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WHAT'S NEW
Revised Road Access Policy
Vehicular recreation access to the SFMA shall be limited to 17 miles of major trunk line access roads:
- Wadleigh Mountain Road (south of Webster Lake and Stream)
- Brayley Ridge Road (north of Webster Lake and Stream)
Other SFMA forest management roads would be either blocked to vehicle access using logs and or rocks or gated to provide limited administrative access for SFMA tours and management work.
Background
The current procedure regarding vehicle access to SFMA roads is not in accordance with the written policy in the SFMA Management Plan. The differences between the Plan direction and the field procedure evolved over a series of years in response to concerns of BSP field staff during the recreational season, particularly hunting season. In order to correct the discrepancy between word and deed, the Resource Manager asked the SFMA Advisory to review a proposal to revise the SFMA Management Plan section on road access. The RM and Advisors then worked through a series of drafts, basing the discussion on written communications of Park donor Percival Baxter (attached) and current developed Park policy and access infrastructure.
Current written policy: (see text from SFMA Mgt Plan, page 23-24; contact Park Headquarters for a copy of the manangement plan.)
Management Plan restrictions on access limited to:
- Protection of resources
- Public safety
- Restrict access on those roads where and when public safety is threatened or at issue or when observed or verified vehicle access endangers or threatens the adequate protection or maintenance of specific resources (current policy).
- Webster Landing access road
- all winter roads
- any road with a bridge(s) out
- after a large windstorm when windthrow is abundant and continuous
- periods of high fire danger – b.u. index > 46)
Current operational procedure:
Approximately 50% of SFMA roads (2002) blocked to access (includes winter roads and many spur roads with some variation year-to-year in roads selected for closure). This policy evolved from two objectives:
1. to protect pristine areas (see Protection of Resources, above)
2. to reduce patrol effort and consolidate vehicles along main arteries.
Discussion
This issue was reviewed and commented on by an SFMA Advisory sub-committee (Redelsheimer, Fitzgerald, Ahrens; text available from Park HQ), followed by a discussion by the entire Committee at the May 2001 SFMA field tour and again at an SFMA Advisors meeting on 01/10/02. The major points that have developed from the discussion are:
- The Baxter Trust and Communications wording is unspecific, unclear or absent regarding roads and vehicle access within the SFMA. It is unclear whether Baxter ever envisioned a network of forest management roads as a part of the SFMA (in 1955, water was the principal transport system in Maine for timber and pulp). Baxter’s statements regarding roads in the Park indicate a distinct bias against vehicular access as a method of accessing Park resources. There is a general consensus that, although Baxter wanted the people of Maine to be able to access the SFMA to view the forest management activities, full vehicular access to all SFMA roads for recreational purposes is neither necessary nor consistent with the donor’s wishes.
- Damage or resource abuse from vehicular access has not been an issue in the SFMA to date, although effects on wildlife are difficult to determine. The lack of damage or abuse may in part reflect the implementation of de facto policies of road closure.
- Subjectively, it seems clear to us as managers that vehicle access has an effect on hunting and trapping pressure on the SFMA.
- Several points were discussed regarding hunting in Baxter State Park and the SFMA as a recreational activity:
- In 2001, approximately 50% of the SFMA roads were closed to access. There was no observed negative feedback to this procedure and large areas behind road closures were consistently utilized by hunters.
- In other areas of the Park were hunting is allowed, vehicle access is either non-existent (north of Matagamon Lake, West Branch Lands), or very limited (Togue Pond purchase, T2., R9 lands)
- Subsequent to the Park’s purchase of the West Branch Lands, the BSPA decided, after lengthy discussions, to keep the lands open to hunting but to eliminate vehicle access.
- Roads are opened somewhat more during summer months to accommodate tours and management operations.
- For comparison purposes – BSP exclusive of SFMA is 0.17% roaded (surface area in roads). The SFMA will eventually be about 2.5% roaded if all management roads are included. This proposal will open 17 miles of road to recreational traffic which equates to about 0.38% (about twice the percentage of roaded area in BSP exclusive of the SFMA).
Proposed Elements of Revised Policy
Policy Element: Consistency with Park Donor's wishes
- Vehicular access for recreation will be limited to the SFMA to major trunk line access roads:
- Wadleigh Mountain Road (south of Webster Lake and Stream)
- Brayley Ridge Road (north of Webster Lake and Stream) - see attached map
- Specific road closures may be effected with semi-permanent closures (rocks and or logs) or gates allowing administrative access for forest management activities (see map)
Policy Element: Public Safety
- Area-wide (entrance gate) closures will be implemented:
- in the event of large scale windthrow or flood damage
- periods of high fire danger when the burning index is above 46.
- All winter roads and roads with a unsafe bridge, stream crossing or any other hazardous impediment will be closed to vehicle access.
- Areas around active forest management operations (logging, road construction, stand treatment operations) will be closed to recreational vehicle access and no-hunting zones will be posted.
- Roads will be posted to a 20 mph speed limit and off-roadway parking will be required.
Policy Element: Wildlife & Habitat Protection
- New roads (<1 year from construction date) will be closed to vehicular access.
- Any areas of soft roads or high erosion sensitivity will be closed to vehicular access.
- Roads directly accessing unique, threatened, sensitive or rare habitats will be closed to vehicular access.
All interested parties should contact Jensen Bissell, Resource Manager at: (207) 723-9616.
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