Grass-Roots Demonstration against California Forest Closures
Here’s a copy of the press release we sent out — please share it freely!!!
CONTACT: Marlon Allen
EMAIL: info@ForestClosure.com
WEBSITE: www.ForestClosure.comGRASS-ROOTS DEMONSTRATION AGAINST CALIFORNIA FOREST CLOSURES
Public Responds Against Eldorado National Forest Road Closure PlansPLACERVILLE, CA - August 26, 2007. Nearly 300 forest users gathered Sunday in Placerville to demonstrate on bridges and overpasses over Highway 50, catching the end-of-weekend rush hour of users leaving the Eldorado National Forest. With an overwhelmingly positive response from the passersby (thumbs-up, smiles, and waves), the message was ‘Public Lands for Public Use.’ More than a few drivers stopped to discuss, and some even drove to the demonstration staging area at the Placerville Fairgrounds to participate in letter writing, petition signing, or just to show support or to find more information about www.ForestClosure.com and proposed road closures in the Forest.
The core of this grass roots demonstration was well-managed, law-abiding OHV users, but the alternatives discussed in the Draft Environmentail Impact Study affect all forest visitors, who stand to lose thousands of miles of roads and trails that access the Forest. Most every hunter, fisherman, and sportsman will be affected, as will casual camping and day users. Anyone who uses — or ever plans to use — Eldorado National Forest dirt roads and trails will suffer decreased access. With more than a quarter of the forest already inaccessible without an extensive hike through wilderness and semi-primitive areas, further closures of public lands make little sense.
Participants included a wide variety of forest visitors, with 4×4, ATV, and motorcycle users, as well as canoe, river raft, and rowboat users, and fishers, hikers, bikers, and horse-riders. Several area politicians stopped in to express support, and there were members of the press from Sacramento KCRA Channel 3, KXTV News10 and Fox 40 KTXL, as well as the Mountain Democrat and Sacramento Bee newspapers.
This grass roots gathering included members from a broad range of groups, including American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC), California Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs (CA4WDC), California Enduro Riders Association (CERA), California Nevada Snowmobile Association (CNSA), California Off-Road Vehicle Association (CORVA), Central California Quad Riders (CCQR), Friends of the Rubicon (FOTR), and United Four Wheel Drive Associations (UFWDA).
For more information about this topic, please visit www.ForestClosure.com or e-mail info@ForestClosure.com
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