bowsniper Report post Posted February 26, 2010 Nothing wrong with a good friendly debate.What he said! Yes, I am a civil engineer for the Forest Service but have only been with the agency for less than a year. Worked in the private industry previously. My comments represent my view as a hunter and forest user and are not the views of the agency.I certainly do not fault you for your views. My job as an engineer is dependent on NASA, so of course, I am all for the space program. There is already a road there, a new road is not being built. Therefore "road maintenance" not "construction."You, as a civil engineer for the Forest Service, and me as a selfish, avid hiker and hunter, who likes to get away from roadhunters, slob stand jumpers, game camera thieves, vandals, drug runners, illegals, will argue forever about what is road "construction" and what is road "maintenance". On the same note, would you rather fund fire fighters getting flown into an area or driving into an area?It's hardly realistic to build FS roads all over the entire state to ensure that all forests can be accessed by fire vehicles. Justifying the Charleau Gap new road construction as a fire road is bogus. Besides, the Forest service generally has a "let it burn" policy for difficult access areas, unless the fire might endanger structures or commercial interests. The truth is that any improvement that is not maintained eventually goes away, nature takes over, and then no one can use it. Are you suggesting that you don't want the Forest Service to use your tax dollars to maintain any of the forest roads? Or would like them maintained just enough so that your vehicle can get in but not the next guy. Brian, what most of the public doesn't realize is that is that Forest Service roads ARE NOT built for public access. Do you really think that the roads are built for you and me to go hunting and bird watching??!! Most are built for commercial access, logging, mining and ranching. Granted, some are built for fire control and maybe a very few for recreation. But think about it, why are forests crisscrossed with dozens of roads over lapping each other? Commercial logging. Why does a forest service road turn into a dead end going nowhere? An old mining claim. Why do so many forest service roads end at cow tanks? Grazing permitties and public land ranching. Eventually, when the commercial interest die out, road maintenance becomes a liability, and the Forest Service closes the road(s). You said yourself: Areas where two or three roads lead to the same place or a "grid" of roads was created to access old mining claims or timber sales. Don't get me wrong, I'm not preaching against multiple use. But when you said "but don't forget the Charleau Gap is public land and therefore should be accessible to the public", you really meant " but don't forget the Charleau Gap is public land and therefore should be accessible to COMMERCIAL USERS!" (in this case, the permittie) So please stop slinging the same old ancient forest service crap that the roads are built for "public access", so Henry and Mable Tourist can take their kiddies on a picnic in the forest and watch the little animals. It is tax dollars providing a commercial subsidy. Call a spade a spade. And maybe a subsidy is ok for some cases, just quit hiding behind this bogus rationalization that forest service is building a road for hunters, weekenders, bird watchers, and oh my gosh, what a coincidence! What do you know, even the permittie can use the road too!!!! No hard feelings! Mark Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Payne Report post Posted February 26, 2010 No hard feelings! +1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
