-The Road-Ripper’s Guide to Wildland Road Removal
takes up where the first four Road-Ripper’s Guides left off. While
the first four explain legal and political strategies for
challenging different land-management agencies to close and remove
roads, this guide explains how to make sure those roads are removed
correctly.”
* Bethanie
Walder
In 1997, Forest Service
Chief Mike Dombeck called for the destruction of 25,000 miles of
roads that criss-cross our national forests. To help Dombeck
achieve his goal, the Missoula-based Wildlands Center for
Preventing Roads has published The Road-Ripper’s Guide to Wildland
Road Removal. Scott Bagley’s 40-page primer preaches the benefits
of eliminating roads and explains everything from how roads can
erode hillsides to the basics of road removal techniques. Bethanie
Walder, Wildlands Center director, says the federal agency needs
the scrutiny of activists. “Sometimes the Forest Service says it’s
removing roads, but it’s really just removing a road from the
inventory and not removing the road on the ground.” If roads aren’t
removed correctly, she adds, they will continue to damage
watersheds.
The illustrated, indexed report is
$7 from Wildlands Center for Preventing Roads, P.O. Box 7516,
Missoula, MT 59807.
*Ali
Macalady
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline A road-ripper’s report.
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