The Decision: Motorized Travel Black Hills National Forest March 24, 2010

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Background Public discussions since August 2003 Travel Planning Rule 2005 The National Forest Advisory Board – 11 design recommendations Proposed Action – September 2007 Draft EIS – 5 Alternatives – March 2009 Public, agencies, Tribes, local govts commented on DEIS Final EIS 5

Design Recommendations “active” versus passive main arterial system – network of multi- scale loops allow for game retrieval dispersed camping – 300’ motorized use to collect firewood variety of motorized opportunities 6

Design Recommendations pursue all possible funding cooperative effort – FS, SD, WY, local focused away from population cross-country motorized OHV in designated areas no mud-bogging 7

Table 1 – Alternatives and Decision Proposed Travel Designation ABCDEB Modified Road miles3,740 (668)3,466 (837)3,582 (992)2,877 (626)3,740 (668)3,157 (993) Trail miles36 (24)663 (338)771 (370)320 (141)36 (24)707 (329) Total miles 3,776 (692) 4,129 (1,175) 4,353 (1,362) 3,197 (767) 3,776 (692) 3,864 (1,322) Roads - highway legal3,580 (656)1,240 (249) 704 (70)2,297 (361)3,580 (656)2,609 (773) Roads - open to all 160 (12) 2,226 (588) 2,878 (922) 580 (265) 160 (12) 548 (220) Trails open to all0173 (65)176 (76)118 (48)0148 (67) Special vehicle designation: trails 62 inches or less in width SD* (177) SD 380 (196) SD 150 (62) SD (152) SD Trails 50 inches or less in width WY 36 (24) SD12 95 (95) WY 80 (73) WY 31 (31) WY 24 (24) 72 (72) WY Trails motorcycle only076 (1)134 (25)21 (0)090 (38) Total miles 3,776 (692) 4,129 (1,175)4,353 (1,362) 3,197 (767) 3,776 (692) 3,864 (1,322) Trailheads Game retrieval864,000 acres 300 feet= 179,000 acres 385,500 acres00294,800 acres Dispersed camping864,000 acres 100 feet= 63,500 acres 300 feet= 184,000 acres feet= 135,500 acres

Table 1 –Decision Proposed Travel DesignationB Modified Road miles3,157 (993) Trail miles707 (329) Total miles 3,864 (1,322) Roads - highway legal2,609 (773) Roads - open to all 548 (220) Trails open to all148 (67) Special vehicle designation: trails 62 inches or less in width SD* 397 (152) SD Trails 50 inches or less in width WY 72 (72) WY Trails motorcycle only90 (38) Total miles3,864 (1,322) Trailheads20 Game retrieval294,800 acres Dispersed camping300 feet= 135,500 acres

The Decision - Elements Overall: –Decision built from elements of alternatives –Focusing on diversity of motorized recreation –Road system for access and driving for pleasure 11

The Decision - Elements –Trail systems for a variety of user experiences Family opportunities –A network of connected loop trails

The Decision - Elements Roads and motorized trails open to all Principally connect: Looped trail systems Destinations

The Decision - Elements Special Vehicle Designation –Vehicles 62 inches or less in width in SD –Vehicles 50 inches or less in width in WY 14

The Decision - Elements Game Retrieval – Elk Only –300 feet and in some cases up to 1 mile in portions of SD –300 feet in WY 15

The Decision - Elements Dispersed Camping– –300’ from most open roads 16

Table 2. Routes requiring design criteria, removal or rerouting to avoid impacts to special status plant species or areas SpeciesOccurrence Route number Alt. BAlt. CAlt. D Alt. B Modif. Routes to be designed, removed, or rerouted to avoid impacts to Region 2 sensitive species Bearlodge Ranger Dist. Botrychium campestreBOCA X Botrychium lineareBOLI (outside Dugout Gulch Botanical Area) XX Carex alopecoideaCAAL8-12U71002X CAAL LXX X Cypripedium parviflorumCYPA CXX Viburnum opulus var. americanum VIOPA2-2, VIOPA (in Dugout Gulch Botanical Area) XX 03DUG3A, 94S460B U650017XX Northern Hills Ranger Dist. Carex alopecoideaCAAL8-22U710024X Cypripedium parviflorum950070BU080045XXX Platanthera orbiculata01G040CZ0418 U010076XX PLOR4-18U010071XX Sanguinaria canadensisSACA FXXX SACA AXXX Viburnum opulus var. americanumVIOPA2-4U080156XX CZ4846XX X Mystic Ranger Dist. Cypripedium parviflorumCYPA19-2CZ1790XXX Environmental & Cultural Resource Protection

Gonyer Mats – Hardening Stream Crossings

Trail locations to reduce conflicts with other users…

Decision

Next Notice of Availability – April Followed by 45 day appeal period Publish Motor Vehicle Use Map

Questions?

Happy trails! 23