Forest road closures follow trend

The Sisters Ranger District's decision to close 16.9 miles of National Forest roads is part of a nation-wide trend in forest road management. The closure still leaves over 1,500 miles open to the public.

"Our actions are consistent with the philosophy (U.S. Forest Service Chief Mike) Dombeck's been taking about - (closures) being essential for managing the National Forests as well as providing (public) access to the forests," Anthony said.

"Roads have a long-term impact on the land, and management feels there are too many roads in the National Forests."

But out of 53 miles of roads proposed for closure under the current plan, only 16.9 miles were selected.

"Closing 16.9 miles of roads does not unduly restrict public access, but it may not meet the land stewardship goals of the process," Anthony said.

Those goals include enhancing wildlife habitat and increasing contiguous non-vehicle accessible forest lands.

According to Sisters Ranger District Road Manager Ray Horgen, 1,549 of the district's 1,878 miles of roads are currently accessible to the public.

"The total miles today includes (329 miles of) closed roads," Horgen said.

Of the 1,878 road miles in the District, 119 miles are considered primary roads, maintained for highway safety access.

Secondary roads comprise 611 miles of the total and are classified as, "necessary for the long-term management of our natural resources, but may only be suitable for high clearance vehicles," Horgen said.

The recent closures are the latest step in a process that began in the early 1990's.

"We (first) did a categorical exclusion," a process used when there is determined to be a minimal impact on society and natural resources, Jeff Grenier, Wildlife Biologist with the Sisters Ranger District, said.

"It was (then) determined that an environmental assessment was needed and that's what's out on the street now."

An environmental assessment is required in situations such as a timber sale when the impact of a forest action is more substantive.

Bend wilderness activist Scott Silver looks at the road closure plan with "a skeptical eye."

"Someone's not doing their job to decide that (such a small) percentage of the roads are all that are worth closing," Silver said.

A copy of the environmental assessment on the road closure project is available from the Sisters Ranger District office at the corner of Pine Street and Highway 20 in Sisters.

The appeal period for the assessment is open until the close of business, Monday April 13.