Wilderness Education Plan

Wilderness Education Plan

for the

Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, Three Sisters, Diamond Peak, Mt. Thielsen, Waldo Lake, Opal Creek and Middle Santiam Wildernesses

June 2008


Wilderness Education Plan

for the

Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, Three Sisters, Diamond Peak and Mt. Thielsen, Waldo Lake, Opal Creek and Middle Santiam Wildernesses

Prepared by:/s/ Kris Martinson Date: June 12, 2008

Kris, Martinson

Cascade Crest Wilderness Working Group

Approved By:/s/ Dallas EmchDate:July 28,2008

Forest Supervisor

WillametteNational Forest

/s/ John AllenDate:June 19, 2008

Forest Supervisor

DeschutesNational Forest

Developed by the Deschutes and WillametteNational Forests

2008

GOAL

The desired outcome of a wilderness education plan as identified in the Chief’s 10-Year Wilderness Challenge is to influence behavioral changes in wilderness visitors that promote the preservation of wilderness quality and that

“existing and potential Wilderness visitors have a better appreciation for the importance of Wilderness and how to protect it. This will translate to reduced impacts .... Users and others will understand the values of wilderness beyond recreation.”

Ultimately, the goal of an education plan is to help reduce impacts, reduce the need for regulatory enforcement, increase Wilderness awareness and support, and increase volunteer participation in this support.

THE SOUTHERN CASCADE WILDERNESS AREAS

The Southern Cascade Wilderness areas are located in Oregon and have shared management by the Willamette and DeschutesNational Forests, with portions of the most southern wildernesses also within the UmpquaNational Forest. These volcanic landscapes straddle the crest of the Cascade Mountains and have distinctly different ecosystems on their west (wet) and east (dry) sides.

Many access points into these Wildernesses are within 1-2 hours of the largest population centers in the state, both within the WillametteValley and Central Oregon. The rapidly growing population of Central Oregon attracts new residents and visitors who are specifically seeking outdoor recreation opportunities, or lifestyles centered around the forest settings and activities of the Cascade Mountains. With this growth comes an increasing number of visitors to the Wilderness areas who may be new to Wilderness stewardship and ethics. There is also increasing number of visitors who are not necessarily visiting to experience wilderness values, but using the wilderness setting for other fitness or social reasons (distance x-c running, “bagging” peaks, large-group outings, etc...)

The 5 Wilderness areas closest to larger population centers, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, Opal Creek, Waldo Lakeand Three Sisters, have moderate to high visitor use. DiamondPeak, Middle Santiam, andMt.Thielsen have low to moderate use.

ISSUES, MESSAGES, and DELIVERY

This education plan identifies and describes the priority issues currently facing the Mt.Jefferson, Mt.Washington, Three Sisters, DiamondPeak,WaldoLake, Opal Creek, Middle Santiam and Mt. Thielsen Wildernesses. For each issue, the primary audiences, the key messages for those audiences, and the possible delivery methods are recommended. This plan is intended to be adaptive and should be reviewed regularly to determine if any one of the components of the plan (e.g. issues, audiences, messages or methods) have changed.

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Wilderness Education Plan

Priority Issues

There is a variety of management issues in the Southern Cascade Wildernesses that are challenges the Forests face in successfully preserving wilderness values. The following list only includes those issues that are currently of highest concern, with the top three priority issues listed first. Issues may differ by Wilderness area.

Table I.

ISSUE / WILDERNESS / PROBLEM DEFINITION / AFFECT ON THE WILDERNESS RESOURCE
Sanitation, Improper waste disposal
(Priority 1) / ALL / Improper disposal of human (and dog) waste at many of the most popular destinations primarily around water bodies and designated campsite zones. /
  • Evidence of human use
  • Social impacts (aesthetics)
  • Possible impacts to water quality
  • Health and safety (mgmt concern outside of Wilderness Act direction)

Crowding
(Priority 2) / Three Sisters, Mt.Jefferson, Mt.Washington, Opal Ck / Crowding is common along many trails and at popular destinations during peak season (late July – August). Encounters exceed desired standards /
  • Loss of solitude
  • Campsite expansion

Campsite impacts
(Priority 3) / ALL / Not Leave No Trace fires (large fire rings, scarred rocks, unburned material), barren core areas, proximity to water. /
  • Evidence of human use
  • Loss of naturalness, ground vegetation
  • Possible impacts to water

Motorized and wheeled trespass / Three Sisters, Mt.Jefferson, WaldoLake, DiamondPeak, Opal Ck / DiamondPeak – portions of the boundary are near subdivisions where residents ride OHVs from their homes into forest and, consequently into the Wilderness
Three Sisters, Mt.Jefferson and WaldoLake– snowmobile riders commonly travel into the wilderness areas where the boundary is in close proximity to designated snowmobile trails outside WZ. This trespass has increased in areas that have recently lost forest vegetation in wildfires (B&B fire).
In both cases described above, increased boundary posting has not eliminated trespass
Opal Ck – OHV riders(quad, motorcycle) trespass using a former logging road.
Bicycles often travel to common destinations within wilderness, or use trails for access through the wilderness. /
  • Evidence of human use
  • Noise impacts
  • Effects to local air quality
  • Loss of solitude
  • Loss of primitive wilderness character

User Created Trails / ALL / Switchback short-cutting, social trails, braided networks in fragile areas. /
  • Evidence of human use
  • Resource impacts
  • Maintenance problems

Conflicts with dogs / Three Sisters / Encounters between dog-dog, dog-human, and dog-stock result in perceived and real safety issues.
Dog waste in concentrated use areas /
  • Health and safety issues
  • Noise impacts from barking
  • Sanitation issues

Oversized groups / Three Sisters, Mt.Jefferson / Groups over 12 individuals regularly enter the wilderness /
  • loss of solitude
  • noise impacts
  • evidence of human use

Non-compliance with Wilderness Regulations / All / Special Regulations (self-issued permits, designated sites, limited entry areas, etc) apply in Wilderness that many visitors are not aware of, and that others choose not to follow. /
  • Impacts to Wilderness character, social and biophysical environment

Invasive weeds / All / Current inventory incomplete, but reported concentration/spread of weeds limited at this time.
Risk of spreading from existing populations, and risk of introduction of new populations.
Risk highest along trails and in campsites used by stock /
  • Impacts to native biophysical environment

Target Audience, Message, and Method

For each of the issues facing the Southern Cascade Wildernesses, there are some differences in target audience, key message and delivery methods. Audiences include on-site visitors (both general public and organized groups/outfitters and guides), stock users, hunters, dog owners, motorized vehicle users, volunteers and partners, advocacy groups, local and regional business (including vendors of snowmobiles and OHVs), Media, and Forest Service employees.

The following table recommends a key message and delivery method for each issue.

Table II.

ISSUE / TARGET AUDIENCE / KEY MESSAGE / DELIVERY METHODS
Sanitation, Improper waste disposal
(Priority 1) / All /
  • Leave No Trace practices –expand on the Leave No Trace practice here including pre-planning. People aren’t certain what to do in specific situations.
  • Awareness of Wilderness ethics and stewardship
/
  • Wilderness ranger contacts
  • Provide Leave No Trace Information (including Leave No Trace Hunters Cards) at trailheads/ Forest Service offices, and to Outfitter and Guide/organized groups
  • Provide Leave No Trace information to recreation equipment vendors
  • Leave No Trace and Wilderness Awareness presentations
  • Forest Service employee training
  • Tri-folds and Wilderness Permits at Trailheads

Crowding
(Priority 2) / All, day hikers /
  • Wilderness awareness re: pursuit of solitude
  • Encounters may be high in certain areas
  • Existing Limited Entrance Area (LEA) limits and benefits to experience (future LEA considerations?)
  • Opportunities outside wilderness
  • How visitors can disperse use over time and location to reduce crowding
  • Group size requirements
/
  • Focus on getting information to visitors before they arrive/ planning stage
  • Forest Service web page
  • Guide books
  • Forest Service offices
  • Media stories
  • Include in Operating Plan for Outfitter and Guide

Campsite Impacts
(Priority 3) / Overnight users, hunters, Outfitter and Guide /
  • Leave No Trace practices
  • Awareness of Wilderness ethics and stewardship
/
  • Wilderness ranger contacts
  • Provide Leave No Trace Information (including Leave No Trace Hunters Cards) at trailheads/ Forest Service offices, and to Outfitter and Guide/organized groups
  • Provide Leave No Trace information to recreation equipment vendors (e.g. REI)
  • Leave No Trace and Wilderness Awareness presentations
  • Forest Service employee training

Motorized and mechanized trespass / Motorized vehicle riders, property owners along boundaries, Snowmobile/OHV clubs, vehicle vendors, media, State OHV registration programs, hunters, Forest Service employees, local law enforcement (Forest Service/county) /
  • Wilderness regulations
  • Wilderness awareness – effects on wilderness values
  • Opportunities outside wilderness
  • Legal consequences (fines)
/
  • Presentations and informational brochures to clubs, vendors, LEOs,
  • Field contacts with motorized users outside/adjacent to wilderness
  • Personal contacts and information to adjacent property owners
  • Leave No Trace hunter cards at THDs, Forest Service offices, sports vendors
  • Info/articles for media
  • Forest Service website – Wilderness regulations
  • Tri-folds and Wilderness Permits at Trailheads

User Created Trails / All /
  • Leave No Trace practices; “tread lightly”
/
  • Wilderness rangers
  • Informational brochures at trailheads, offices, and website

Conflicts with Dogs / Dog Owners /
  • Dog owner ethics, (control of dogs at all times, expected behavior during encounters with dogs/humans/stock)
  • Wilderness experience/ethics – dogs are an unnatural predator in wilderness
  • Special regulations – leashes required in certain areas (e.g., GreenLakes)
  • Fines/legal consequences
  • Areas without restrictions
/
  • Information at trailheads
  • Information at Animal Control Services (e.g. county/city offices), vets, humane society centers
  • Forest Service web

Oversized Groups / All /
  • Wilderness Regulations
  • Wilderness Ethics
  • Leave No Trace
/
  • Information to, and discussions with:
-Boy Scouts of America
-Church groups
-Recreation clubs
  • Tri-folds and Wilderness Permits at Trailheads

Non-compliance with Wilderness Regulations / All, especially visitors using wilderness for activities not dependent on designation as wilderness (hunters, fitness hikers, peak baggers) /
  • Special regulations apply in Wilderness. Know these regulations before you go.
  • Reasons for regulations
/
  • Literature and outreach aimed toward visitors using wilderness for activities not dependent on designation as Wilderness.
  • Field contacts
  • Literature available at trailheads – tri-folds and Wilderness permits

Invasive Weeds / All /
  • Weed-free Feed requirements
  • Where weed-free feed may be available
  • How invasive weeds impact Wilderness resources
/
  • Information/posters at trailheads
  • Information/presentations to equestrian groups
  • Forest Service website with links to additional information

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