Backcountry
Horsemen of California
Antelope Valley Unit
PO Box 3361 Quartz Hill, CA 93586-0361
PUBLIC LANDS
Backcountry Horsemen of California Public Lands:
There is activity in our own back yard for a change. If you remember back in 2005 I attended a meeting hosted by the National Parks in Acton. They had been tasked by Congress to access the feasibility of creating a National Park in the San Gabriel River drainage of the Angeles Forest and also down into the metropolitan areas around the river bed and the Chino Hills.
I attended another meeting locally in Palmdale on Sept. 16th. This was a follow up to the 2005 task. As was expected they found a National Park was not feasible do to the many uses for this area not the least of which is a 4 Billion dollar investment on Mt. Wilson. They presented an early rough proposal (3 alternatives). They’re looking at possibly creating a National Recreation Area. The short definition of this is an area which has the primary purpose of providing recreational opportunities above all else, i.e. mining, lumber, Preservation of wildlife or plant life. The first alternative was an area containing most of the lower forest from the San Gabriel River drainage west (not the forest area to the northwest of Hwy 14). The third proposal was an area mostly of the San Gabriel River drainage and down into some of the metropolitan area. The second proposal was not a National Recreation Area and was labeled the San Gabriel Parks and Open Space Network and included the area from the San Gabriel River drainage to the west and from the ridge of the forest where everything drains south. This would not include the north side of the mountains. This can all be seen on the Angeles National Forest web site.
Going into this meeting I had these questions. Would this create another level of buearocracy in dealing with this National Forest? Would this effect how the forest was maintained and finally where would the money come from for changes or improvements. The National Forest would still manage the forest and maintenance would not change. The Park Service would probably only be involved in education and interpretive issues. The money issue becomes cloudy. The forest service would still create the budget for its area. Requests for the National Recreation Area could generate more monies, but there is no guarantee. Any areas outside the forest would have to generate their own income from grants and such.
The consensus of the attendees was a National Recreation Area could only improve recreation opportunities and the larger the area the better which I agree. When or if an increased amount of funds becomes available is questionable at least during these economic times, but maybe in the future. The only stipulation I addressed was that I’m opposed to the creation of any further wilderness area in the San Gabriel’s because of the maintenance issues. Most of the forest is chaparral and will be after the recent fires. There are no current plans to create wilderness area in this investigation.
The Park service expects to have a plan for comment by the end of 2010 and their final proposal would be sent to congress. A National Recreation Area has to be created by an Act of Congress.
Finally I have come to the decision that no one will step up to replace me as Public Lands VP as long as I continue to step in at the last minute. So I will not accept this or any position on the board for 2010. I encourage someone to get involved. There is a lot to be learned in the Public Arena and it doesn’t come from standing on the side lines. I appreciate your confidence in my representing you these past years.
Happy Trails
Jerry
"DEDICATED TO THE GENTLE USE OF CALIFORNIA TRAILS AND BACKCOUNTRY"