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Proposed Expansion of GWNF Wilderness Areas - i.e. NO BIKING ALLOWED

1K views 6 replies 3 participants last post by  govertime 
#1 ·
Came across this article.

In the end, Jenkins, Cameron and many others settled on a compromise that formed the basis of the forest service's National Scenic Area recommendation. It calls for a nearly 90,000-acre National Scenic Area in western Rockingham and Augusta counties, open to things like hiking, biking, and use of existing roads like the one up to Reddish Knob. Within that area, the forest service also recommends a 6,100-acre expansion of the existing Ramsey's Draft Wilderness and the creation of a new, 9,500-acre Little River Wilderness - both in northwestern Augusta County.

Jenkins - Shenandoah Bicycle Company

Anybody know if MORE, SVBC have been involved in these discussions?

Forest Service Proposed Wilderness Map

'Friends' of Shenandoah Proposed for Little River

Our proposal is for the entire Little River watershed, which extends from Reddish Knob at nearly 4,400 ft. in elevation down to Hearthstone Lake, and the entire Middle Mountain area. The proposed Wilderness area lies within a boundary formed by Timber Ridge Trail, Hearthstone Ridge Trail, Chestnut Ridge Trail, Little Bald Mountain Road, Forest Road 101, and several tracts of private land on the west side of Forest Road 101. The Wilderness boundary would be set back from FR 101 and the private land to provide a buffer and allow space for construction of a new connector trail between Hearthstone Ridge Trail and Chestnut Ridge Trail. The proposed Wilderness boundary excludes Hearthstone Lake.

...

The trails in the Little River area are very popular with mountain bikers. The reduced boundary will provide strong protection for the core area of Little River and Middle Mountain, while allowing mountain biking to continue on all trails except Buck Mountain Trail and Big Ridge/Grooms Ridge Trail. The remainder of the Little River Special Management Area would be protected as a National Scenic Area without a restriction on mountain biking.



I really don't understand why its acceptable to compromise for a Wilderness Area that lets HORSES, HUNTING, fishing, hiking, etc but not biking.
 
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#2 ·
I read that article recently and it sounded like a reasonable compromise that reopens some trail
" At the same time, there is a game-changer of a wilderness boundary actually being moved to open up a trail that currently isn’t open to mountain bikes."

It also insures continued access via the National Scenic Area designation while preventing things like fracking. The wilderness is a small piece in a bigger puzzle.

You can bet SVBC was involved, Thomas Jenkins and Shenandoah Bicycle Company are core in that group. I don't think MORE was, this is outside of their territory.

If you want bikes in Wilderness, you'll need to change Federal law unfortunately.
 
#3 ·
I'll add, I'm generally opposed to wilderness designations as I think things like NSA is better for us as MTBers while still preserving the land. I've also been in the advocacy game long enough that I know compromise is necessary at times and building key relationships with other users groups will generally help us in the long run.
 
#4 ·
This is old news. As I understand it, it opens up a corridor through wilderness in exchange for Grooms and Buck and a lot of land. I'm sure this is part of a bigger picture on the mtb plan out there, but wilderness seems to be getting the better end of the deal here gaining lots more land in the GW. Grooms is cool piece of trail with a nice overlook. Buck, not so much.
 
#7 ·
The forest management plan, which is apparently required before moving the designations through congress, was just released in November.

Anyway, from Virginia's Wilderness Committee website...

National Scenic Area (NSA) designation will protect the scenic, cultural, historic, recreational, and natural resources of Shenandoah Mountain and allow popular forms of recreation, such as hunting, fishing, mountain biking and driving motor vehicles NSA designation will protect the area from logging, road-building, hydrofracking, industrial wind development, and other activities that would mar the natural character and degrade the recreational opportunities of the area. VWC supports wildlife management by timbering around the periphery of our proposal.

I'm not sure what the Wilderness designation over Scenic Area designation achieves in this instance other than specificially restricting bikers permanently, that's all.
 
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