Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

was a good example. A wildernCSll area burned up there and they actively fought it with mechanized equipment. So they have that authority. The thing that is primarily affected is mechanized rccreatioa and that's just about it. BasicaUy, you're not ~tted to go into wilderness with anything that IDvolvcs a motor. You can pack in, either on foot or on horseback. You can go in and fISh and hunt, but you have to bring your game out by foot; carry it out, or pack it out. It extensively limits th,: accCSll to oUT natural rCIOUrces by the infirm, the aged, or those who al'e not in the best of health and can't endure that type of paclting experience. To me, that is the real impact of wildernCSll on recreation. 00 t"'O') "Cahfornia, Colorado, Oregon, Montana and Washington ... could account for as much as 65% ofthe total loss of. .. offroa'd rz"ding opportunities. " What about the economic impact of wilderncsa on lpCCific regions? "One of the concerns expressed 1)y the Carter admz'nistration is the potentialfor the RARE II inven..tory to further cnpple the economy. " project and it's going to be difficult. But the interest going to have to be generated if we expect to have future riding opportunities on BLM land. I would also suggest that a positive gesture might be worthwhile. If riders, clubs, district organizations, or whatever, are familiar with areas that they think may legitimately conform to wilderness criteria and that they think arc worth preserving, they should go forth and offer these. Make some postive gesturcs and don't always be negative, because I think we're going to have plenty of opportunity for negativity in the future. Some positive gestures up front help build your credibility which is important when you're dealing with federal agencies and other u~r organizations, The same would apply to the RARE II program? Very much so. MOlt of us are voten, and as luch, are the constituency of Congrcumen and Senaton, How do we usc that force, or potential force before the BLM and RARE II wilderncsa progaDll get to Congras for a final decision? Good point. As you indicated, Congress is the one IS 18 who is ultimately going to decide what is wilderness and what is not. We're now in an election year. It wouldn't be a bad idea to find out what your particular Representative or Senator feels about wilderness. Have him get some feel for what he believcs wilderness actually should and should not be. There seems to be a great divergence among opinions as to what an actual wilderness area ought to be - whether it should be a pure wilderness as dcfmed by the Wilderness Act, or whether it should be a relaxed definition that would preserve some other resource. Before the programs are over, there are going to be a number of other election years. I think it's the responsibility of the rider as a citizen, and as a vo~r and as a taXpayer, to find out what these people think about it and to try and base their votes on that. Let them know that you are basing your votes on how their decisions will affect your recreational opponunities. . The AMA has developed what we've titled, "A Political Activities Handbook," which was designed to give some guidelines to clubs or individuals who want to try and impact the political process, with their Congressman or Senator. I think some of the steps outlined in that could be of great value in impacting the RARE II and BLM processes. If an area is declared wilderncsa, doesn't the Forest Service find itseU restricted in terma of, say, fire control? ' I think there's some misunderstanding about what the Forest Service can and can't actually do in a wilderness. Under extrcffie circumstances they can involve themselves in fire control and, for that matte.r, diseasc control. Santa Barbara, last year, This is an area of great concern, particularly to those who are dependent on the timber industry for their livelihood. R=ation is also included when you think of the peripheral public services that derive an income from recreationists coming, into communities. Wilderness proposals in some states have actually devastated the timber indultry with interim wilderness study areas that aren't wilderness, but can't be utilized, have actually put a freeze on timber harvests and limited recreation extensively bcca~ there is no acCCllll permitted. So wilderness has the ability to cripple cenain arcas and if finally designated, cenainly reduce the econotnic potential existent within a confined arca. And with the economy going the way it iI .. , Ycs. One of the concerns that have been expressed by the Caner administration is the potential for the RARE II inventory to funher cripple the economy. Caner has recently considered ordering ccnain areas opened up to expand the timber harvest, to put more timber on the market and hopefully reduce the cost of lumber. housing costs, etc., etc. Any ("mal COIIlIDeDtI? (Ed Youngblood, who accompanied Rasor to the interview, said, "If anybody bas any specific recommendations about their site, be sure and get them to us by mid or late August. ") The AsIociation wants very much to represent the interests of motorcyclists on both these issucs. Without the input from the riders, it's going to be extremely difficult fot us to do that effectively. The. magnitude of the two issues is such that, without proper input, wc're, going to be left at the staJting gate when the land a11ocation ~ons are actually made. So wc want the input and wc're searching for it. "The (AMA) wants very much to represent the z"nterests of motorcyclists. .. Wz'thout the z'nput from the rz'ders, z't's goz"ng to be extremely difficult for us to do that effectz"vely. " I think that Cycle News plays a terrific role in this and we gready appreciate the cooperation that they offer us in providing this opportunity to communicate tbese problems to the rider. This is one of the real valuable services that Cycle News provides for tbose of us wbo work in the political arena. We. need these avenues of communication and the readership of Cycle News is one of the best avenues we have. After the interview, Rasor and Youngblood left for a meeting in Sacramento, to be foUowed by more meetings in several western states. Meanwhile, if you can help the AMA - and if you help them you help yourself - with input or any other useful information, gel in touch with the Gowmment Relations Department of the Amencan Motorcyclist Associo.tion at P,O, Bo:.: HI, WesterviUe, OH 4J081, 6141891·242', •

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