A Walk in the (Santa Fe National Forest) Woods

Closed to Motorized Vehicles

Do you hike, bike, ride a dirtbike, ATV or OHV in the Santa Fe National Forest? If so, the Forest Service wants to hear from you, really! After years of study the Forest Service has written a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for five alternative Travel Management Plans in the Santa Fe National Forest. This is your opportunity to share your reasoned and informed opinion of how to best manage motorized travel in the Santa Fe National Forest. Read below for the travel plan alternatives, DEIS and public meetings.

SFNF Travel Management Plan Alternatives

  • Alternative 1 is the no action alternative. It represents the existing condition, which is forest staff’s best estimate of where people are driving now.
  • Alternative 2 is the original proposed action. It differs slightly from the one mailed to the public in July 2008. It corrects the locations of roads and motorized trails based on the public’s comments and field verification. It also added the ability to retrieve big game with a vehicle in the same fixed-distance corridors proposed for motorized dispersed camping.
  • Alternative 3 would provide fewer roads and motorized trails than the proposed action. It allows no driving off roads and motorized trails for any reason. This means, to camp, retrieve game, or participate in any other forest activity, people would have to park next to the side of the road and proceed without their vehicles.
  • Alternative 4 would provide more roads, motorized trails, and areas designated for motorized use than the proposed action, but still less than the amount people drive on now. It would allow the most places for people to drive to retrieve game or set up a campsite.
  • Alternative 5 would provide about the same amount of roads, motorized trails, and areas, designated for motorized use, as the proposed action but arranges motorized use geographically. This means that alternative 5 attempts to cluster motorized use in certain places on the forest, leaving other places with less motorized use.
  • You can read the Draft Environmental Impact Study here. After reading the DEIS, check out one of the eight Public Meetings which are scheduled from August 5 through August 18, 2010 in Abiquiu, Los Alamos, Pecos, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Jemez, Las Vegas, and Cuba. The public meetings will include an open house, a presentation, a question and answer session, and a listening session. During the meetings, Forest Service staff will review and discuss the DEIS, maps and comment process, and listen to issues. Based on the analysis and public input, the Forest Supervisor will make a decision, referred to as a Record of Decision (ROD), by the end of the calendar year (2010), about what roads, trails and areas should be open for motorized use.

    This is your chance to get involved and help decide how motorized travel in the Santa Fe National Forest is managed. See you at one of the meetings!

    More Info:

    Santa Fe National Forest Proposed Travel Management Plan

    SFNF Travel Management Plan - Comparison of Alternatives

    SFNF Travel Management Plan - DEIS Information

    SFNF Travel Management Plan - Public Meetings

    Santa Fe New Mexican - New rules for Santa Fe National Forest off-roaders

    A Walk in the Woods