FoWR Follow-up to USFS Letter
August 1st, 2008
RE: Williamson Rock Environmental Analysis
Dear Supervisor Noiron,
Thank you for your letter responding to an inquiry by Friends of Williamson Rock on the status of the public access closure at Williamson Rock.
Friends of Williamson Rock (FoWR)
As you know, Friends of Williamson Rock (FoWR) is a non-profit corporation [501(c)(3)] organized to preserve climbing access and activity, as well as protect the natural environment of the Williamson Rock area. FoWR is an Access Fund affiliated local climbing organization.
FoWR has actively worked with the U.S. Forest Service to help resolve the access issue at Williamson Rock: FoWR has submitted comments to the Forest Service’s Scoping Letter, attended numerous meetings, gone on field trips to the area with the USFS, USFWS and the USGS. Additionally, FoWR has facilitated Forest Service meetings with the climbing community and provided the services of a mapping expert and habitat restoration specialist. Additionally, with grant funds from the Access Fund, FoWR commissioned trail study of the Williamson Rock area. FoWR also authored and provided a 25 page document titled ‘Williamson Rock Access and Conservation Project’, which among other things provided mitigation measures (proposed actions) as well as outlining potential projects for the general stewardship of the area. In short, FoWR is in ongoing communication with the USFS, providing valuable information and resources.
Williamson Rock EA
In your letter, you explained that until the Forest Service completes the environmental analysis process, your only option is to keep the Williamson Rock closed to the public in order to protect the Mountain Yellow Legged Frog (MYLF) population. You also stated that the Forest Service will not have the appropriated funds to undertake this process in its 2008 fiscal year.
FoWR is very disappointed that an examination of alternatives to the complete public closure of Williamson Rock, enacted as a temporary measure in December 2005, will not even begin in 2008. As you know, FoWR represents over 5000 climbers and Williamson Rock is the premier sport climbing destination in Southern California. Its closure has prevented tens of thousands of user days of low-impact rock climbing. FoWR has actively supported the Forest Service’s decision-making processes and has encouraged climbers to respect the public access closure at Williamson Rock since it was first enacted as a temporary measure in December 2005, and for the last two and a half years the climbing community has respected this closure. However, as time goes by and little to no action is taken to explore alternatives, public support for the closure is beginning to erode. With the perception that the climbing community’s efforts are meaningless, FoWR’s ability to encourage climbers to respect the closure is similarly eroding.
The temporary closure of public land by federal land management agencies, while sometimes needed, is an extreme measure, and should only be initiated through clear legal authority based on documented scientific need with a clear timeline for resolution. The environmental analysis process is necessary to determine if there are better and less restrictive ways to protect the MYLF population short of a complete public closure, such as alternative trail construction, human waste management, or seasonal closures. The trail study commissioned by FoWR found that alternative trail construction would protect the MYLF population.
As you are aware, Pleasant View Ridge, which includes Williamson Rock, is part of the Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Wild Heritage Act now pending in the House and Senate. The bill’s supporters have praised the recreational opportunities available in Pleasant View Ridge, including hiking and rock climbing. Unfortunately, because the Forest Service has been unable to secure funding for the necessary environmental analysis process, the public has been unable to enjoy Pleasant View Ridge’s hiking and rock climbing opportunities for the last two and a half years.
FoWR urges the Forest Service to allocate the necessary funds to begin the environmental analysis process, either through current budget resources or via future Congressional appropriations. This temporary closure has continued far too long and unnecessarily affects a large number of public land users. FoWR remains ready and willing to assist the Forest Service in this process.
Sincerely,
Troy Mayr
