CURRENT ISSUES

2006 FOREST PLAN DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY

STC Comments

The Forest Supervisor plans on having a Record of Decision out sometime in May.
This plan is separate from the Trail Project that is presently waiting on the Regional Supervisor's decision regarding in appeals that were filed by April 21, 2006.
Possible litigation would further delay this project.

TRAIL DESIGNATION PROJECT DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY

This project has had appeals filed by April 21, 2006 with the Regional Forester's office in Milwaukee, WI.
A decision is expected very soon. Litigation will certainly be started by the anti-access people who do not like the change is trail density standards.

This trail project pertains to the Lusk Creek, Upper Bay Creek, Eagle Creek and Grand Pierre watersheds only.

Briefly, the trail designation project will designate a number of trails and construct / reconstruct these trails to get them to an all weather condition.  There will be several changes to the riding experiences because of this designation.

The Shawnee Trail Conservancy believes that trails need to be designated so they can be brought up to standards that will allow year round use without causing resource damage.

The STC realizes that there are certain trails that should be closed because they are poorly located, but that is where our position and that of the Forest Service ends.

There are several problems with their plan:

Only half of the trails will be designated.

Many trails are located both on forest property and private property.

The FS will not designate a trail that is partially on private property without a written easement from that land owner.Many of the best trails will not bedesignated because easements aren’t given to the FS by private land owners.

Lesser used trails will not be designated even if they provide valuable loops. The FS will not designate these trails to save the funds necessary to bring them up to standard.

The FS has decided on a mileage number for trails and will not designate anymore. The 4 watersheds is where 90% of the equestrian trails are located, which will result of more people on less trail.

                

Many trails will be moved away from creeks and rocks. The relocation of trails will lessen the scenic value in trails in the Shawnee.

The tie-up areas at several scenic destinations will be moved from these locations in essence to hide the horses from other uses. People will have to walk to the scenic areas, up to 1/3 mile. There will be no visibility of the horses while at the scenic areas.

Trails will be closed during wet weather and winter in the Wildernesses.

This is supposed to be only temporary until the trails are all weather conditioned, but the history of this FS is that they do not deliver on their promises. No trails have been opened once they have been closed.

There will be no equestrain overnight camping allowed in any of Wilderness in these 4 watersheds.

Access from private land will not be allowed without a special permit. This will affect the value of the local landowners and cause a negative economic impact on Southern Illinois.

Access to the forest will only be allowed from permitted horse camps or trailheads.

Shawnee Trail Conservancy
P.O. Box 44
Eddyville, IL 62928