4WD School
Adventurer
http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/press/tellico_decision_news_release.pdf
Appeals and lawsuits to follow...
Appeals and lawsuits to follow...
US Forest Service decides to close the Tellico trails
- Thread starter 4WD School
- Start date
hikingff77
Adventurer
Sucks... I've never been there yet!!!
4WD School
Adventurer
Amazing
It's amazing that everything was fine until the environmental lawyers threatened to sue the Forest Service.
Then, all of a sudden, they discover insurmountable problems. :Wow1:
It's amazing that everything was fine until the environmental lawyers threatened to sue the Forest Service.
Then, all of a sudden, they discover insurmountable problems. :Wow1:
abbeyroad
Observer
You are so right.....This is so TRUE!
4WD School
Adventurer
Apathy closes trails...
1leglance
2007 Expedition Trophy Champion, Overland Certifie
My viewpoint is that I am tired of being the low hanging fruit.
If the real goal is to help the world be a better place then let's make moves on the things that will make a real difference,
like all that mass of plastic in the Pacific,
agricultural dust generation in the southwest (vs stupid measures against off highway play),
real corp fuel mileage reg's & enforcement (an 80's Ford Escort diesel got great mileage),
allowing more clean small diesels into the USA instead of stupid tariffs, preventing land developers from turning virgin desert into trackhomes while city centers die out,
getting rid of wasteful irrigation in central Phoenix that allows thousands of gallons of water to be wasted,
putting some of the billions we spend on military stuff into outdoor enforcement and upkeep,
realizing that motorized access to the backcountry is important as a therapy and form of recreation of many many people,
and so much more.
But instead there are people who just don't like motorized recreation and will come up with lots of reasons, some real and some not so real to stop the fun.
4WD School
Adventurer
Not based on the Forest Service's own internal experts or the independent engineering survey that was commisioned.
The Forest Service (and Dept. of Justice) are worried about being sued over the Clean Water Act. If a precedent can be set at Tellico, the environmental lawyers would go wild.
7wt
Expedition Leader
I can't remember where I saw it but I know the local Trout Unlimited group has been trying to get the trails about the water shed closed for many years. TU has a lot of sway when it comes to these things due to it's members. Most chapters have a fair amount of retired people that want to John Muir their whole world. They are a mobilized and motivated army ready for a cause. Combine that with a few attorneys and other busy body types and this is what you get. I have seen some pictures of the heavily depleted trout habitat and it is more than disheartening. Without crystal clear water, trout (brookies in particular) can't live and the bugs they eat need clear oxygenated water to hatch. Dirty water means dead trout, it's as simple as that.
I didn't spend a lot of time looking for it but this is the best I could come up with concerning TU and Tellico.
http://www.tu.org/press_releases/20...service-proposal-to-close-off-highway-vehicle
http://www.nctu.org/uppertellicosurvey.html
As a guy who loves to fish I am not sure what to think about this. I haven't been to Tellico so I can't comment but from the pictures I have seen in magazines and online it looks to be a place where a guy goes to test out his new 44" Swampers. Everyone here knows this does a lot of damage to the trails which does cause water run off problems. I used to think so screw it when it comes to stuff like this but since I moved to the East and started driving off road here, I can understand how fragile this type of environment is. The area's I go to will maintain a nice balance between recreational uses and environmental concerns as long as they remain little used. If they start to get the heavy use like Tellico had, I am sure some busy body lawyer will shut my stuff down too.
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4WD School
Adventurer
The Tellico trails are actually old logging roads. They were not placed or designed by the Forest Service.
Over half of these old roads were closed when the Forest Service bought the property in 1986.
The remainder have been used and maintained by the 4WD community ever since.
Tellico offers all level of challenge, but only the extreme stuff gets into the magazines, etc.
Photos by the anti-access folks are taken out of context. That's what they do to shape public perception.
This area is incredibly beautiful and that's why we treasure it so much. Any farmer can pile some rocks in his pasture and create a rock crawling pile.
Tellico is unique due to its lush vegetation and clear cold streams. We have been protecting that for 23 years.
Unfortunately the Southern Environmental Law Center decided it wanted to set a legal precedent based on the Clean Water Act and they decided to team up with Trout Unlimited, PEER, and WildSouth to do that at Tellico.
Prior to the legal threats, all parties attended "Water Quality" stakeholder meetings every year at the Forest Service offices.
The 4WD community is an easy target for the environmental fringe. The vocal minority.
The irony is that OHV recreation is increasing and fishing is decreasing.
Over half of these old roads were closed when the Forest Service bought the property in 1986.
The remainder have been used and maintained by the 4WD community ever since.
Tellico offers all level of challenge, but only the extreme stuff gets into the magazines, etc.
Photos by the anti-access folks are taken out of context. That's what they do to shape public perception.
This area is incredibly beautiful and that's why we treasure it so much. Any farmer can pile some rocks in his pasture and create a rock crawling pile.
Tellico is unique due to its lush vegetation and clear cold streams. We have been protecting that for 23 years.
Unfortunately the Southern Environmental Law Center decided it wanted to set a legal precedent based on the Clean Water Act and they decided to team up with Trout Unlimited, PEER, and WildSouth to do that at Tellico.
Prior to the legal threats, all parties attended "Water Quality" stakeholder meetings every year at the Forest Service offices.
The 4WD community is an easy target for the environmental fringe. The vocal minority.
The irony is that OHV recreation is increasing and fishing is decreasing.