Report conflicts between motorized and non-motorized recreation users on public land. Send a report to the responsible agency. Snowlands will add your report to our growing database, which we will use to document user conflicts and bring about better regulations that will reduce conflicts in the future.
The US Forest Service is under intense pressure from nationally organized motorized user groups to provide additional parking, snowmobile trails, and other facilities to meet their increasing needs. Considering the national political climate and the mounting trend toward “motorization” of outdoor recreation, these lobbying efforts appear to be almost unstoppable.
If you are a low-impact winter recreationist, you already know that snowmobile use has been increasing dramatically and you are probably not happy with how this trend has affected your own winter experiences.
Snowlands Network will make it easy for you to report each and every instance of user conflict to the USFS using an on-line form or an Incident Reporting Form available from this website. If enough comments are generated, the USFS will have no option except to “fix the problem.”
You may submit a report to the Snowlands Network using our on-line reporting page. You should also send a letter to the appropriate agency.
You may instead download a copy of the Incident Reporting Form to your computer and view or print the form using Adobe Acrobat Reader. Send the filled-out form to us and to the appropriate agency.
When it comes to winter recreation, Nordic skiers, snowshoers and children must compete with snowmobiles. With each additional machine, the experience for non-motorized users is degraded just that much more.
The USFS knows these problems exist, but has avoided taking remedial action for fear of facing “backlash” from powerful motorized user groups. The purpose of this User Conflict Tracking Project is to provide the USFS with the public support and documentation necessary for them to stand up to the snowmobile community and to do their legally required duty.
Report excessive noise, impacts to wildlife, damage to public property, safety concerns or motorized trespass into areas designated as Wilderness or closed to motorized vehicles. If your recreation experience was adversely impacted, that is “user conflict.” You need not be run over! You need not have even seen a snowmobile. Damage to Nordic-trails or finding snowmobile tracks in the Wilderness can be conflict.
Situations which promote “user conflict” must be resolved in favor of the lower impact user group. That’s the law! But for the USFS the problem “doesn’t exist” until they hear from you. Your participation is absolutely required. Fill out one Incident Reporting Form for each instance. Please Help!!!