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The Colorado Roadless Rule. Trey Schillie US Forest Service: Rocky Mountain Region May 31, 2013. July 31, 2012. Hermosa Creek Roadless Area. Roadless Rule: Background and Context. What is a “ roadless rule? ”. Provides management direction for roadless areas on National Forests
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The Colorado Roadless Rule Trey Schillie US Forest Service: Rocky Mountain Region May 31, 2013 July 31, 2012 Hermosa Creek Roadless Area
Roadless Rule: Background and Context What is a “roadless rule?” • Provides management direction for roadless areas on National Forests • Undisturbed lands over 5,000 acres • Creates an inventory of these lands • IRAs/CRAs
Colorado Roadless Rule: Background and Context • 2006 State of Colorado petitioned the Secretary of Agriculture for a “state” roadless rule • Legal challenges regarding 2001 Rule • Five State-specific concerns • Ability to treat fuels adjacent to communities • Continued coal mining in the North Fork coal mining area • Permitting construction and maintenance of water conveyance structures • Permitting access to transmission and utility lines • Provisions for ski area management in existing permitted or allocated ski areas
Colorado Roadless Rule: Background and Context • Colorado Roadless Rule published in the Federal Register on July 3rd, 2012 – effective immediately • Rest of country (except Idaho & Colorado) currently under the 2001 Rule • Without the Colorado Rule, roadless area management would be subject to the 2001 Rule
Roadless Rule: Background and Context Established Prohibitions: tree-cutting road construction and reconstruction linear construction zones Established Exceptions to Prohibitions Established an Improved Roadless Inventory 4.19 million acres in Colorado over 363 CRAs Identifies 1.22 million upper tier areas; tighter restrictions
Colorado Rule: Comparison to 2001 Rule A better roadless inventory
Roadless Rule: Community Protection Community Protection from Wildfire – Community Protection Zone (CPZ) • Within 0.5 Miles • Tree cutting • Road construction • Additional 1 Mile • Limited tree cutting • Lands identified by CWPP; and • Steep slopes; • Geographic feature that creates a fire break; or • Condition class 3
Colorado Rule: Comparison to 2001 Rule State-specific concern: Community protection from wildfire
Colorado Rule: Comparison to 2001 Rule Other tree-cutting activities
Colorado Rule: Comparison to 2001 Rule State-specific concern: Water provision and Municipal Water Supply Systems
Colorado Roadless Rule: Summary for Wildfire Protection Colorado Roadless Rule Establishes a Community Protection Zone (CPZ) Tree cutting and road construction to support those projects with 0.5 miles of at-risk community Tree cutting an additional 1 mile under certain conditions Utilizes language and concepts from HFRA Allows tree cutting for watershed protection outside of CPZ Not allowed in upper tier Road construction and tree cutting allowed for emergency situations