Public Lands - Lands Chair Reports
BCHNM Public Lands Report
January 20, 2023
For Public Land chairs in each chapter. Watch your SOPA reports in your forest area(s). Also look at timber sales and landscape management for anything we should be concerned about. You can access your National Forest page, then look for managing the land, then go to planning or look to your right (SOPA) Schedule of Proposed Actions.
In the Carson NF/ Rio Grande BLM is Horsethief Mesa, known for its trails. The Sombrillo Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) for the Travel Management Planning is out this month and I spoke with the Carson NF spokesperson on the proposed parking lot. It is on NF land and the trails are on BLM land. He said, once they get all the access issues addressed, they hope to begin this, Summer.
Randy Rasmussen of BCHA will be attending the “Hike the Hill” on Feb.13, 2023 in Washington DC. Main objectives this year is uniformity within the agencies on e-bike regulations. Also our chapters can attend Public Lands Day on Feb 9th at the Round House in Santa Fe.
National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance is now taking applications through the National Forest System Stewardship Partner Funding from 2/1/23 to 4/15/23. Funding can range from $2,000 to $20,000. The Gila Chapter was successful in getting funding last year. More information at www.wildernessalliance.org/trail_funding
The US Statistics Report came out on outdoor economics, and it showed equestrian as a growing market.
In our PLC Regional meetings, it was brought up a program on Trail Modernization is being tested in the SE. It has a check list for trails needing maintenance and when they are finished by saying who and when so, it can be checked off the list.
BCHA and its chapters are listed as the largest group assisting the forest service and 20% of the membership are sawyers.