offered use of their tractor-loaders and a back hoe. We also need use of a big truck to haul gravel to specific sites. Because the winter was so warm and S. IL had an over-abundance of rainfall, many trails are very muddy. It has rained here most every week and if people feel they must ride, then please ride trails which are high, rocky and well drained. Avoid the muddy trails because a lot of damage is occurring and it doesn’t make things look good for equestrians. People have been riding around deep mud holes which messes up even larger areas. Some of these muddy trails are located on private property and the land owners want these trails repaired or they’ll close them. We have scheduled a trail maintenance work day for Saturday May 11th on the Ovid Barnes property, which is located 1 ½ miles north east of Eddyville on the same gravel road just ½ mile south of the Lusk Creek trail head. Meet at the curve just south of the Barnes home at 8:30 am provided that the weather cooperates and it stops raining. Call Don Roy at 618-672-4253 or Bill Blackorby at 618-672-4768 the night before to make sure that its dry enough to haul the gravel out on the trail. Bring shovels and rakes, please! The work that we did to a small portion of this trail last fall is in excellent shape! We need work done on the 3 trails which go through our (Blackorby) property from the "Barrel" west. These trails are necessary for riders to go west from Bear Branch, Circle B and Hayes Canyon campgrounds and they get A LOT OF USE. Gravel needs to be used on a good portion of these trails to sustain the impact of thousands of horses which travel on them. April 27th was tentatively set up as a work day but with rain again this weekend, it’s doubtful that it will be dry enough by next weekend. Call us by Friday April 26th to check. We may have to work on this trail during the week in early May so let us know if you’d be willing to help out and we’ll let you know when this project will begin

.

MAY 16TH, JUNE 20TH, JULY 18TH AND AUG 15TH--STC MEETINGS AT DOLLY’S RESTAURANT IN VIENNA- 6PM DINNER; MEETING 7PM! PLEASE ATTEND!

STC has purchased a beautiful dark brown Circle Y Western saddle from McKinney’s in Marion. It will be raffled off on Labor Day and tickets will be available from various campgrounds and events during the summer. Proceeds will go towards STC legal fees and other expenses. Tickets are $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00. Joe Perina is chairman and can be contacted at 618-252-0077. Campgrounds should call him to schedule times that they can display it at each camp and for tickets. Please help out and buy some tickets!

After spending a wonderful winter trail riding with friends in the mountains of the Tonto and Coconino National forests in Arizona, Bill and I are glad to be back home in S. IL where an outstanding spring display of glistening white dogwoods, lavender redbuds and wildflowers brighten the forest landscape. What a site!

Those interested in information about where to stay, riding opportunities and facilities in Apache Junction or Sedona , Arizona should give me a call. It’s a fabulous place to ride and enjoy plenty of winter sunshine! Trail riders from all of the colder states go to Arizona each winter where riding opportunities are endless and the scenery is spectacular!

Cheryl Blackorby, STC director and newsletter editor

618-672-4768 or e-mail me at: blackrby@shawneelink.com

WE NEED YOUR HELP, SUPPORT AND MEMBERSHIP! STC DOES IT’S BEST TO KEEP MEMBERS INFORMED REGARDING THE SHAWNEE. WE’RE FIGHTING TO KEEP THE SHAWNEE OPEN FOR ALL USERS! PLEASE SEND IN YOUR RENEWAL TODAY SO THAT YOU’LL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE NEWSLETTERS. DUES & DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

SAVE OUR SHAWNEE 1 YR MEMBERSHIP _______RENEWAL_________NEW

NAME_____________________________________________________PHONE____________________________

ADDRESS_______________________________________CITY___________________STATE_____ZIP______

E-MAIL____________________________________________________________________________________

INDIVIDUAL $10_______FAMILY $20________ORGANIZATION $30________DONATION_$____________

Make checks payable to; Shawnee Trail Conservancy, PO Box 44, Eddyville, IL 62928