The Road-RIPorter Bimonthly Newsletter of the Wildlands Center for Preventing Roads. May/June 1997.
Volume 2 # 3
Money for Motors from
the Halls of Congress
by Bethanie Walder
“When President George Bush signed the $151 billion federal highway
reauthorization bill just before Christmas [1991], champagne corks could be
heard popping from one end of the U.S. snowmobile community to the
other.” (From the “Newsline” of the International Snowmobile Industry
Association; V10, No3; Jan/Feb 1992.)
I
n November 1991 the Intermodal Surface Transportation
Efficiency Act (ISTEA) was passed by Congress. In addition to
authorizing funding for motorized and non-motorized transpor-
tation alternatives, ISTEA authorized the Symms National Recre-
ational Trails Act: an off-road vehicle user’s fantasy come true.
ISTEA is currently up for reauthorization, and so too is the
Symms Act. Though never fully funded, the Symms Act has led to a
number of devastating developments supporting off-road vehicles
and motorized recreation. Up to $30 million per year was allowed
for funding the Symms Act, but very little funding has been
appropriated in the past 6 years. Of this amount, 30% is allocated
to non-motorized uses, 30% motorized, and 40% multiple-use.
In California, this has generated between
$24-26 million for each of the past 3 years.
The money is used to fund recreational
trail development, snowmobile trail
grooming, acquisition of land
for trails, and more.
Considering that motorized use rarely occurs without causing
conflict for non-motorized users, multiple-use that includes
motorized use tends to ignore or overrun the needs of non-
motorized users.
But the Symms Fund is linked to a more insidious problem
with motorized trail funding: fuel taxes for motorized recreation. In
order for a state to receive federal grants under the Symms Act, it has
to reserve a “reasonable amount” of its non-highway recreational
fuels taxes for recreational trails. This amount ranges from 1% of
total annual motorized fuels tax collected (TAMFTC) in California
to .24% of TAMFTC in Montana. In California, this has generated
between $24-26 million for each of the past 3 years. The money is
used to fund recreational trail development, snowmobile trail
grooming, acquisition of land for trails, and more.
Though the Symms Act requires that states earmark money for
recreational trails, many states already had such funds in place. Even
if the Symms Act were not reauthorized, individual states
would continue to put money towards these programs. The
State of California annually raises nearly the same amount
of money that Symms would allocate for the entire country
in the same time period.
The Symms Act completely duplicates existing pro-
grams. The Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management
already have money for recreational trail development, both
motorized and non-motorized, so there is no need for
Symms funding to pay for trails. Because of the structure of
ORVs in southern California’s Mojave Desert. Howard Wilshire photo.
the program, state departments of parks and recreation, for
example, develop plans for trails on federal land. State and
federal agencies play a game of shifting responsibility with
citizens left to guess who has authority over any given
project.
Not only is the Symms Act redundant, but it is a waste
of taxpayer money and leads to the destruction of public
lands through motorized recreation. Agencies already have
recreational trails budgets. In 1995, for example, the Forest
Service received more than $32 million for trail construction
and reconstruction, as well as more than $21 million for trail
maintenance. This money is spent on motorized and non-
motorized trail projects, but because it is within the agency
itself, it is subject to more effective oversight than Symms
money. With this money already available, it is unnecessary
to make additional money available through the Symms Act.
The Symms Act was the brainchild of the “Blue Ribbon
Coalition,” the foremost ORV organization in the country. They
hailed it as their largest victory when it was passed in 1991, and they
are working for its reauthorization through ISTEA now. They are
also working to provide the Symms Act with annual funding, which
was not guaranteed in the 1991 version. Current proposals for
ISTEA reauthorization include Symms money. The ISTEA works
bill, introduced by Senator Moynihan will reauthorize
see “Halls of Congress” on page 3
 From the Wildlands CPR Office...

T
hings have been moving quickly in the last few months, with slide show
presentations in the Northwest and central Rockies, workshops and discussions
in Oregon and staffing changes in the works. In addition to all of this, we
finally became an independent non-profit organization in March. Many thanks to
Hillary Oppmann, Linda Wells and Barb Wolman of The Wildlands Project (and the
Wildlands
rest of the TWP folks) for all of their help over the past few years while TWP acted as C
Center for
our fiscal sponsor. We are excited about our independence, and also look forward to P
Preventing
continuing to work with TWP on projects and strategies for protecting and reconnect- R
Roads
ing wildlands throughout North America and beyond. TWP’s help and support for the
past few years has been tremendous. P.O. Box 7516
Missoula, MT 59807
Thanks, too, to the Foundation for Deep Ecology for providing a grant supporting our (406) 543-9551
road-fighting efforts nationwide. And to those of you who sent donations in the past wildlandsCPR@wildrockies.org
www.wildrockies.org/WildCPR
month, we appreciate your continuing support. Special thanks to the Environmental Club at
Southside High School in Rockville Center, NY,
for a very generous donation from a fundraiser
Wildlands Center for Preventing
they held.
In this Issue Roads is a national coalition of
grassroots groups and individuals
Comings and Goings Halls of Congress, p. 1 working to reverse the severe
Bethanie Walder ecological impacts of wildland roads.
In April, Tom Youngblood-Petersen became We seek to protect native ecosystems
our half-time organizational development and biodiversity by recreating an
Odes to Roads, p. 4
director. He has been working with environmen- interconnected network of roadless
Marianne Moulton public wildlands.
tal groups in North Carolina and the Intermoun-
tain West for nearly 15 years. Most recently, he Bibliography Notes,
was development director for the Wolf Education Director
p. 6 Bethanie Walder
Recovery Project out of Boise, Idaho. Tom Gary Macfarlane
brings a bundle of energy, new ideas, and a Development Director
brilliant writing hand to Wildlands CPR and we Regional Reports & Alerts, Tom Youngblood-Petersen
are thrilled to have him with us. pp. 7 & 8
Office Assistant
Outreach & Resources, p. 9 Aaron Jones
Aaron Jones, who has been handling most of our
information requests for the past six months is Field Notes, p. 10 Interns & Volunteers
moving back to Portland, Oregon, in May. In Chuck Cottrell, Scott Bagley.
addition to the obvious loss of his fantastic John Masterson
artwork and dedication to helping all of you
Newsletter
meet your information needs, we’ll miss finding him asleep beneath the computer first thing in Dave Havlick, Jim Coefield
the morning.
Steering Committee
Bethanie will be on vacation from the beginning of May through the first week in June. Tom and Katie Alvord
the new office assistant (name withheld pending hiring) will work hard as beetles in her stead. Kraig Klungness
Sidney Maddock
Rod Mondt
Equipment Needs Cara Nelson
Now that we’re official, your donations are tax deductible (though they were deduct- Mary O'Brien
Tom Skeele
ible before, too, through the Wildlands Project), so hey! Why not donate your slide
projector? Ours keeled over during the slide show tours last month (it was a Sears Advisory Committee
Continental 55, which we think refers to its birthyear), so we thought someone out Jasper Carlton
there might have a younger one in their closet. If so, send it in—we’d appreciate it. Libby Ellis
With interns moving through our office these days, we are also in need of a laser Dave Foreman
Keith Hammer
printer and computer, Mac or IBM. The faster the better, the nicer our letter. Thanks! Timothy Hermach
Marion Hourdequin
Field Notes Lorin Lindner
Andy Mahler
Astute readers should notice a profound absence of Legal Notes in this issue of the Robert McConnell
Road-RIPorter. Instead, we’ve included a new feature—Field Notes—which we hope Stephanie Mills
will offer a resource for field-oriented road activists. We’ll alternate Legal Notes Reed Noss
with Field Notes in subsequent issues, so house-bound road scholars needn’t fret. Michael Soulé
Dan Stotter
Steve Trombulak
Visions... Louisa Willcox
We’re looking for back page “Visions...” photos that show inspiring examples of roads falling to Bill Willers
ruin, being actively obliterated or restored. Please send us your slides or negatives! Howie Wolke

2 The Road-RIPorter May/June 1997

 Halls of Congress, cont. Road Purchaser Credits
The road purchaser credit
Symms at its current levels. This bill currently has the most cosponsors of all the program is integrally linked with the
transportation bills. President Clinton’s NEXTEA proposal reauthorizes Symms with timber program on our national
a maximum of only $7 million per year. And Montana Senator Max Baucus’ STARS forests. Simply put, it is the system in
2000 reauthorizes Symms with increased funding, while gutting funding for air which timber buyers build roads on
quality improvements. national forest land and trade the cost
of those roads for trees. It is a subsidy
Key points: that saves the timber industry a lot of
1. The Symms Act duplicates agency programs and reduces agency authority over those money.
programs. Here’s how it works: The Forest
2. The Symms Act wastes taxpayer money. Service designs a timber sale and
3. It is imperative to reauthorize transportation legislation that provides funding includes within that sale the specifica-
for air quality concerns, nonmotorized tions for constructing the necessary
and public transportation needs. roads. The Forest Service estimates
4. ISTEA allows for footpath how much the road construction will
developments as part of its enhance- cost, including a percentage (12%) for
ments programs, allowing room for trail overhead and 10% for profit. The sale
developments in urban areas regardless then includes the road construction at
of Symms funding. the cost stated by the Forest Service.
5. A host of bad bills are in circula-
Howard Wilshire

The companies take this cost into

tion right now, including STARS 2000, consideration when making their bid on
STEP 21, HOTEA and others. ISTEA the sale, and if they think they can
Works and NEXTEA may be viable construct the road for less than the stated
proposals for reauthorizing ISTEA, but cost, this will impact their overall bid, as
be wary of hidden subsidies for damag- well as their interest in the sale.
ing projects such as Corridor H. Regardless of how much it costs
the company to build the road, they
A s the battle over the ecological effects of roads rages on the ground, the battle
over the economic impacts of roads rages in congress. In early April, Senate
Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) publicly stated his opposition to President
receive the amount stated in the sale.
It is likely that many forest roads are
constructed below the cost estimated
Clinton’s proposal to cut the road purchaser credit program. by the federal government, and the
Daschle’s statement came in response to a letter he received from a timber industry official surplus acts as a direct subsidy to the
concerned about the following three things: 1) The ability to fight fires on National industry. But no money ever changes
Forest land; 2) Recreational access to forest land; 3) Payments to counties from hands. The road credits are put into
timber sales. an account for the company to use
Echoing the timber industry claims, Daschle was quoted in the press as being when purchasing federal timber. The
concerned about all three of these issues, particularly that the Clinton administration money from one road construction
hadn’t considered these issues when they drafted their budget proposal. project can be used to purchase trees
Below are clarifications of the relationships between roads and the three issues in particular, from entirely different sales. And the
as well as a brief description of the road purchaser credit program. Forest Service (or if you prefer,
American Public) is left with a road to
Myths and Realities about national forest roads maintain, regardless of available
Myth #1: Roads are important for fighting fires. maintenance funds, and no trees on
Reality: Over 50 years of research (e.g. Wilson 1976 and Show 1941) have found the land.
that at least 90
percent of wildfires Money allocated to motorized recreation from 1995 Total
are human-caused, Annual Motorized Fuel Tax Collected (TAMFTC) as a preparatory measure in the name of
and more than 75% fire suppression is completely unwar-
of these start along State Percent of TAMFTC Amount ranted. Fire response efforts should be
roads. Roads may Arizona .55% $1.9 million concentrated on the urban/wildland
allow access for California ≈1% $25.1 million interface, rather than on roadless areas.
fighting wildfires, but Idaho ≈.58% $973,647
there will be fewer Montana .268% $606,824 Myth #2: New roads are needed for
wildfires in the first Utah lesser of .5%or $600,000 $600,000 recreational access.
place if we stop Washington .75% $4.5 million Reality: Purchaser road credits exist
constructing new only in combination with timber sales,
roads into wildland not for improving recreation, though the
ecosystems. Justifying new road construction for timber sales because of wildfire roads may be used for recreation in the
suppression essentially creates a perpetual motion machine: new roads lead to more future. The National Forest System
fires, leading to calls for more roads to fight fires. already has recreational access through
Wildfire crews bulldoze roads as needed during fire emergencies. Building roads
see “Halls of Congress” page 5

The Road-RIPorter May/June 1997 3

 Odes to Roads

Death by Stomping
Recreational Access Hurts Too
By Marianne Moulton

T
he Southern Rocky Mountains and many other wild
places are being advertised to the world as “play
grounds.” These ads tell us that in order to explore the
wilds, we must be able to access and conquer them by
investing in a sport utility truck, a full suspension mountain
bike, a snowmobile, a dirt bike, or even hiking boots.
Outdoor recreation is the fastest growing use of our
public lands. As more Americans find their way into the
backcountry, the unknown risks to the natural world in-
creases. The shocking truth is that trails have impacts similar
to roads. We trample vegetation, introduce invasive and exotic
species, compact soils, ford streams, and make noise.
Recreation, particularly mechanized recreation, has the
ability to extend human influence over a large area. Mecha-
nized recreation is pervasive, preemptive of other uses, can be
irreversible, and appears to portend a shift in fundamental
assumptions about the relationship between “man and
species such as lynx and wolverine. They are the last places
nature,” as well as about appropriate uses of public lands.
largely free of weeds and big enough to provide breeding
How many places left on earth have not had contact with
grounds for large mammals. The roadless wildlands of the
humans? Upon studying a map of roads and trails in
Southern Rockies are among the precious few in the country
where whole ecosystems and natural processes can be
The roadless wildlands of the Southern preserved on a landscape scale.
In the past ten years, ORV (off-road vehicle) groups have
Rockies are among the precious few in systematically increased motorized use in many of Colorado’s
the country where whole ecosystems last roadless lands, potentially disqualifying them from future
wilderness designation. The Forest Service does not consider
and natural processes can be that motorized use detracts from wilderness suitability and
claims that motorized use is reversible. While this may be true
preserved on a landscape scale. physically, the clout of the motorized lobby has proven that
motorized use is not politically reversible.
In the Rio Grande National Forest of southern Colorado,
Colorado, these incursions look like spaghetti on the land-
seven of the eight largest remaining roadless areas, totaling
scape—leaving very few places in this region free of distur-
almost 200,000 acres, are now laced with motorized trails. As
bances. Those that are free of a consistent human presence
a result, they were not recommended for Wilderness designa-
are typically protected topographically by steep terrain. Areas
tion in the recently-approved Forest Plan. One of these
which had only wildlife trails just twenty or fifty years ago
threatened areas is the 45,000-acre Pole Creek Mountain
have now been discovered. Areas which had primitive hiking
roadless area, north of the Weminuche Wilderness and west of
trails have been “upgraded” to accomodate more users or to
the town of Creede. A motorcycle group illegally established
diminsh conflicts between different types of users. Land
motorized use on the formerly quiet trails in the Pole Creek
managers struggle with maintaining areas for many people
roadless area.
where there once were few.
During the Forest Plan revision, the Forest Service ana-
All backcountry users—hikers, mountain bikers, equestri-
lyzed and recommended for motorized use those trails which
ans, motorcyclists, all-terrain vehicle users, jeepers, cross-
did not negatively impact unstable soils, riparian areas and
country skiers and snowmobilers—squabble over who gets to
wetlands, or critical wildlife habitat. The Forest Service
use what area. They are pitted against each other and
happened to overlook the damaging trails strewn throughout
claiming one has more of an impact than the other. Users are
Pole Creek, and then admitted that they were scared of the
claiming ownership of certain trails by partnering with the
political backlash that they would occur if the trails were
cash-strapped land managers to maintain and reconstruct
closed.
trails.
In a recent meeting of conservationists, motorized users,
The proliferation of new trails is introducing thousands of
and the Forest Service, the motorized user groups accused
recreationists into the last strongholds of undeveloped habitat.
conservationists of being greedy and hypocritical. They said if
In the Southern Rockies these roadless lands are essential
a favorite hiking trail were slated for closure, hikers would cry
habitat for songbirds and cavity nesters, and for reclusive
bloody murder because access would be denied. Then we

4 The Road-RIPorter May/June 1997

would know how it feels to be shut out.
Honestly, I would applaud efforts to
close trails which were known to be
ecologically harmful. But it may be too
late until we know. Wildlife biologists
have developed the following guidelines
for ecologically sound trail design:
•Keep trails along existing human
corridors to avoid further habitat
fragmentation.
•Concentrate use along a few trails
rather than disperse use by developing
new trail networks.
•Plan trails away from riparian
areas and other sensitive habitat.
•Locate trails along the edges of
intact habitat rather than through the
middle.
•Educate trail users to stay on trails
and leash dogs.
As we refine our knowledge of the
impacts of trails and roads on ecological
systems, sticking to the above principles
is a cautious and sensible approach to
decrease our impacts. With such a high
degree of access to wildlands already,
will it be too late when we admit that
the landscape is biologically impover-
ished because we, as humans, have
loved the land to its death?
Marianne Moulton works with the
Southern Rockies Ecosystem Project to
restore the wildlands of southern
Wyoming, Colorado and northern New
Mexico.
The Road-RIPorter May/June 1997
Halls of Congress, from page 3
more than 377,000 miles of existing roads. In addition, since road purchaser credits
cannot be used to construct roads for recreational purposes, recreational roads will
not be affected by cutting this program.
Myth #3: Road purchaser credits are critical for payments to counties.
Reality: As long as the timber industry continues to cut trees from national
forest land, adjacent counties will continue to receive payments from those sales. In
most Forest Service regions, timber sales from already-roaded areas surpass timber
sales from roadless areas. Even so, counties don’t actually lose money. Simply put,
they can only make money if we choose to cut timber; if we choose not to, they
don’t lose money, they just receive different revenues.
In addition, if the road purchaser credit program is cut, the timber industry is
likely to bid lower on timber sales in order to be able to pay for the roads. Payments
to counties are based on the gross receipts from timber sales. If timber sales are not
offered, then the counties receive Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILTs). Either way, they
receive money from the federal government for having federal land in their county.
If timber companies were to start paying the true cost of the timber, then perhaps
counties would find that National Forest land is more valuable with the trees
standing. The only entity that will suffer from a stop to the road purchaser credit
program is the timber industry. Falsely supporting the timber industry with money
from American taxpayers is corporate welfare in its truest form.
What You Can Do -
Write to your Congressional Delegation and President Clinton and tell them
your thoughts about the Symms Act and ISTEA reauthorization:
•President Clinton, The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C.
20050.
•Your Senators’ and Representative’s names, US Senate/US House of Representa-
tives, Washington, D.C. 20515.
k
ni
Jo
J.
5

Bibliography Notes
Roads and Weeds: Partners in Crime
by Gary Macfarlane
My first introduction to weeds came at a young age, on
our family farm, under the stern tutelage of my grandmother.
Her iron will was almost matched by the weeds pernicious
tenacity. She marveled at how they “even thrived on hardened
roadbeds” and must have been “put here by the Lard to test
our mettle”(her pronunciation).
Years later, I heard it wasn’t the Lard, but wilderness that
was responsible for the proliferation of weeds. The theme—
spouted by the local developers, politicians, and industry
representatives at a public hearing on wilderness legislation—
was wilderness is the breeding ground for weeds and other
riff-raff.
Toward the end of the meeting a feisty gentleman arose
and scolded all those who espoused such a ridiculous view-
point. He said it was roads, disturbed areas, that provided
pathways for weeds and he had research to prove it. Dr.
Richard Shaw, a renowned botany professor at Utah State
University set the record straight. My Grandmother’s early
observation about roads and weeds proved prophetic.
What Dr. Shaw said made sense. Dyers woad, the weed
“taking over the county” at the time, was most widespread
along roadways.
The road/weed link has some important points:
•Disturbed areas, like roads, provide habitat for weeds.
•Roads alter the hydrology, exposure and soil profile of
an area. Thus they change the microclimate directly sur-
rounding them.
•Roads are corridors for weed dispersal and our machines
are mechanisms for rapid dispersal.
•Roads provide access for weeds even into undisturbed
areas.
•Because of roads, “weed control” is deemed necessary in
many areas. Weed control, as usually practiced, has its own
set of problems.
Weeds move along roads because they provide the right
habitat for colonization. Weeds are usually early seral species,
pioneers in the classic theory of ecological succession
(Cousens and Mortimer, 1995).
In South American temperate forests, up to 33 percent of
6 The Road-RIPorter May/June 1997
plant species in areas along roads were exotic invaders
whereas in pristine areas, away from trails, no invaders were found
(Bicon, et al., 1987). In Australia, road verges had a greater diversity of
exotic (invader) species than other areas (Cale and Hobbs).
Even in what we think are aquatic ecosystems, plants moving
along roads are important methods of invasion. In fact, the Great
Lakes ecosystem has had far more species of invader plants (59) than
fishes (25), algae (24) or mollusks (14). Movement along roads is a
major method for plant dispersal in the Great Lakes (Mills et al.,
1993).
But it is a question that goes well beyond the ground
disturbance associated with roads. A study in the Northeast
found the microclimate around roads to be different than the lands
surrounding them (Brothers, 1992). In Australia, roads were found to
concentrate agricultural fertilizer runoff along their verges. There was
an increase in exotic plant species and their vigor—factors such as seed
production and growth rates—along these edges (Cale and Hobbs).
Thus, weeds not only survive but they thrive along roadsides.
Vehicles have been methods of weed dispersal since ancient times
(Cousens and Mortimer, 1995). Wheels on trucks and cars move
farther and faster than did oxen-powered carts or horse driven chariots.
Roads take us and weeds all across continents in a matter of a few days.
One of the major concerns of biologists is the loss of diversity
from weed invasions, including invasions into natural areas (Hobbs and
Humphries). Though weeds like disturbed areas, their presence is not
confined to roadsides, agricultural lands or other similar places. Even
wildlands are at risk.
Research in Central Europe has shown roads can be
corridors for weeds to invade different habitats than they
previously occupied (Kopecky, 1988). Previously weed-free
areas in Eire (Ireland) have been invaded by up to seventy-
seven species in bogs (Curran and MacNaeidhe, 1987). Roads
create habitat fragmentation by surrounding undisturbed
ecosystems with invading weeds (Timmins and Williams,
1991).
The evidence is all around us. Residents of the Northern
Rockies have seen the assault of spotted knapweed as it spread
from the disturbed agricultural areas to wildlands. Logging
trucks, horses, and hay are among those responsible for its
spread to the national forests.
One of the largest natural reserves in the world, Wood
Buffalo National Park in Canada, has been influenced by
invading plant species. While the park is not managed to be com-
pletely pristine, it is quite remote. The invasions thus far seem to be
confined to disturbed sites, especially roads (Wein et al., 1992).
 Off-road vehicles (ORV) which create new tracks into
undeveloped areas are also problems. Weeds have hampered
the recovery of a rare native fern in Hawaii where ORVs have
Regional Reports
tread. In pristine areas free of ORV use, reintroduction of the
fern has gone very well (Wester, 1994)
COLORADO
If this weren’t enough, the same people who build roads Road Inventory Opportunities
are zealously spraying herbicides along them to prevent Road activists have a chance to head to western
weeds. Even they recognize the road/weed link. though they Colorado’s Flat Tops Wilderness Area to join the Mt. Sopris
are using a cure that may be worse than the disease. In Group of the Sierra Club and Patagonia for three different
England there is an effort by the government’s river manage- project weekends inventorying roads. Last summer the two
ment authority to use less toxic, and according to road groups offered a similar project that met with resounding
authorities, less effective, herbicides to protect water quality success. Volunteer Julie Brusky recalls some of the highlights:
(Batty, 1991).
“This past fall I participated in a four-day outing to help
It is sadly ironic that a solution—road closures and a policy not
with an eco-mapping project. We surveyed roads on
to build more roads—isn’t considered by the BLM or Forest Service in our mountain bikes, which was fun, and the group or-
their documents dealing with weeds. The Irish recognize this link ganizers brought in an expert to educate us on boreal
(Curran and MacNaeidhe, 1984). The US land management agencies, toad habitat. We learned how to read topographic maps
especially the Forest Service, are roadbuilding entities. In numerous and use a compass, then set out for a long day hiking or
weed EAs and EISs, the federal land management agencies only riding bikes . When we came back to camp, there were
grudgingly recognize the road/weed link. hot appetizers and refreshments waiting for us.
Roads have a tremendous catalyzing effect on weeds. Nearly
without fail, where there are roads you will find weeds. The Lard may Even though I was only up there for a short time I felt I
have given us the weeds, but we build the roads ourselves. made a difference in the big picture. It also made me
more conscious of the impact that humans have on our
Gary Macfarlane has a degree in range and public land policy; he environment. I’m looking forward to doing it again this
currently works on wildlands protection in the Northern year.”
Rockies.
While Julie and others learned about public lands issues,
endangered species, and the ecological impacts of roads, they
also may help the Flat Tops.
Bibliography The Mt. Sopris Group is in the process of identifying
harmful roads and formulating road closure proposals for the
Batty, J. 1991. Safeguarding water supplies. NTC Workshop area. They also plan to contribute information for the upcom-
Report. No. 22, 28-33. ing White River Forest Plan update.
Bicon, C.; Grigera, D.; Puntieri, J.; Rapoport, E. 1988. Exotic Last year the Sopris Group surveyed a total of 150 miles of
plants in Nothofagus forests. Preliminary comparisons road including 38.5 miles of road that had not been invento-
between northern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. ried or mapped by the Forest Service. They also checked the
Simposio sobre Nothofagus, Neuquen, Argentina, 23-28 effectiveness of road closures, surveyed for invasive weeds,
de marzo de 1987 [compiled by Gamundi, I.J.]. and noted stream crossings and erosion.
Monografias de la Academia Nacional de Ciencias Exactas, If you’re interested in participating, this summer’s project
Fisicas y Naturales, Buenos Aires. No. 4, 37-48; 16 ref. weekends are scheduled for 7/24-27, 8/7-10, and 8/21-24. Call
Brothers, T. S. 1992. Postsettlement plant migrations in Kathryn Crawford at Patagonia (303) 446-9500, or the Mt.
northeastern North America. American Midland Naturalist. Sopris Group at (970) 963-8684, or email at mssierra@rof.net.
128(1): 72-82.
Cale, Peter and Richard Hobbs. Nature Conservation 2: The Thanks to Kurt Kunkle for sending us the map and info for this
Role of Corridors. Denis A. Saunders and Richard J. Hobbs, report.
editors.; WR 227: pp. 353-362.
Cousens, Roger and Martin Mortimer. 1995. Dynamics of Weed
Populations. Cambridge University Press.
Curran, P. L. and F.S. MacNaeidhe. 1984. The weed problem
on cultivated bog. Irish Journal of Agricultural Research.
23(1): 59-70.
Hobbs, Richard J. and Stella E. Humphries. An integrated
approach to the ecology and managment of plant
invasions. Conservation Biology. 9(4), 761-770.
Kopecky, K. 1988. Influence of roads on the
synanthropization of the flora and vegetation according to
observations in Czechoslovakia. Folia Geobotanica et
Phytotaxonomica. 23(2): 145-171; 36 ref.
Mills, E. L., J.H. Leach, J.T. Carlton and C.L. Secor. 1993.
Exotic species in the Great Lakes: A history of biotic
crises and anthropogenic introductions. Journal of Great
Lakes Research. 19(1): 1-54.

see “Bibliography” on page 11

The Road-RIPorter May/June 1997 7


Regional Reports and Alerts
OREGON
Siuslaw NF Closing Roads
After eleven inches of rain falling in
four days led to landslides on a massive
scale in February 1996, and returned
with fatal results in the fall, the Siuslaw
National Forest has turned to road
closures as a restorative tool. Last year’s
storms led Siuslaw Forest Supervisor Jim
Furnish to acknowledge, “Within forty-
eight hours we recognized this as a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to
evaluate how logging and road building
effects forests on a landscape level
during times of great change. We’d had
plenty of clues, but this was the first
time we could say with some certainty
Scott Stouder
Forest. With a timber harvest down 90
percent from its former level, the
Siuslaw now appears to realize that in
order to have natural resources to use,
they must first ensure that what forest
and soil still exists has a chance to
remain.
Furnish is well aware of the
commercial value of $20 billion in
standing timber still on the Forest. By
“storing” roads—removing culverts,
installing water bars, leaving road
prisms in place while allowing vegeta-
tion to fill in roadbeds—the Siuslaw
hopes to attend to the serious problems
of water quality, decreased wildlife
habitat, and risks to human life and
property that have plagued the region
in recent years.
Thanks to Scott Stouder for contributing
information and photos for this report.
UTAH
RS 2477, Again
One hundred and thirty-one years
after it was initially penned into law,
Revised Statute 2477 (RS2477) contin-
ues to rear its ugly head. The 1866 Lode
Mining Act’s one-sentence statute
provides “for the construction of
highways over public lands” (vol. 1#1).
Although RS2477 was repealed in 1976,
in 1983 Reagan’s Interior Secretary
revived it with his “Hodel Policy.”
rescind Babbitt’s revocation of the
Hodel Policy. The measure passed the
Senate 51-49; it remains to be seen at
press time how the bill will fare in the
House or on the President’s desk.
Thanks to SUWA for their articles on
RS2477.
Boycott American
Automobile Association
As the cover story of this RIPorter
discusses, the Intermodal Surface
Transportation Efficiency Act is up for
reauthorization this summer. It turns
out that the big wigs at the American
Automobile Association are lobbying
hard to restrict ISTEA funding to
highways only. Their argument:
diversions like non-motorized transpor-
tation and air quality mitigation are
causing an "infrastructure maintenance
crisis.” Unfortunately, they ignore the
fact that big $ continues to be spent on
road expansion. They seem to have
forgotten that everyone doesn’t travel in
motor vehicles. Let your voice be

In southern Utah, counties have heard, if you are a member, contact

that bad things could happen from what
we’ve been doing.”
What the Siuslaw had been doing
was build roads and cut trees. By 1990,
the Siuslaw had more than 2,600 miles
of road accessing some 230,000 acres of
clearcut forest. Following the storms of
1996, the Forest Service conducted
aerial surveys to determine where
landslides occurred and why. They
found that 41 percent of the 1,786
documented slides were caused by
roads. Another 36 percent of the slides
were associated with recent clearcuts.
Though the effects of the roads has
clearly been devastating, the agency’s
and Furnish’s response bears some hope
for the future. The Siuslaw is now
pursuing a plan to close, store and
stabilize two-thirds of the roads on the
now asserted more than 5,000 right-of- AAA and tell them how you do or do
way claims. Although the Southern not want them to spend your money.
Utah Wilderness Alliance and Sierra
Club have both taken the matter to
court, renegade counties continue to
doze roads into lands proposed for
Wilderness designation. In the winter
of 1996, Garfield County road crews
even bulldozed the side of a hill in
Capitol Reef National Park without
notifying park officials.
In January 1997, Secretary of
Interior Bruce Babbitt revoked the Hodel
Policy. Babbitt’s move should have put
the aged statute to bed, but counties in
Western states have grown increasingly
fond of punching roads into wildlands,
then pointing to RS2477 as their raison
d’etre. In Utah and Alaska, particularly,
counties have found a warm response
from their Congressional representa-
tives.
Senator Stevens (R-AK) has attached Inventorying roads on the White River NF,
a rider to a flood-relief bill that would Colorado. See report p. 7. Kurt Kunkle, photo.

8 The Road-RIPorter May/June 1997

 Outreach and Resources
Mark Alan Wilson
Slide Show
April was an incredibly busy month for our slide show, with John
Dillon presenting nearly a dozen slide shows in Colorado, Utah and
Wyoming. Bethanie gave 3 presentations in Seattle and Bellingham,
Washington. Many thanks to all of the local groups who helped
coordinate the publicity and logistics for those presentations.
Cascadia Forest Alliance is sponsoring our slide show at
7:30 pm on July 17th at the Clinton St. Theater in Portland,
Oregon. For more information contact Wildlands CPR (406/
543-9551) or Mark Des Merets at 503/241-4879.
Workshops
Bethanie facilitated a 1/2 day workshop at the Oregon
Natural Desert Association Conference in April. The workshop
focused on the impacts of roads and ORVs on desert ecosys-
tems and methods to inventory their impacts and challenge
the Bureau of Land Management.
Additional workshops are being planned for Burlington,
VT, and Arizona in the summer or fall. No dates yet, but we’ll
keep you posted.
Wildlands CPR on the Web
Many thanks to John Masterson of Missoula for redesign-
ing our web site for us. The site now has a bunch more information
than it used to, and it gives us room to put new info on the
web every month. We will have the newsletter on line shortly.
Check it out at http://www.wildrockies.org/WildCPR.
No More Roads in our National Forests!
Earth First! organizers and other activists throughout the
country are sponsoring a national day of action against Forest
Service roads on May 29, 1997. Participate in the national day
of action by organizing a talk or protest in your region, setting
up a meeting with your district ranger to discuss roads, or
holding a letter-writing party to get letters to your Congres-
sional representatives regarding the legislative proposals in
Congress. Drop us a line and let us know how successful you
were.
SCB Roads Symposium
Wildlands CPR is sponsoring a symposium at the Society for
Conservation Biology’s (SCB) Annual Meeting in Victoria,
British Columbia June 8, 1997. Call the office for more
information, or email to marionh@selway.umt.edu.
The Road-RIPorter May/June 1997
Roadless Areas and Wilderness
Big Wild Advocates has just released an action report that
documents the history of the wilderness movement in the US,
presents a conservation biology-based appeal for protecting
biodiversity, includes a full-page map, “Wildland Myths,” and a
special section devoted to “Roads” and “The Destruction of
Wilderness.”
The report should serve as a handy reference for wilder-
ness and road issues, and concludes with eight common sense
suggestions for what you can do to support wilderness
designations in Congress and in your community.
Grab a copy by contacting Big Wild Advocates, PO Box 318,
Conner, MT 59827. Tell them Wildlands CPR sent you.
Road Obliteration: Rippers Wanted
Wildlands CPR is planning an active restoration project on
national forest lands this July or August. We’ll post details as
they’re finalized; let us know if you’re interested giving a hand
and we’ll help turn you into a road ripper!
ERFO fund fact sheet
Wildlands CPR has a handy fact sheet on the oft-con-
founding Emergency Relief for Federally Owned (ERFO) fund.
If you live in an area beset with mass wasting or landslides, or
have run into federal
agencies that plan to
rebuild roads using
ERFO money, this fact
sheet should prove
especially useful.
Although we’ve
included a few highlights
from the fact sheet, you
can get the full scoop by
contacting Wildlands
CPR and kindly asking.
It’s free.
A. Jones
What is ERFO?
The ERFO fund
was authorized by Title 23 USC, §125 for, “the repair or reconstruction
of highways and roads which are found by the Secretary of Transporta-
tion to have suffered serious damage as the result of a natural disaster
over a wide area, or a catastrophic failure.”
Who is eligible for funding?
ERFO is managed through the Federal Highway Adminis-
tration (FHWA) and applies to roads on National Forest, Bureau
of Land Management, National Park and Bureau of Indian
Affairs lands.
What types of work are allowable under ERFO?
The ERFO fund is typically used to replace roads “in-kind”
rather than to improve them. Trail repair is not eligible for
ERFO funding.
What constitutes an emergency? Is ERFO bound by
environmental laws? What is the ERFO timeline?
Ask for the fact sheet and you’ll learn the answers to these and
other tantalizing questions. Hooray!
9
 Field Notes
MOTORIZED VEHICLE VANDALISM/TRESPASS INCIDENT REPORT
WILDLANDS CPR

DATE & TIME OF OBSERVATION

LOCATION GENERAL AREA

NATIONAL FOREST / NATIONAL PARK / BLM / OTHER PUBLIC LANDS

TRAIL DESCRIPTION OR NUMBER

TOWNSHIP, RANGE & SECTION

TYPE OF RESTRICTION IN PLACE

TYPE OF INCIDENT (CIRCLE ONE OR MORE) USER CONFLICT TRAIL DAMAGE VANDALISM ILLEGAL TRAIL
MOTORIZED TRESPASS RESOURCE DAMAGE WILDLIFE HARASSMENT OTHER _______________

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT

TYPE OF VEHICLES (CIRCLE ONE OR MORE) TRUCK/JEEP ALL TERRAIN VEH. (ATV) MOTORCYCLE

NUMBER OF VEHICLES __________ SNOWMOBILE JETSKI MOTORBOAT OTHER _______________

LICENSE PLATES, VEHICLE DESCRIPTIONS, PERSONS NAMES

PERSON REPORTING NAME PHONE

ADDRESS

WITNESSES NAME PHONE

ADDRESS

Please report any conflicts with traditional outdoor recreation, excessive noise, impacts to wildlife and natural characteristics, or
damage to public property, trails, meadows, lakes & streams, soils, forests or other natural features.

HELP CONSERVE OUR WILDLANDS

1)MAKE OBSERVATIONS: Gather as much information as you can, fill out the incident report, fold and staple or tape, and mail to
WCPR. We will see that your report is forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement authorities, wildlife and public land managers.
2)AVOID CONFRONTATIONS: Under no circumstances should you confront potential motorized violators or take the law into your
own hands.
3)TAKE PHOTOS OR VIDEOS: Please provide us with photo or video evidence if available. Wildlands CPR will make copies and return
originals upon request.
4)VISIT AREAS OF CHRONIC ABUSE: Consider going to areas of chronic trespassing and vandalism on a regular basis and report
findings.
5)ASK FRIENDS TO HELP: Pass copies of this report to your friends and ask them to help in this important effort to provide
documentation of motorized impacts to quiet trails and wilderness.

TO MAIL: SEND TO WILDLANDS CPR, P.O. BOX 7516, MISSOULA, MT 59807

KEEP OUR WILDLANDS ROADLESS!

10 The Road-RIPorter May/June 1997


Field Notes
It seems fitting to start a new feature of the Road-RIPorter
with a contribution from a new organization. A new
grassroots conservation group, Southwestern Montana
Wilderness Alliance (SMWA) created the form at left in an
effort with the Montana Wilderness Association to foster
increased citizen monitoring of off-road vehicle (ORV) use on
public lands and trails. We liked it so much that we’ve decided
to reproduce it here; we encourage you to photocopy and
share it with your group’s members and friends.
It’s easy—simply take a few of the forms with you
whenever you’re out hiking, mountain biking, birdwatching,
hunting, or passing through public lands, and where you see
ORV activity fill out the form and keep a record of the use, any
damage that’s occurring, or violations that may be taking
place. From there, you can create a database for ORV monitor-
ing, or if you can send it to Wildlands CPR and have us
include it in our national efforts to fight ORV violations and
resource damage.
If you want to distribute the forms widely, try printing
your group’s return address on the back of the form, then
citizen activists can simply fold, staple and mail the form to
you to collect and compile.
Look for future editions of Field Notes for more hands-on
tools to help prevent or remove roads. And, of course, we’ll be
interested to hear how you’ve used Field Notes and what
you’ve found particularly useful.
Bibliography Cont.
Timmins, S. M. and P.A. Williams. 1991. Weed numbers in New
Zealand’s forest and scrub reserves. New Zealand Journal of
Ecology. 15(2): 153-162; 37 ref.
Wein, R. W., G. Wein, S. Bahret, and W.J. Cody. 1992.
Northward invading non-native vascular plant species in
and adjacent to Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada. Can.
Field Nat. 106(2), pp. 216-224.
Wester, L. 1994. Weed management and the habitat protection
of rare species: A case study of the endemic Hawaiian fern
Marsilea villosa. Biol. Cons. vol. 68,(no. 1,): pp. 1-9.
Join Wildlands CPR Today!
Membership benefits both you and Wildlands CPR. You
lend your support to our efforts, giving us more leverage in sub-
mitting comments, filing lawsuits, and creating pressure to pre-
vent and close roads on public lands. In addition, your financial
support helps us to continue providing information and re-
sources to activists throughout North America.
As a Wildlands CPR member, you'll have better access to
these resources, because you’ll receive:
❇ Our bimonthly newsletter, The Road-RIPorter.
❇ 10 free bibliography searches per year.
❇ National support for your campaign through our newsletter
and alerts.
❇ Access to activist tools and public education materials.
❇ Connections with groups working on similar issues, and net-
works with experienced road-fighting activists, lawyers and
scientists.
❇ Discounts on Wildlands CPR publications.
Wildlands CPR Publications:
Road-Ripper's Handbook ($15.00, $25 non-members)) —A
comprehensive activist manual that includes the four Guides
listed below, plus The Ecological Effects of Roads, Gather-
ing Information with the Freedom of Information Act, and
more!
Road-Ripper's Guide to the National Forests ($4, $7 non-mem-
bers) —By Keith Hammer. How-to procedures for getting
roads closed and revegetated, descriptions of environmen-
tal laws, road density standards & Forest Service road poli-
cies.
Road-Ripper's Guide to the National Parks ($4, $7 non-mem-
bers) —By David Bahr & Aron Yarmo. Provides background
on the National Park System and its use of roads, and out-
lines how activists can get involved in NPS planning.
Road-Ripper's Guide to Off-Road Vehicles ($4, $7 non-mem-
bers) —By Dan Wright. A comprehensive guide to reducing
the use and abuse of ORVs on public lands. Includes an ex-
tensive bibliography.
Road-Ripper's Guide to the BLM ($4, $7 non-members) —By
Dan Stotter. Provides an overview of road-related land and
resource laws, and detailed discussions for participating in
BLM decision-making processes.

Join Wildlands CPR Today!

____$30 Standard Name:__________________________________________________
____$15 Low Income
____$50 Friend
____$200 Supporter Organization:____________________________________________
____$500 Sponsor
____Other: $____________ Address:________________________________________________
____$15 ($25 non-members)
Handbook (includes all 4 guides)
City/State/Zip:___________________________________________
____$4/Guide ($7 non-members)
- circle your choices BLM, ORV, NF, NP Phone/Fax/e-mail:________________________________________
____Total enclosed $______________ ________________________________________________________

The Road-RIPorter May/June 1997 11

Visions...

Abandoned US Highway near Price, Utah. 1997.

BULK RATE
US POSTAGE
PAID
MISSOULA, MT 59801
PERMIT NO. 569

Wildlands Center for Preventing Roads

P.O. Box 7516
Missoula, MT 59807

“What is left after clearcutting are steep

hillsides of churned-up mud, a few half-
burned piles of slash, and a high quality
asphalt road” — Kathleen D. Moore