Hammer, K. 2001. Gate-Crashing: Road Closure Gates Cannot Effectively Eliminate Trespass. Swan View Coalition, Kalispell, MT. 12p. http://www.swanview.org/reports/Gate-Crashing-Report.pdf
RELEVANT TO: |
ROADS/OFF-ROAD VEHICLES INVASIVE SPECIES VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE MONITORING/ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT |
DESCRIPTION
This article reviews evidence that using gates to close Forest roads is inadequate to meet total road density and wildlife security requirements. In 1995, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Flathead National Forest approved and issued Amendment 19 to the Flathead Forest Plan. Amendment 19 prohibits the use of gates on roads closed to meet total road density and grizzly bear security core requirements, making permanent barriers and road obliteration the required methods. There is now a recommendation that would replace the Amendment 19 approach. The Proposed Approach would reduce Amendment 19 road obliteration by some 80%, and return to using gates.
MAJOR FINDINGS
A recent survey of Forest Supervisors in the Northern Continental Divide Grizzly Bear Ecosystem shows continued widespread failure of gates in stopping motorized use of forest roads to provide wildlife security. Land and wildlife management agencies have recognized that gates are largely ineffective in eliminating motorized trespass by the public.
Information provided by the Forest Supervisors for 1999 and 2000 show that violation and vandalism of gates remain a substantial problem in spite of efforts to monitor and repair them. The Flathead National Forest reported knowledge of 114 road closure violations and 251 instances of damage to public property, the majority being damage to gates. Citations issued for these crimes, however, numbered only 4.
Public disregard of road closures, as well as continual administrative use, often reach such levels that the intent and objectives for the closures are no longer being met (p. 2).
Monitoring of 11 closures, conducted by the Forest Service on the Sullivan
Lake Ranger District, found that 53% of the closures had entries in excess of the standard
of 2 or less entries per week. The standard was exceeded by 444%. Eighty five percent of
these entries were unauthorized (p. 4).
Monitoring and experience have shown gates are largely ineffective and must
be replaced by permanent barriers and road obliteration. More monitoring is not going to
effectively "eliminate trespass by the public;" it is simply going to present a better record
of the trespass that occurs.
A properly obliterated road renders it physically impossible to violate with
conventional vehicles and, on steep terrain, physically impossible to negotiate even with off-road vehicles. A properly obliterated and revegetated road requires no further investment in maintenance or monitoring (p.6).
QUESTIONS RAISED FOR THE THREE FORESTS
In Dixie/Fishlake planning workshops we heard from equestrians and hunters that areas closed to off-road travel, such as Boulder Top, are criss-crossed with ATV trails.
- Ho w effective have road closures been on these Forests? What documentation regarding ATV riders flaunting forest rules, trespass, or vandalism exists on the Forests?
- What methods of road closures have been effective on these Forests?
- What documentation of resource damage due to trespass exists on the Forests?
RELEVANCE TO FOREST MANAGEMENT
When certain roads or routes are closed, proper closure techniques must be used to ensure no further resource damage occurs.