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Forest Access For All
PO Box 48
Baker City, Or 97914
To: Tom Montoya – Forest Supervisor Wallowa-Whitman National Forest
1550 Dewey Ave
PO Box 907
Baker City, OR 97814
Regarding: Comment on “are these maps correct” question.
Answer to the question below (Forest Access For All (FAFA) comment).
“Do these maps accurately reflect how the Forest Service system roads and motorized trails, that you are
familiar with, are being used?”
The answer is No.
Through review of historic maps from the National Forest Systems throughout the different variation of
National Forest boundaries over a 25 year period (1950 to 1975), and in discussing the current USFS maps
with the membership of FAFA we find the maps to be in correct and not representative of the current use, or
the rightful use of these roads. The historic maps we have utilized for our research reflect the known right of
ways granted to residents of Baker, Union, Wallowa, Grant, Umatilla, Harney, and Malheur counties as well
as the state of Oregon to cross Public lands.
The roads on the historic maps have a host of uses attached to them, which include, but are not limited to:
1) Access to private property
2) Access to currently “permitted” activities via USFS Special Use Agreements.
3) Access to Traditional Cultural Use Areas (hunting areas, food gathering areas, and family gathering
areas, etc.)
4) Access to Traditional Cultural Properties
5) Access for elderly and handicapped individuals with lesser means to access areas
6) Access to supplemental heating sources
7) Mining, the statutory right to mine to market roads.
8) RS 2477 for road and ditches and to access to ditches and head gates.
9) Statutory right for access to range land to look after and care for livestock.
FAFA’s comment is simple in this matter.
We expect the Wallowa Whitman National Forest to move all roads that are found on historic maps predating
Oct. 1st 1976 to a “green” status, that is, that they are open to all motorized use. These points of access were
granted to the people of Eastern Oregon with the express use of accessing the natural resources of the area to
generate economic growth for our rural communities, as well as to encourage the settlement of the Western
United States by the development of a system of roads to facilitate that settlement. Both through physical
settlement of an area and through access to resources to sustain and maintain our rural communities.
Forest Access For All
PO Box 48
Baker City, Or 97914
FAFA also recognizes that the Sub-Part A report development has been severally flawed and does not all
allow the local communities and citizens an opportunity to participate in the development of the report in a
substantive way. The residents of the region must assist in targeting what the “management” of their public
lands should look like into the foreseeable future. We formally request the “The path forward will be
transparent and understood, and decisions will be shaped by discussions in an open forum” (WWNF
Webpage Blog) - http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/wallowawhitman/landmanagement/projects/?cid=STELPRD3812908
As of today’s date, meetings have been held disallowing public input on the Sub-part A development and
decisions of what roads are needed and what roads aren’t are being held by US Forest Service employees in
developing Sub-Part A which is not allowing the residents to express their needs and desires of the
management of their lands.
We look forward to seeing your maps corrected to reflect what the current status of the roads should be, that
being all roads open to allow for the uses we have historically utilized them for.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment and answer your question, comment on your maps. We look
forward to your corrections on the incorrect maps you are currently circulating.
Forest Access For All
Tork Ballard - President.
PO Box 48
Baker City, Oregon 97814
CC’d to –
Tom Vilsack – Secretary of Agriculture
Robert Bonnie – Under Secretary Natural Resources
Tom Tiddwell – Chief US Forest Service
Jim Pena – Region 6, Regional Forester
Kirby Garrett – Rep. Waldens staff
Kathleen Cathey – Senator Wydens staff