Maidu Group
El Dorado and Amador Counties
May 6, 2012

Sierra Club Outings Leader Training Workshop

The Outdoor Activity Training Program is bringing its highly successful Outings Leader Training Workshop back to Clair Tappaan Lodge in Norden, CA!

Do you already lead outings for the Sierra Club?

Want to find out what it takes to lead Sierra Club outings?

Are you a Sierra Club activist who wants to use outdoor activities to highlight local conservation issues?

Then this Outing Leader Training is for you!

You are invited to attend a weekend of interactive learning, networking with leaders from all Sierra Club outing programs, and of course, lots of fun. The purpose of this training is to provide leaders with the skills to plan safe, happy and inspiring outings that promote the conservation mission of the Sierra Club. This workshop provides the opportunity to welcome new outdoor leaders to the Sierra Club, share and exchange new trip ideas and learn what it takes to lead for other programs in the Club. To learn more and register, visit: http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/training/

Current Newsletter

Spring 2012

The El Dorado Trail: Changes in the Air?

Enjoy our Trails - Preserve our Trails

Maidu Group Joins With Other Environmental Organizations to Comment on Rubion Trail DEIS

Appeals Court Overturns El Dorado County Oak Woodland Protection Plan - Smart-growth proponents praise decision

Contact: Karen Schambach 530-333-1113

Sacramento - In a unanimous decision filed today, a three-judge panel of the State's Third District Court of Appeal overruled an El Dorado County judge and rejected the County's controversial, so-called Oak Woodland Protection Plan. Opponents claimed the plan would have resulted in a decimation of oak woodland habitat and wildlife corridors in the County. The Appeals court ruled the County's plan approval violated California's Environmental Quality Act.

Conservation and smart growth groups, including Center for Sierra Nevada Conservation, El Dorado County Taxpayers for Quality Growth, and the California Oak Foundation, brought the lawsuit. The Center's President, Karen Schambach, praised the Appeals Court Decision. "This is a huge victory for those who believe good land use planning must include protecting wildlife habitat. Progress needn't include destroying the values that make our County unique." The appeal decision is the latest development in an ongoing and contentious battle over General Plan and growth issues that have been simmering in El Dorado County since 1996. The county's General Plan, adopted in 2005, required developers to mitigate impacts to oak woodlands on-site until the Board of Supervisors adopted the Oak Woodland Management Plan.

El Dorado County planners initially produced a Draft Oak Woodlands Management Plan that proposed to create wildlife corridors by connecting large properties North and South of Highway 50 and a program for on and off site mitigation for the loss of oak woodland resulting from development. The Board of Supervisor, however, deleted all the corridors, and adopted, instead, a plan to "protect" large parcels far removed from Highway 50, in little actual danger of development, while ignoring conservation of important oak woodlands nearer to Highway 50 area where habitat fragmentation has already occurred. The Board's off site fee ("Option B") was based on the costs of conserving these remote parcels, rather than the more expensive parcels along Highway 50. The Board's adopted plan would have created more fragmentation of oak woodland habitat and limited the ability of wildlife to move.

The County's Option B included a questionable formula using tree canopy alone for measuring oak woodlands, rather than including the space between trees, thus significantly decreasing total oak woodland habitat to be protected.

Rejection of the County's Plan eliminates the ability for developers to utilize the Option B mitigation, which permits clearing of oaks in exchange for a fee paid into a conservation fund. Instead, developers will be limited in the amount of oak woodlands they can remove on a parcel, pursuant to the Option A part of the General Plan.

Eldorado National Forest Off-Highway Vehicle Cooperative Funds

If you're interested in what's happening regarding Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV'S) on the Eldorado National Forest, you should attend this open house.

We, the Eldorado National Forest, are developing an application for Off-Highway Vehicle Cooperative Funds for the upcoming 2011-2012 grant cycle. We are developing a preliminary application to the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation (OHVMR) Division which includes a strong emphasis on trail maintenance and repair, restoration of trails and impacted areas, law enforcement across the four Ranger Districts, printing and distribution of the Motor Vehicle Use Maps, improvements at the Elkins Flat staging area, an analysis of new information and changed circumstances as it relates to the 2006 Record of Decision for the Rock Creek Recreational Trails, and re-routing of the Ballarat and Crossier Loop trails in the Rock Creek Recreational Trails area.

We would like to hear your ideas as well, and so invite you to an Open House on February 22nd from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. to discuss the proposed grant application and to hear your thoughts. This Open House will be held in the Forest Supervisor's Office large conference room, 100 Forni Road, Placerville. You can call 530-622-5061 for directions.

The grant applications will be posted on the OHMVR website on March 6th, 2012. To review the grant applications submitted, click on this link or paste it into your browser: http://www.ohv.parks.ca.gov or you can find a link on the Eldorado National Forest's website at www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado.

The 3-day public review and comment period for the 2011-2012 Grants and Cooperative Agreement Program begins March 6th, 2012, and ends April 2nd, 2012. This period provides an opportunity for you, the public, to review the preliminary applications submitted to the OHMVR Division for consideration during the current grant cycle. You may provide comments to both the applicant and OHMVR Division by e-mailing Lester Lubetkin at llubetkin@fs.fed.us and copying the OHMVR Division at OHVinfo@parks.ca.gov. You may also send written comments, suggestions, or letters of support for the application to Lester Lubetkin, Eldorado National Forest, 100 Forni Road, Placerville, CA 95667.

From the Forest Service! Remember proper disposal of ashes!

Do follow proper procedures for discarding woodstove and fireplace ashes. The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) has already responded to two wildfires caused by disposal of woodstove ashes on National Forest System lands this recent Autumn. Residents were found to have dumped their woodstove ashes onto National Forest lands just beyond their property boundary. Neither house of involved residents had defensible space, and the resulting wildfires could have destroyed the homes or adjacent structures. The residents can be cited for "negligently placing any material that could start a fire," which carries a $350 fine. Residents can also be held responsible for the costs of fire suppression. The weather change doesn't mean we can stop paying attention to fire prevention. "Woodstove ashes can retain enough heat to start a fire in your home or surrounding forest for many days after you think your fire's out," says Beth Brady, LTBMU fire prevention officer. So, what to do with your ashes? Place ashes in a metal container, which should not be stored in the house or garage, or on any flammable surface, such as a deck. The ashes should cool for at least four days before final disposal, and any hot spots doused with water.

Seasonal Closure of Eldorado National Forest Dirt Roads and Trails

In order to keep vehicles from damaging saturated, muddy roads and trails; and to keep mud from running off the routes and into creeks and rivers, the Forest Service closes dirt roads during the wet weather months. Visitors should begin checking the Eldorado National Forest Website for condition updates: fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado, as well calling a ranger station for the latest information. You can pick up a free map available at all Eldorado National Forest offices or on the website, showing seasonally closed routes.

The seasonal closure will begin no later than January 1, 2012, and will end no sooner than April 1. However, it could begin sooner and last longer if roads or trails and weather conditions require it. Routes in the Rock Creek area of the Forest near Georgetown are not affected by the seasonal closure since they have their own route closure process.

El Dorado and Amador Counties' outdoor interests

Hi, all Maidu Group enthusiasts! Take a moment to note the following updates in information relating to El Dorado and Amador Counties' outdoor interests.

• Fallen Leaf Lake Trail Access and Management Project "Do You Visit Fallen Leaf Lake?"
  
  The Forest Service seeks your public comment on the proposed Fallen Leaf Lake Trail Access and Management Project, covering about 12,960 acres on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe.
  
  Extending from Pope to Baldwin beaches on the north end, to the south and west ends of Fallen Leaf Lake, the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit's (LTBMU) project proposes to expand and improve public parking and access. The access road to Glen Alpine Trailhead would be upgraded, and an emergency access road would be constructed at the northeast corner of Fallen Leaf Campground. In addition, over forty miles of trails in the project area would be improved in order to meet current Forest Service standards, while others are proposed to be decommissioned. The existing bridge over Fallen Leaf Lake dam would be removed and replaced with an accessible bridge designed to accommodate bicycle and equestrian use.
  
  Project work may begin as early as Spring of 2012, and completed by 2014. During the implementation of the project, visitors may encounter temporary area closures or restrictions, as well some noise and visual impacts in the campground and beach areas.
  
  If you can, make your comments known by the close of the day by Wednesday, November 30th. You will find a detailed description of all proposed trail and parking activities at the website: fs.usda.gov/gotolltbmuIFallenLeafLakeATM, or contact Jacob Quinn at 530-543-2609. You may also email J. Quinn at jmquinn@fs.fed.us.
• Upper Echo Lakes Hazardous Fuels Reduction projectThe U.S. Forest Service - Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) - seeks your input on the Upper Echo Lakes Hazardous Fuels Reduction project. The project includes tree thinning and surface fuels reduction that is intended to reduce the risk of wildfire and improve fire fighting effectiveness. Located on about 100 acres at Upper Echo Lake in El Dorado County within the wildland urban interface, the project would ensure public safety while being implemented. Brief closures of areas adjacent to the Pacific Crest Trail are possible while the project's design design includes resource protection measures to maintain the scenic nature of the trail. The proposed treatments would establish a defense zone around seasonal residence cabins, allowing firefighters to carry out effective fire suppression activities in the event of a wildfire.
  
  The project's work would consist of cutting and hand-piling brush and conifer trees up to 16 inches in diameter; vegetation would be cut by hand/chain saws/other tools, with resulting debris piles to be burned one to three years later. Work would begin as early as this Autumn and may take up to six years to complete.
  
  The public comment period ends August 15th. A map is available for your review at the LTBMU Forest Supervisor's office: 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe - 96150, or on-line at fs.usda.gov/goto/ltbmu/UpperEchoLakesFuelsReduction
• Desolation Wilderness permits now available to the public online! A more convenient way for us to get our permits is now available: recreation.gov. Now we can make our reservations any time of the day, seven days a week. A call center will still exist to assist with the reservation process, but no longer accept permit reservations over the 'phone, through the mail or by fax. Reserved permits will also no longer be mailed. Forest Service staff at the Pacific Ranger Station in Fresh Pond and the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will still be available to assist visitor with local information and wilderness trip planning. More information about Desolation Wilderness permits is available at the following websites: fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado, and fs.fed.us/r5/ltbm. Get out this upcoming season! Hike, peak bag, explore our public lands!
• Our own Hazel Creek Campground at Jenkinson Lake (Sly Park) is a lucky recipient of over $150,000 ear tagged for work designed to protect Hazel Creek and Jenkinson Lake, as well restore the campground. Restoration designs and permit applications will be created to stabilize creek beds and to build a foot bridge. These monies are thanks to the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) Board who have okay'ed $10 million (from the 2006 Safe Drinking Water Bond of Proposition 84) in watershed protection projects in the Sierra. According to the SNC Executive Officer Jim Branham, "These projects will provide jobs and a variety of benefits to the Sierra Nevada region, including reducing the risk of large, damaging fires; restoring meadows; protecting habitat; supporting working ranches; and improving water quality."

OHV Action Needed

Friends,
There is a bill moving through the State legislature that threatens the safety and quality of life of rural residents. AB628 would create a pilot project in Inyo County, allowing the county to designate county roads as mixed use roads to accommodate dirt bikes and All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) in order to provide direct access from towns to off-road trails and areas on federal lands. Existing law limits such mixed use to 3 miles or less; this bill removes that limitation. Because it's a pilot project - which its off-road sponsors want to see expanded - the result could be noisy OHVs on many of our rural county roads throughout the state. The bill will be heard in Senate Transportation Committee on June 21. Our Senator, Ted Gaines, sits on that committee and he needs to hear from you, his constituent.

The 1st Senate District is made up of 12 counties in Northeast California and is home to more than one million people. It covers most of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range from the Oregon border in Modoc County and travels south along the Nevada border toward Mono County, home of famous Mono Lake. It is made up of all or parts of: Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento and Sierra counties. It is a diverse district that also includes many of the Sacramento suburbs. Major cities within the district include: Roseville, Auburn, South Lake Tahoe, Truckee, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Folsom, Placerville, El Dorado Hills, Jackson, San Andreas, Mammoth Lakes, Susanville, Quincy and Alturas.

Please call or email him this week! If you call, the staff person assigned to this is Megan

Capitol Office

State Capitol, Room 3056 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 651-4001 Fax: (916) 324-2680

email: senator.gaines@senate.ca.gov

Senator Gaines is friendly to off-roading, so it is best to emphasize

1. You are a constituent
2. You are concerned about your quality of life if this pilot project goes forward
3. There is a lot of opportunity for off-road recreation in California without putting them on our rural roads
4. There needs to be a clear line between places designated for OHV use and roads for street legal use.
5. Because it is dangerous to put OHVs on roads with passenger vehicles, this bill creates a serious liability potential for the state and counties

Go Electronic; Save Money and Paper!

Maidu Group is updating our list of members who have said they would like to receive Maidu Messages electronically, rather than on paper. Increasing the number of electronic subscribers will save us money for printing and postage. Well over half of our annual budget goes to these costs. Our first concern is that you will read our newsletter in which- ever form you choose to receive it. We plan to send four quarterly newsletters this year. If you would prefer receiving these newsletters electronically, please send your email address to us at twoperegrines@yahoo.com. If you prefer receiving the paper version of the newsletter, you don't need to do anything at this time. In either case, we hope you will read Maidu Messages and become involved to whatever extent possible.

Maidu Group also maintains contact lists for Events and Alerts. The Events list is used to inform members by email of upcoming events such as general meetings and events involving other groups which you might find to be of interest. The Alerts list is used to inform members by email of critical conservation is- sues. The Alerts list may be used to ask members to write a letter, contact elected officials or attend meetings about urgent environmental issues If you would like to be on either of these lists, please send your email address to twoperegrines@yahoo.com and indicate which list(s) you would like to be on.

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Maidu Meeting site: board room at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds

Hiking, Flowers, & Bird Watching -

Sierra Club Hikes:

April 7, Sat. Road Bike Ride on the El Dorado Trail

Grade C/25 miles -the Maidu Group, Sierra Club

If you haven't been on the El Dorado Trail yet, this is your chance. We'll ride from Mosquito Road up the bike trail for five miles, then turn north, carefully cross Highway 50, and then ride through the back roads of Camino before swooping back down to Placerville.

Bring water, snack, helmet, spare tube and patch kit, etc. and $$'s for possible lunch after ride. You should be comfortable riding on rural two-lane roads with some vehicle traffic. Meet at El Dorado Transit/Amtrak depot parking lot on Mosquito Road at 10-:00 a.m. Rain cancels. Contact Outing Leader John Le Pouvoir at 530-644-7295, or jadedreprobate@gmail.com.

*Hike Ratings: Grade 1: up to 6 miles Class A: less than 1000 feet gain Grade 2: 6 to 10 miles Class B: 1000 to 2000 feet gain Grade 3: 10 to 15 miles Class C: 2000 to 3000 feet gain Grade 4: 15 to 20 miles Class D: Over 3000 feet gain Grade 5: over 20 miles

**The 10 Essentials Hat Water Sun Protection Lunch Compass Layered Clothing Whistle Flashlight First Aid Kit (w/Moleskin) Pocket Knife

Sierra Club Membership Application

   . . . . Print it, fill out the form, mail it