Oregonians Advocate for a Comprehensive Mt. Hood Travel Plan

Bark’s travel planning efforts are as strong as ever! In response to the Forest Service’s proposal to create six off-road vehicle playgrounds around Mt. Hood, hundreds of Oregonians offered an alternative vision for Mt. Hood: one that prioritizes healthy watersheds and quiet recreation access.

Highlights:

• Nineteen diverse recreation and conservation groups submitted a letter to the Forest Service asking the agency to work with local communities and expand the scope of the current travel planning process to address ecosystem health and quiet recreation opportunities.

• Congressman Blumenauer sent a letter to Mt. Hood NF supervisor, Gary Larsen, asking him to consider the roads issue in travel planning.

• To provide the Forest Service with additional recreation data, Bark collected 517 postcards that reflect the values of non-motorized recreationists on Mt. Hood National Forest.

• Bark and the Restore Mt. Hood Coalition and allies generated 157 individual comments explaining to the Forest Service the importance of addressing the impact of the road system on quiet recreation opportunities, fish and wildlife habitat, and drinking watersheds.

• Bark's forest-wide road inventory surveyed 335 road segments or approximately 10% of Mt. Hood roads and documented ineffective road closures, OHV abuse, and failing culverts to help inform Forest Service road analysis.

All of this great work is moving us forward in accomplishing our vision of a stronger Mt. Hood recreational community, a more robust recreation infrastructure, improved relations with adjacent landowners and communities, and healthier ecosystems. Now it is up to the Forest Service to decide if they are willing to work with us to create a true vision for Mt. Hood National Forest and not just a plan that caters to off-road vehicles.

Want to help this vision become a reality? Contact Bark at (503) 331-0374 and ask to speak to the Travel Plan Campaign Coordinator, Deb!