Board Meeting – November 13, 2007
Northeast Washington Forestry Coalition
Recreation Committee

The regular meeting of the Northeast Washington Forestry Coalition
Recreation Committee began at 6:00 p.m. at the Pizza Factory in Colville, WA
on November 13, 2007

 

Attending::  Derrick Knowles, Co-Chair               Claudia Michalke, ED,
NEWFC

Craig Newman, USFS                                         Dick Vogel

Scott Nielsen, TCMRA                                         George Heath

Ken Mondal, WTA                                              Amy Anderson

Ken Barker, TCMRA                                           Don Anderson,
                                                                           Winter Knights

Vickie Gish, BCH                                                Bob Gish, BCH

Alan Dragoo, PN4WDA                                       Bob Whittaker,
                                                                           Ferry County Rail Trail Partners

 

A quorum was present.

Derrick Knowles, Co-chairman, opened the meeting with self-introductions and
a review of the agenda.  The meeting proceeded as follows:

Claudia Michalke, Executive Director of the NEWFC, spoke about the
collaborative process and distributed copies of the NEWFC Draft Ground
Rules.

Craig Newman, USFS, discussed the Colville National Forest travel planning
and Proof of Concept.  He distributed copies of Proof of Concept Q and A's
dated September 6, 2007 and Proof of Concept Performance Contract Goal 4 -
Sustain and Enhance Outdoor Recreation Opportunities.  A few of the points
from his discussion include the following:

* The Colville National Forest, Shasta-Trinity Forest in California,
and the Allegheny Forest in Pennsylvania are the only three forests in the
Nation involved in independent collaborative process.
* This process has, or will, result in more budget flexibility and
efficiency for the USFS and encourages broader scale planning.
* As a result of the POC process, the CNF recreation budget was
restored from $500,000 to $1,100,000 - the 2005 budget level.
* USFS Region Six does not consider the CNF as a recreational forest
so the bulk of recreational funding is allocated to Oregon and Westside
Washington Forests.
* Craig is trying to arrange for the Region Six Recreational staff to
visit the CNF.  He will inform the Committee when his invitation is
successful.  A Committee member recommended July as the ideal month.  The
Committee endorsed the proposed visit and offered to assist in any way that
Craig thought appropriate.
* Craig estimated that it will be three to four years before the USFS
begins to implement new on-the-ground recreational routes due to USFS
planning process and meeting NEPA requirements.
* Should see a difference in trail maintenance next year
* The word 'route' is more inclusive for both motorized and
non-motorized users verses the word 'trail' that seems to exclude some forms
of motorized use.
* USFS Region Six had over 9,000 hours in volunteer recreational
assistance in 2006.
* Suggested inviting DNR to participate with the Committee at a future
meeting.
* In 2008, there will be more OHV route proposals.  And the USFS is
coordinating their vehicle use plan and recreational maps to eliminate
confusion about where recreational users can and can not go.
* USFS will monitor CNF use again in 2009.
* County Commissioners are trying to form a tourism board for the
tri-county area.
* To minimize risk to users, routes should be looped to avoid two-way
traffic.

Non-motorized trails proposal:  Derrick Knowles reported on new routes, the
development of a colored map, CNF GPS training and use, and volunteer trail
mapping progress over the past year.

Collaborative forestry and trail development partnerships:  proposed Pierre
Lake Trail - Derrick Knowles reported on an 8-12 mile loop route proposed as
a pilot project to be planned and hopefully implemented during the Pierre
Summit project.   

Motorized projects sub-committee: OHV Criteria - Derrick Knowles distributed
copies of the NEWFC Recreation Committee Collaborative Criteria for OHV
Route System Designation for the CNF.  The Recreation Committee's motorized
project sub-committee developed the OHV route criteria document last summer.

Working with CNF in 2008 to get more proposed trails surveyed - Derrick
Knowles reported the NEWFC is seeking an AmeriCorp volunteer for one year,
starting in January 2008, to work on surveying and GIS mapping proposed
trails.  

NEWFC Blueprint:  Derrick Knowles and Claudia Michalke both emphasized that
the Blueprint is a dynamic document, that recreational use was not
adequately addressed, and that the Coalition is sincerely interested in
rectifying that omission.  However, it is essential that recreational
interests, both motorized and non-motorized, participate in the process.
They are invited to do so. 

Next Meeting:  The Committee desires to meet as infrequently as possible,
but often enough to have a voice in the process.  Next meeting will be in
February 2008.

Exhibits to the original minutes:

*         Draft (2) NEWFC Ground Rules

*         Proof of Concept Q&A dated 9/6/2007

*         POC Performance Contract Goal 4 - Sustain & enhance Outdoor
Recreation Opportunities

*         NEWFC Recreation Committee Collaborative Criteria for OHV Route
System Designation for the CNF