Background:
Trails on the Deschutes National Forest immediately to the west of Bend and Sunriver are heavily used and enjoyed by both residents and visitors. These maps highlight the proposed actions under evaluation in the West Bend Trails Environmental Assessment.
The USFS is proposing the following actions:
- Re-route 8.8 miles of trail to improve trail sustainability, improve confusing trail intersections and reduce long-term maintenance.
- Add approximately 17.5 miles of new system trail to provide better trail connectivity and provide additional types of trail opportunity.
- Balance additional trail based recreation opportunities with Travel Management changes fro approximately 35 miles of system roads and decommission approximately 17 miles of unauthorized trail to reduce disturbance effects to wildlife.
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Trail Actions (miles)
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Travel Management Actions (miles)
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KEY TALKING POINTS:
- Adaptive biking – People with disabilities often use adaptive mountain bikes to access trails. These bikes have a three-wheel configuration and require a trail width of up to 40 inches to pass. We respectfully request that gates and boulder placements used to control access allow riders of adaptive mountain bikes to pass unimpeded. COTA would also look to design and build the new mountain biking trails so that they accommodate adaptive bikes where possible.
- Economic advantage - Trails are a key ingredient in diversifying, stabilizing, and revitalizing the economy of countless communities across America. Not to mention, they have an enormously positive impact on the economy in Central Oregon. Folks need all the gear to get out for their adventure, and they love to eat and drink after recreating. Multiple businesses benefit, not just the ones focused on outdoor recreation.
- Expanded Recreation - Trails are ideal places to have fun and enjoy the outdoors. It's important to have expansion, but also within an interconnected system. This means the disturbance will remain in one area, where disturbance is already present. AND take the disturbance away from the Natural Area.
- Natural Resource Protection - We are grateful this proposal re-routes trails to avoid disturbing wildlife. It's incredibly important that we recreate responsibly, and sustainably, so future generations can enjoy mountain biking and all the natural beauty that surrounds it.
- Decommission user built trails and roads to reduce habitat fragmentation
- Reducing disturbance effects to wildlife
- Public health - As fun as these sports are to participate it, they also benefit our physical, mental, and emotional health. Trails encourage physical activity and help people incorporate exercise in to their daily routines.
