Recommendation on Conservation Grant for $50,000 for fencing:

The Salinas Ramblers recommend that this grant NOT be supported by the OHV community.

Rationale for the Recommendation

According to the Project Summary/Scope of the Clear Creek Resource Management Grant 2002-2003, Sub-category: Conservation.: "The Hollister Field Office is requesting $50,000 to fund 2.25 miles of fence construction to protect threatened plant (Camissonia benitensis) habitat in upper Clear Creek Canyon, and the San Benito Mountain Research Natural Area from OHV trespass.  The attached map shows the known location of approximately 1.5 miles, the remaining funds would be used for additional needs determined by ongoing monitoring.  This activity addresses Resource Condition Objective #2 of the 1999 Record of Decision for the Clear Creek management Area (CCMA) amendment to the the Hollister Resource management Plan."

As a supplement to the grant information provided at the BLM Open House, the BLM mailed TRT members a map showing the "known"  location of 1.5 miles of fence to be built with funds from the Clear Creek Resource Management Grant 2002-2003, Sub-category: Conservation.

Full Map:      Here is the fence location in greater detail:    On this map, R001 is Clear Creek road. R011 is the North Ridge Route.  T124 is a portion of a contour trail that is currently open for use.  

The proposed fence location would eliminate about 75% of one of the best contour trails in Clear Creek and a route that was just used this year on the Quicksilver National Enduro.  The Salinas Ramblers recommend that this route be preserved and that a fence be built below this trail. The below map shows the approximate location of the trail (blue line) and the revised location of the boundary fence (red line).

This route has been used on Quicksilver enduros almost every year since the event started in 1973. Seventeen year ago this picture of the 1985 National Hare Scrambles Champion, John Martin, were taken at a jump located along this trail.  The trail can be seen directly below his front wheel.

Every time the discussion of the natural area expansion comes up in meetings, the Salinas Ramblers have made it clear that this trail must remain OPEN. 

Actually, it is premature for the BLM to be submitting this grant to begin with.  They are proposing to fence a boundary of the Natural Area without going through a public review process.  This issue was discussed at the TRT meeting proceeding the recent BLM Open House and it was agreed that the issue of the Natural Area expansion would be an agenda item for a future meeting.

The Record of Decision for Clear Creek states that the Research Natural Area "may be expanded to as much as 4,082 acres" and that "the ultimate boundaries of the expansion will be determined through a public process and will be based on management, natural resource, and recreation considerations." It is very distressing to the Salinas Ramblers and it should be to the entire OHV community that the BLM already "knows" the location of the Research Natural Area boundary as indicated by the map provided with the grant application.  Of course, some members of the Hollister Field Office staff have already made made up their minds, as evidenced by the map and by their use of wording in the grant.  For instance, besides knowing where the boundary is they also know that the size of the  RNA "will be approximately 4082 acres". 

The Salinas Ramblers recommend that the OHV community NOT support this grant.  In fact, the Salinas Ramblers recommend that the BLM withdraw this grant for consideration by the OHV Commission.  If the BLM continues to pursue this grant at this time with the map as it is presently drawn, then it will indicate that the outcome of the Research Natural Area boundaries has been predetermined and that the public process will be nothing more than a sham. 

The Salinas Ramblers believe that the protection of threatened and endangered species and water quality is very important.  We also believe that the protection of OHV recreation resources is equally important.