Forest Service Meeting

I did not personally attend because I went to the BLM meeting not knowing that it was cancelled. According to sources, the Forest Service meeting was to present the Forest Service Management Plan Update which is now available for review and comment. The main topics discussed were roads, trails, wilderness areas and development. The delicate balance between man and nature on our public lands. About 50-60 people attended many of them developers. The Forest Service was confronted about the "alleged" illegal exchanges of land to developers.

Joyce Burk from the Sierra Club attended. Joyce Burk wants to designate the Deep Creek area as Wilderness. Wilderness areas are off limits to motorized vehicles and man made structures and may require a permit to visit. If this area is designated as "wilderness" this would mean that the public would have to hike from the boundary of the "wilderness", the Bowen Ranch building would be removed and you may be required to have a permit. Joyce would also like to have Deep Creek designated as a Wild and Scenic River.

There are more meetings planned. I will make it a point to contact Ruth Wenstrom again and ask to be notified of these meetings. The future of Deep Creek is being discussed right now. We are not the only ones interested in the future of Deep Creek and I think it is important that we participate in this process to preserve our access rights.

The management plan update is available upon request. Please feel free to use the empowerment link on the main page to request information and communicate your views on Deep Creek and public lands.

http://www.deepcreekhotsprings.org/empowerment.shtml