Forest Service Update

The Chattahoochee National Forest website can provide you with the latest information on recreation opening/closing dates, campsite and pavilion reservations, land management activities, and even future proposed activities. The website address is www.fs.fed.us/conf.

Blue Ridge Ranger District Consolidation Complete

The US Forest Service efforts to consolidate the administrative offices in Blairsville and Blue Ridge are complete, according to Blue Ridge District Ranger Alan Polk.

"We have been working on consolidating these offices and our workcenters weekly since January and now have everything in place to begin functioning in a more efficient manner," Polk said. "The new name for the newly consolidated office is the Blue Ridge Ranger District and is located west of Blairsville on Highway 515. This complex includes an office and temporary office trailer to house 28 employees. The name of the district was selected because it was the original name of the district when the district was first organized."

Polk said the new complex will coordinate all Forest Service activities on the Chattahoochee National Forest lands in Lumpkin, Union, Towns, Dawson and those lands east of Highway 515 in Fannin and Gilmer counties. Those lands west of Highway 515 and 5 in Fannin and Gilmer counties are administered out of the Conasauga Ranger District in Chatsworth. The Blue Ridge Ranger District is responsible for management of 301,000 acres, which include 51,000 acres of wilderness, 300 miles of recreational trails (including the Appalachian Trail and 3 OHV/ATV trails), 509 miles of forest roads, 16 developed recreation areas, special uses, wildlife management, fire management, and vegetation management.

The phone number for the new complex is 706-745-6928. Office hours are Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. The public is urged to call or visit the Chattahoochee National Forest website HYPERLINK "http://www.fs.fed.us/conf" www.fs.fed.us/conf. for the most updated information.

New Policy in place for Special Use Permits

Special use permit requests come into the Blue Ridge Ranger District office regularly and vary from non-commercial group use permits to road and utility easements. The key to a success permit request is to allow plenty of time for the request to be evaluated and then processed.

Also, a new policy called cost recovery has been implemented

for all incoming permit requests other than recreation events. Cost recovery allows the Forest Service to collect fees for processing of special use permits and monitoring the authorization once permission is granted. This means that anyone requesting a special use authorization will be required to pay a fee to have their application considered. The fees will be used to cover the costs associated with evaluating that application, are non-refundable, and do not guarantee that you will receive a permit.

Because of the complexity of some recreational special use permits, we recommend that persons wanting recreation permits submit the applications at least 120 days prior to the proposed event. This enables Forest Service officials to examine the permit and recommend changes to limit the amount of conflicts between user groups or protect resources.

For anything other than a recreation event a minimum of 90 days is required to get the permit application fully processed and approved.

Contact Jake Cowart at the Blairsville office for more information.

Wildfires mostly human caused

The Blue Ridge Ranger District has experienced 18 wildfires since the start of the calendar year. These fires ranged in size from less than an acre to nearly three hundred acres.

According to District Fire Management Officer Mike Davis, most of these fires were human-caused.

"We are asking our forest visitors and neighbors to be careful with using fire, whether it's a campfire or burning of debris there is still some potential for a wildfire to start," Davis said. "We continue to be in a drought. Rainfall deficits across our district are running 11 to 20 inches below normal even with the recent thunderstorm activity."

Prescribe burning planned

On another note, the district is preparing for the upcoming prescribed burning season. These prescribed burns are fires that are purposely set by land management agencies using a prepared fire plan that involves a prescription to manage the fire. The plan has a number of parameters that must be met in order for the burn to proceed. For example, weather conditions such as wind direction and speed, relative humidity, and temperature must meet specific parameters before the project area can be ignited. Other parameters include safety considerations, staffing levels and logistics, public contacts, and smoke management.

In fiscal year 2008 the Blue Ridge Ranger District will attempt to treat approximately 3,400 acres of national forest lands using prescribed fire. The objectives of these treatments include: removal of hazardous fuels that can be a threat to the urban interface (where houses and structures meet the forest), increasing wildlife forage by creating new browse, and clearing the forest floor of debris in order to allow species such as oak and pine to regenerate. Many of our goals and objectives are connected to the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan of 2004. Depending on objectives, the prescribed fire season typically begins in November and runs through the month of March. For more information about prescribed fire, visit this website- http://www.gfc.state.ga.us/Fores tFire/PrescribedBurning.cfm

Annual OHV Pass considered on Chattahoochee National Forest

Gainesville, Georgia --- The U.S. Forest Service is considering offering an annual pass for off road vehicle riders who visit one of the seven off road vehicle (OHV) trail systems on the Chattahoochee and Oconee National Forests in Georgia. The proposed pass, available in March, 2008, would allow riders unlimited access to more than 100 miles of trails for a one year period.

According to Larry Luckett, Recreation Staff Officer for the two National Forests in Georgia, "This pass would allow visitors to pay a one time fee of $50 compared to the current fee of $5 per day per trail. We feel like this would be a great bargain for those riders who are frequent visitors to our trail system." The pass would cover the operator of the OHV (only) and could be purchased at select national forest offices in Georgia.

"We are asking for input from interested individuals on this proposal to develop an annual off road vehicle pass," said Luckett. Forest Service personnel will accept public comment on this proposal through August 10th, 2007. Interested individuals should send their comments to:

USDA Forest Service

Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests

1755 Cleveland Highway Gainesville, GA 30501

Attention: Shirley Dyer

The rules for traveling on an off road vehicle on the national forest are straightforward. Off road vehicle use is only allowed on designated off road vehicle trails. No cross country travel, off of designated trails, is permitted. There are 13 trail systems scattered across both the Chattahoochee and the Oconee National Forests with a fee charged at seven. Detailed information and maps are available at the U.S. Forest Service website a t http://www.fs.fed.us/conf/rec/oh v/. An OHV map can also be purchased online or at select national forest offices in Georgia.

BEAR FACTS

Here in the North Georgia Mountains, we have a growing, healthy bear population and it is important that you store your food and dispose of your trash properly, as well as never, ever, feed the wildlife. Why? One person feeding bears either intentionally or unintentionally can create a problem or nuisance bear for you or other visitors. Fed bears cease to look for food in the wild and will seek out human related food items, including leftover garbage. As a result, these garbage bears associate food with humans and become nuisance bears that may have to be removed or put to death. This applies to all wild animals. The good news is that we can prevent most problems by just doing the following:

Around residences or cabins:

Never leave food or garbage outside. Store garbage in bearproof containers or containers in secure areas such as a garage, basement, or shed.

Discontinue feeding birds between, April and November.

Take pet food indoors at night.

Clean and store grills when not in use. Do not pour cooking grease or throw good scraps outside.

While Camping:

Secure all food, toothpaste, soap and trash at night or when not in use by:

a. Storing items inside a vehicle.

b. using bear proof storage systems when available.

Do NOT cook or store food in or near your tent. Odors attract bears.

In Backcountry:

Use bear-proof storage systems (ex. cable systems along the Appalachian Trail) when available.

Hang smellables at least 10 feet from the ground and 4 feet away from the nearest tree trunk or limb.

If your see a bear, make sure it is aware of your presence by yelling or making noises - this should frighten the bear and encourage it to leave.

PROHIBITED ON NATIONAL FOREST LANDS:

Placing, leaving, or depositing any food, bait or refuse in a manner likely to attract or concentrate any wildlife, whether for hunting or viewing animals.

Failure to properly store food or refuse to prevent access by wildlife.