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Public Comment Urged On Road And Trails Plan For Ozark National And Scenic Riverways

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Time to comment on a road and trail plan for Ozark National Scenic Riverways is running out/NPS

A proposed plan to protect roads and trails within Ozark National Scenic Riverways in Missouri could be improved to better protect the Current and Jacks Fork rivers at the park, according to advocacy groups.

The plan's environmental assessment, which is open until August 18 for public comment, seeks "to improve the system of park roads and trails to ensure that it provides access to a variety of locations and experiences while also protecting the park’s fundamental resources and values."

Park staff approached the environmental assessment with goals of:

  • Addressing 39 miles of undesignated trails and roads that users have carved into the park's landscape.

These informal, unauthorized roads and traces are largely attributed to off-road vehicle (ORV) use (including both licensed vehicles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility task vehicles (UTVs) and have led to adverse impacts on natural and cultural resources, including disturbance to wildlife, damage and removal of vegetation, disturbance to soils and archeological resources, and other resource impacts. -- NPS

  • Clearly defining designated trails in order to protect natural and cultural resources.
  • Achieving better delineation and management of seven designated management zones in the park, including four land-based zones and three river-based zones.

Staff at the Missouri Coalition for the Environment believes the Jacks Fork and Current rivers could be adversely impacted if the park doesn't get the plan right.

“The enormous increase in unauthorized horse trails and rampant ATV use in the park is threatening to take the 'scenic' out of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways,” maintained Jared Opsal, the coalition's executive director. “We strongly support the effort to have horse and ATV use managed by the National Park Service. People may share their opinions about protecting the park from these threats until August 18.”

Friends of Ozark Riverways, a coalition of conservation, outdoor, and recreation-based organizations and businesses, has created a citizens’ guide to explain the various alternatives proposed by National Park Service and outline its concerns with the document. In it FOR calls for:

  • Designating some--perhaps up to 25 percent--of the recreation sites for access from the river only, to provide canoe camping at sites where there may not be adequate gravel bar camping nearby.
  • Designing sustainable equestrian trails and strictly limit river crossings in the upper Current River area.
  • Establishing the proposed equestrian permit system. 
  • Limiting ATV/UTV uses.

"We support the proposed permitting system for use of ATVs or UTVs on county roads in the Riverways corridor (as allowed by state law)," the document says, "but we urge ONSR not to allow ATV/UTV use on most NPS-administered roads, except where absolutely necessary, in order to avoid conflict with other park visitors."

  • Permit fee revenues should be used to help maintain park infrastructure and for related recreation and restoration expenses.
  • Protect the Big Spring wilderness resource.
  • Defend scenic easements on public and private lands within the congressionally authorized park boundaries.

"The National Park Service deserves support for its commitment to dealing with serious problems that have developed over the years. However, ONSR has seen a severe reduction in staff in recent decades owing to decreases in funding, and there is no guarantee that funds will be enhanced to the levels required by the plan," the document says. "We encourage citizens to support increased funding for ONSR to accomplish the important management, enforcement, and restoration work ahead."

Kally Coleman, board president for the Missouri Coalition for the Environment and founding member of FOR, urged robust public participation.

“Through the years we’ve witnessed resource degradation and serious user conflict at our beloved Current and Jacks Fork rivers. This plan attempts to address some of that, but it absolutely requires your input. Stories of your personal experiences must be heard by those finalizing this crucial plan,” she said.

Details of the plan, and space to comment on it, can be found here.

Ozark National Scenic Riverways is the first park in the United States to protect a wild river system. The Current and Jacks Fork rivers wind 134 miles through rugged hills and towering bluffs in the park and provide some of the nation’s best natural river recreation. The National Park Service’s Roads & Trails Plan for ONSR will define how the National Park Service will carry out its responsibilities to protect the park, while providing safe access to visitors. 

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Comments

Park Rangers should ride the trails on horseback, floated the rivers, and camped to better judge why we feel the way we do.

Ride our trails, you won't see the trash like you see on the river left from campers and floater. Float the rivers during the busy season and see 100's of people doing their business in the river, jumping around in the water, jumping off the bluffs with all their suntan lotions and bug spray on them. Then when you see 5 or 6 horses cross the river in 2 minutes.  Tell me "we're the problem"!.

Most trails along the river are old roads and the ones that are not, the river floods every year and mother nature takes back.

The horses have less impact on the river than all the campers and floaters. I can't figure how you think a small group on horses riding along and across the river does more harm than 100's of people peeing in the river after drinking tons on alcohol.  

We the trail riders have alway been willing to help maintain these trails but you quit letting us years ago.  For years we rode these areas and spend alot of time picking up after the other groups along the rivers.  Many bags of trash, dirty diapers, glass wine bottles etc.  Let us keep and maintain our trails we have in place and its a win win for both sides.


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