COMMISSION

More recently, there have been efforts
to involve OHV stakeholders in the
discussion of potential land uses, even
when lands have been designated
through Executive Order. Berryessa Snow
Mountain National Monument, designated
in July 2015, is a good example of this.
The BLM and the USFS administer the
lands in the Monument, which consists
of 330,780 acres that stretch from
Napa County to the mountains of the
Mendocino National Forest north of
Clear Lake. The area contains one of the
greatest concentrations of biodiversity in
California and is home to threatened and
l to r: Don Bastien, USFS (former DPR ranger);
Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell; Rick LeFlore, DPR;
Donna McGuire, DPR; Don Schmidt, DPR
(Photo by: United States Department of the Interior)
endangered plant and wildlife species. Hiking, horseback riding, and fishing are popular
activities and OHV recreation is allowed on designated routes and trails.
The process for establishing Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, even by
Executive Order, was a collaborative effort that involved a balanced approach to resource
protection with multi-use recreation. The BLM and the USFS worked closely with OHV
enthusiasts, many different public agencies and private partnerships, including State Parks,
to ensure OHV recreation continued within the national monument. At the dedication
ceremony in March 2016, the event organizers invited the OHMVR Division to provide
an interpretive booth in order to highlight the continued OHV recreational opportunities
previously established in this area. Approximately 700 people visited the booth, including
United States Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell, and participated in interactive programs.
As public lands that allow OHV recreation become more scarce, this multi-agency and
stakeholder approach to designating national monuments becomes more important to
finding a balance of conservation and recreation with which all parties agree.
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California State Parks, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission