Orosco Ridge Update Spring 2019

San Diego County has a population of about 3.5 million people with no legal, purpose built mountain bike trails in the County. We have trails within the Cleveland National Forest, but primarily on the Descanso Ranger District. We found traction early on with the Orosco Ridge proposal within the Palomar Ranger District because there is little recreation on this District, combined with almost no mountain biking access.

As many of you remember, SDMBA received a Letter of Intent in early 2017 from the head of the Cleveland National Forest, a letter of priority from the Palomar District Ranger in mid 2017, and we have invested almost $75,000 on this plan to date. We chose Orosco Ridge primarily because the Forest Service suggested it as the best candidate for new trail in the District. In 2017, we entered into a formal Collection Agreement with the Forest Service to reimburse them for staff time to complete the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process.

In 2018, hundreds of you commented on the scoping letter that went out and this was a vital step in this process. During the scoping period, the Forest Service received hundreds of letters of support from mountain bikers, public agencies, politicians and community groups. During that same period they also received several letters that were highly critical of the project from groups including the Sierra Club, San Diego Native Plant Society and several other conservation groups. These groups raised concerns about resources within the area. These concerns caused the Forest Service to have to examine these issue closer with their specialists. The fact that we are working in a County with the most endangered species and most tribes to consult with in entire country is a also challenge.

To date, many specialists have spent time in the field examining this project, but due to a lack of rain in early 2018 compounded with a limited window for rare plant studies, we have seen delays. Further complicating this process, the District Ranger for Palomar, Chris Dowling, took a new position out of the area in mid 2018. The District struggled while finding a new District Ranger late 2018. As soon as Amy Reid, the new District Ranger, was hired we asked for a meeting. Susie Murphy, SDMBA Executive Director, and I attended a meeting with Ranger Reid, Recreation Officers Lee Hamm and Joey Martin in late October 2018. At the meeting, a number of concerns were raised by Ranger Reid relating to lack of parking, unclear expected usage, trail grade, sanitation, road designation, trails matching the “spirit of the district” and “purpose and need”. However, we were hopeful as everyone told us the project was not on hold and the priorities of the District had not changed concerning this project.

After that meeting our team went to work to answer all of those concerns. We did several field visits with staff, worked on different potential options and provided extensive documentation In February 2019, Kevin Loomis, SDMBA President, Susie and I sat down with Ranger Reid and Lee Hamm again. In fairness, Ranger Reid has been in this job for a limited amount of time and the government shutdown put everyone behind. In addition, Lee was out for some time on leave and Joey Martin left the District for another position. The purpose of this meeting was to review the information provided by SDMBA and confirm the time sensitive botany surveys  would move forward this season. The high points of the meeting were general agreement on our expected usage numbers, sanitation plan, parking plan and moving forward with vital botany surveys.

The low points included the continued reference to these trails not being compatible with the “spirit of the district”, no progress on the road designation issue, all other surveys are on hold outside of botany, a continued reference to “managing our expectations”, no agreement to timelines, reference to several fuel projects that must take priority, a concern about too many trails within a small area, concern that the forest service will have to pick up the tab for these trails if SDMBA disappears and a continued reference to a lack of need or purpose for this project.

I felt we answered these concerns by referencing facts. For example, SDMBA has a 20 year track record of volunteering with the Descanso Ranger District and this “small area” (Orosco Ridge) is 5,000 acres. I have searched the Cleveland National Forest Plan for any reference to the “spirit of the district” and have found none. We expressed our concern to Ranger Reid that she continues to simply look for problems with this project rather than partnering with us to find solutions. We also explained that outside of the grants funds secured and the hundreds of people that donated to make this project possible, there are thousands who are supporters of this project. We also reminded the Ranger that we are a partner of two projects on the Descanso Ranger District and fallout from this project could extend to our other partnerships within the Forest. We agreed to continue to work on the issues mentioned and circle back in six weeks when the Forest Service has made more progress on their side.

Fast forward to March 2019 and I am dismayed and frustrated to find out that no botanical surveys have proceeded this season. I hear from the resource department that the botanist position is still vacant and no efforts have been made to hire an outside botanist. From this point Susie Murphy and I ask for an immediate meeting with the District. What happens next is a bit surprising.  Both the Descanso and Palomar District Rangers ask to attend the meeting together with Recreation staff. When we do meet in March 2019 we are updated on both the Orosco Project and the Mt Laguna Project. From my point of view, the Descanso staff was there to make an effort to help mediate the meeting.

The news was disheartening. Orosco has come to a stop on studies. There is no longer enough time to send a botanist out into the field and Ranger Reid does not want to move forward on any studies until the decision memo and scope of the project are fixed. At this point the District, with the input of specialists, is suggesting this project become an Environmental Assessment instead of an Categorical Exclusion. This would require us to amend our agreement to a five year track and potentially become responsible for further expenses.

I want to be clear, WE ARE NOT MANAGING OUR EXPECTATIONS. There has always been an assumption that there would be changes to this plan based on resources found throughout the NEPA process. To date, several studies have been completed without finding any impacts to sensitive resources. This project has a clear need and SDMBA has done everything the Forest Service has asked of us at every junction on this project. We expect the District Ranger of the Palomar District to analyze this project based on real impacts and not perceived ones.

    We are now waiting on the results of a recent meeting with the Cleveland National Forest Service Interdisciplinary Team. We expect to get clear guidance from the District on how they intend to move this project forward and options for potentially outsourcing some of the specialist duties to make sure time sensitive work is completed. We also expect requests to amend our agreement to allow for a longer timeline to complete the project and requests from the Palomar for more funds. I will also be working closely with the Recreation staff on the District to answer any outstanding questions and fill in gaps on the scope of the project.

    I would also like to be clear that we always knew this would be a difficult project. Although we continue to work in partnership with the District we have started elevating this issue to Forest leadership. We hope that these efforts, including asking you to write to Ranger Reid, we can get the attention of the Forest and get this project back on track to moving to a successful outcome. SDMBA staff and lead project volunteers are working carefully from a number of angles to apply pressure to the District to keep this project on track.

Find more information on the Orosco Ridge Trails proposal, its history, and links to maps and other documents HERE

Ben Stone

SDMBA

Trails Coordinator

bens@sdmba.com