Transcript Use of Native Materials in Wilderness

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Use of Native Materials in
Wilderness
Policy Regarding Trails, Bridges
and Administrative Facilities
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Example Structures with Native Material Options
Trail Structures:
 Turnpikes
 Check dams
 Culverts
 Water bars
 Retaining walls
Bridges - many parts, such as:
 Stringers
 Decking
 Handrails
Administrative facilities:
 Buildings
 Fences
 Signs and posts
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Common Questions
Use of:
Rock or local logs?
 Local logs or imported logs?
 Imported logs or dimensional lumber?
 Pressure treated lumber?
(including stringers, decking, railing)
 Filter fabric in turnpikes?
 Rock, plastic, or metal culverts?
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What are
Trail and Wilderness
Managers to do?
What’s the policy?
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Forest Service Policy on Use of
Native Materials in Wilderness
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Wilderness Act
Forest Service Manual – Trails & Wilderness
Forest Service Handbook – Trails
Forest Plan and/or Wilderness Management Plan
for your area
Designating legislation for your Wilderness, if
applicable
Wilderness Recreation Opportunity Spectrum
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Forest Service Policy on Use of
Native Materials in Wilderness
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Forest Service Policy on Use of
Native Materials in Wilderness
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Nothing directly related to the use of
native materials in Wilderness
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Forest Service Policy on Use of
Native Materials in Wilderness
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Nothing directly related to the use of
native materials in Wilderness
Plenty of general direction that can be
applied to answer questions related to the
use of native materials
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Wilderness Act
Section 2 (a):
"wilderness areas“… shall be
administered… to provide for…the
preservation of their wilderness
character
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Wilderness Act
Section 2 (c): Key phrases 
where the earth and its community of life
are untrammeled by man..
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protected and managed so as to preserve
its natural conditions…
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with the imprint of man's work
substantially unnoticeable…
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Wilderness Act
Section 4 (b):
each agency administering any
area designated as wilderness
shall be responsible for preserving
the wilderness character of the
area…
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Wilderness Character
The four qualities of wilderness related to wilderness
character –
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Untrammeled – wilderness is essentially unhindered and free
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Natural – wilderness ecological systems are substantially free
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Undeveloped
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Outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined
type of recreation .
from modern human control or manipulation.
from the effects of modern civilization.
wilderness is essentially without permanent
improvements or modern human occupation.
–
From “Monitoring Selected Conditions Related to Wilderness Character: A National Framework” 2005
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FSM CHAPTER 2320 WILDERNESS MANAGEMENT
2320.6 - The Wilderness Management Model and the Wilderness Act
The more human influence, the lower the
purity of a wilderness is; the less human
influence on a wilderness, the higher…
…Manage wilderness toward attaining the
highest level of purity in wilderness within
legal constraints.
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FSM CHAPTER 2320 WILDERNESS MANAGEMENT
Where a choice must be made… preserving the
wilderness resource is the overriding value.
Economy, convenience, commercial value, and
comfort are not standards of management or use
of wilderness.
Because uses and values on each area vary,
management and administration must be tailored
to each area…
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FSM CHAPTER 2320 WILDERNESS MANAGEMENT
Ensure that other resources and
activities within… wilderness are
coordinated and in harmony with the
wilderness resource… includ(ing):… the
trail system…
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FSM CHAPTER 2320 WILDERNESS MANAGEMENT
Design, construct, and maintain the
transportation system in wilderness to
provide access…
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Design and locate trails to fit into the
natural landscape as unobtrusively as
possible.
Design bridges to minimize the impact
on the wilderness.
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FSM CHAPTER 2320 WILDERNESS MANAGEMENT
Trees may be cut for use in the construction
and maintenance of authorized structures
located within the wilderness when it is not
reasonably possible to obtain the necessary
material from outside the wilderness.
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FSM 2353 - NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM TRAILS
Provide trail recreation opportunities that
emphasize the natural setting
Emphasize long-term cost effectiveness and
need when developing or rehabilitating
trail facilities.
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FSH 2309.18 - TRAILS MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK
The objective of trail development is to
provide a facility that minimally affects
resources…, that requires minimal
maintenance, and that serves the
intended type and level of use.
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FSH 2309.18 - TRAILS MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK
Wilderness Considerations. …The standards for
trails and waterways within a wilderness will reflect
the minimum requirements to achieve the
following goals:
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To construct and maintain the trail and
necessary facilities so that they appear to be
a part of the wilderness environment and not
an intrusion upon it.
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Wilderness Management Plans
Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness General
Management Direction
The use of metal or plastic culverts is
prohibited.
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So what does all that mean?
Lacking specific policy direction
regarding the use of native materials,
apply the general direction
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Work together to evaluate each situation and
determine what is the appropriate combination
of materials to meet both wilderness and trail
management objectives.
Use the Minimum Requirements Decision Guide
for complex projects
(see www.wilderness.net for examples)
Unique outcomes will result based on the
specifics of the situation.
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Expectations for Wilderness Projects
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When any Forest Service employee works in Wilderness,
they become a Wilderness Manager.
The starting point should be to figure out how to
accomplish the objective with the minimum necessary –
materials, tools, transportation, impacts – and how to
best protect wilderness character.
Consider and evaluate all the options: select the
combination that results in the least impact to wilderness
character and is in conformance with law and policy.
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What’s your ideal for
Wilderness Projects?
(from the trails perspective)
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Three Links Creek Bridge
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Three Links Creek Ford
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Cupboard Creek
Bridge
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