Appendix C: Motorized Mixed Use Analysis - USDA Forest Service

Motorized Travel Management Final Environmental Impact Statement
Appendix C: Motorized Mixed Use Analysis
TOPIC
USDA Forest Service
Klamath National Forest
Public Uses (Roads) White Paper
Kenneth C. Stagg
Forest Engineer
April 2009
Forest road management and maintenance strategies to meet public and Forest Service
access and resource protection needs using limited funding sources.
Impact of adding unauthorized roads under the Travel Management Rule
INTRODUCTION
The definition of a forest road is “Any road wholly or partially within, or adjacent to, and serving
the National Forest System and which is necessary for the protection, administration, and
utilization of the National Forest System is a “Forest Road” (Title 23, Section 101 of the United
States Code). The Klamath National Forest (NF) road network facilitates forest management,
provides access to diverse recreational opportunities, and contributes to the rural transportation
infrastructure of interspersed private lands. At the same time, agency and public awareness of the
environmental costs and risks associated with forest roads and attendant activities is increasing.
As the agency’s emphasis has shifted from commodity production to ecosystem health, the forest
road system needs to be analyzed, managed and maintained to minimize environmental impacts
and reduce costs, while providing sufficient access for public and agency needs. This paper will
provide background information and management strategies being employed to meet these
objectives.
KLAMATH NATIONAL FOREST ROAD SYSTEM
State and county roads stretch across the Klamath NF and serve large tracts of federal land.
Some of these county roads are also designated as Forest Highways, making them eligible under
the Federal Lands Highway Program for disaster relief and major renovation funds. Examples
are the Scott River Road, Sawyers Bar Road and Indian Creek Road. The Forest facilitates
management of these roads, but jurisdiction for their repair and maintenance lies with State and
county road agencies. Klamath National Forest System (NFS) Roads, under Forest Service
jurisdiction, branch off from these state and county roads as arterial, collector and local roads.
National Forest System (NFS) roads are not public roads in the same sense as roads that are
under the jurisdiction of State and county road agencies. NFS roads are not intended to meet the
transportation needs of the public at large. Instead, they are authorized only for the use and
administration of national forest lands. Although generally open and available for public use, that
use is at the discretion of the Secretary of Agriculture. Through authorities delegated by the
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Klamath National Forest C-3