Write Letter to Rescue Tellico

October 3, 2007

FROM Southern Four Wheel Drive Association, United Four Wheel Drive Associations, and BlueRibbon Coalition:

As you know, in response to the recent request of the Forest Service to comment on the two proposals to establish new Forest Supervisor’s Orders on the Upper Tellico Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) area, Southern, United, and BRC have enlisted the services of Carla Boucher and Paul Turcke to submit a formal response letter.

In addition to that, we think it is important that you (all the 4-wheelers) comment on the proposals as well. The request for comment is located here for you to read. We are providing you with a template letter with the following suggested outline in preparing your letters and remind you to put it in your own words. We urge you to mail your letters in before the identified date of October 17, 2007.

Your letter should be mailed to:

US Forest Service
Tina Tilley, Tusquitee District Ranger
123 Woodland Drive
Murphy, NC 28906

• Include the date
• Include the file reference information (File Code: 2350-5/1950)
• Include reference (Supervisor’s Orders on the Upper Tellico Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Area
• Tell them who you are and why you are writing
• Give your general and specific comments including:
  1. The importance of the Tellico area to recreation and surrounding communities and the effects the closures will have
  2. Tell them why you think the specific trail closures (Action #1) on Lower Trail 2, Trail 7, and Trail 9 is not justified
  3. Tell them why you think the proposed winter closure (Action #2) is not justified
  4. If you know the science, then talk the science
  5. Talk about how no data has been provided and ask for the scientific data on which the closures are being based
  6. Talk about all the mitigation/maintenance work you/your group/Southern has done and continues to do
  7. Talk about what Tellico means to you, why you and your family value it, how you practice Treadlightly!, how you participate in trail clean up, etc.
• In conclusion, express your opposition courteously but strongly one last time.
• Include a statement of your support of the joint letter sent by Southern, United, and BRC.
• Request you be added to further communications.
• Give your contact information
• Sign the letter

Please also remember to be courteous and substantive. In other words, “get it off my chest…” type comments are of little or no value. Finally, you need to keep a copy of your letter for future reference.

If you would like to use a template letter, here is one that you may cut and paste to use. Please be sure to add your own thoughts in the last paragraph.

The Word document file of the letter is available here. (click right mouse button and then select "Save Target As..."

U.S. Forest Service
Nantahala National Forest
Tusquitee District Ranger
123 Woodland Drive
Murphy, NC 28906

INSERT DATE

RE: File Code : 2350-5/1950
Supervisor’s Orders on the Upper Tellico Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Area

Dear District Ranger,

My name is YOUR NAME HERE and I am writing to express my concerns about the above-referenced Supervisor’s Orders addressing vehicle use of the Upper Tellico OHV Area.

My understanding of the September 17, 2007 letter is that the Forest Service intends on enacting two new Supervisor’s Orders that will close the Upper Tellico OHV Area during the winter months and will close specific trails (Upper #2, 7 and 9).

Trails Upper #2, #7, and #9 should not be closed. From your letter and from the research that has been conducted, there is no scientific evidence that the Tellico trail system or any one trail in particular, have any impact on streams in the area. The streams that were sampled originate above the OHV area, and samples were only taken down stream of the OHV area. In order to demonstrate that sediment load is coming from a specific area, it is necessary to sample the stream/river both upstream and downstream of the area.

With respect to seasonal closures of the entire area, your agency did not provide and I have not seen any proof that demonstrates the time of year is directly tied to increase potential for impacts. There is no data provided by your agency to suggest that sedimentation from January 1 to March 31 occurs at a higher rate than sedimentation during other months of the year, which makes a winter-time closure unfounded.

[Write a paragraph here about what Tellico means to you. Talk about what you do to preserve the area, talk about how your practice Tread Lightly and how you participate in trail clean up, etc.]

The OHV community is willing to support reasonable management prescriptions, but the Proposed Orders are not rationally connected to the proposed riding restrictions. A well-conceived and thoughtful planning process should be conducted rather than hastily-prepared Orders in response to closure demands of anti-access special interests. My intent with this letter is to show my strong opposition to these and any trail closures and to request my contact information be added to any further communications regarding the Tellico ORV area.

YOUR NAME
YOUR ADDRESS
YOUR E-MAIL
YOUR PHONE NUMBER

Very truly yours,

SIGN YOUR NAME
TYPE YOUR NAME

Thank you very much!