Photo Credit: Kyle Brooks
NELSONVILLE, Ohio (June 21, 2017) – The Wayne National Forest Athens Ranger District is seeking public feedback on a proposal to construct a single track, sustainable trail system for mountain biking in Athens County.
The proposed project area is located on the Athens Ranger District in the general area of the “Baileys” (West Bailey, Big Bailey, and Carr Bailey Roads) near the communities of Athens, Nelsonville, Chauncey, and Buchtel.
Information about the mountain bike trail (including a newsletter and maps) and other projects being developed and analyzed can be found at the Wayne website.
If approved, the Baileys Mountain Bike Trail Project would authorize a 92-mile trail system designed to accommodate mountain bike riders with varying degrees of skill and time to ride. The proposed new mountain bike trails would link to 27 miles of existing local mountain bike trails and 21 miles of paved bike paths to provide connections to local communities.
Once constructed, the Athens area will be eligible to be recognized as a destination-worthy International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) Ride Center, none of which currently exist in Ohio.
The purpose of this project is to:
- Create recreational opportunities for a quality backcountry, single-track mountain biking experience on the Forest for riders of various skill levels (technical and physical capabilities) that is near existing trails and interested communities;
- Reduce conflicts between mountain bikers and other recreational trail users by providing a trail system that is designed specifically for mountain bike use;
- Continue a collaborative approach to construct and maintain a sustainable mountain bike trail system;
- Connect mountain bike trails to communities in Athens and Hocking counties in a manner that contributes to the ecological, social, and economic prosperity of these communities over the long term.
Public comments can be made to Dawn McCarthy at Wayne National Forest, 13700 U.S. Hwy 33, Nelsonville, Ohio by Friday, July, 7, 2017, specifically stating that they are in reference to the scoping period for the Baileys Mountain Bike Trail Project. Comments should directly relate the proposed action to a resource impact, along with supporting reasons. Comments should include the person’s name, current physical mailing address, phone number and signature or other verification of identity. All comments received will be considered, but to be most helpful, they should be received by Friday, July 7, 2017, for the scoping period.
The public also can call to discuss this project at 740-753-0101 during normal business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) or email comments-eastern-wayne-athens@fs.fed.us.
Follow the Wayne National Forest on Twitter: @waynenationalfs.
The U.S. Forest Service is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a mission of sustaining the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The Forest Service’s Eastern Region includes twenty states in the Midwest and East, stretching from Maine, to Maryland, to Missouri, to Minnesota. There are 17 national forests and one national tallgrass prairie in the Eastern Region.
The U.S. Forest Service manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the nation’s clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. The agency has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of the 850 million forested acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.
Comments