Forest Service draft

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<protect>This page is reserved for the operating plan currently tendered by the Forest Service. See Operating Plan Colorado Regional 2007. This page is protected against editing, use the discussion page to propose changes.

DRAFT July 28, 2007, Exhibit A (to be attached to Permit)

Contents

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PLAN 2007 COLORADO REGIONAL GATHERING

July 28, 2007 This Operations and Maintenance plan has been developed to mitigate potential resource impacts associated with the 2007 Colorado Regional Gathering at Hat Springs . It is designed to follow the Standards and Guidelines of the appropriate Forest Plan, and the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR’s) applicable to National Forest Service System Lands. Copies of existing Forest-Wide and local closure orders will be included as part of this Plan. These closure orders will be enforced by the Forest Service. The participants will maintain a volunteer liaison crew for administrative agreement matters and resource concerns between the Forest Service and the gathering participants. Daily meetings should occur to address concerns that arise. This gathering will start on August 3, 2007 and will end on Aug 12, 2007. The site will be vacated and rehabilitation will be completed no later than August 18, 2007. The Council will identify a clean-up/rehabilitation crew contact.

HEALTH and SAFETY

  1. Trash will be removed from the site in accordance with State/County sanitation requirements. Only paper and wood trash will be burned, if allowed by State or County regulations.
  2. Biological Hazards generated at the CALM tent will be disposed of at an appropriate medical waste disposal facility. No biological waste may be buried/remain on the site.
  3. Drinking water should be filtered/boiled and treated. Daily water testing for total coliform and fecal ecoli should be performed as County or State requirements dictate.
  4. Kitchen washing procedures are recommended to be a three bucket system. The first bucket should be a hot soapy wash, the second a clear hot rinse, and the third a lukewarm chlorine rinse (two ounces of chlorine bleach per five gallons of water). Dishes should be allowed to air dry. A hand washing station is recommended for each kitchen area.
  5. An emergency helicopter landing zone will be identified to accommodate emergency evacuation of Flight For Life needs.
  6. Open Forest Service system roads will remain open for vehicle travel.
  7. The gathering will maintain at least one functioning latrine per 100 people. The treatment of human waste is dependant upon numerous factors. Therefore, to assure the health and safety of visitors to the gathering, the following actions should be followed:
      • Portable toilets should be utilized where feasible. The toilets will be pumped and cleaned daily.
      • As an alternative to Portable toilets, Slit trenches or earth pit Privies may be used. The trenches or privies must meet State or County requirements.
        • Slit trenches should be constructed on upland sites. They should be located at least 300 feet from surface waters and any drinking water sources. Trenches should be approximately 12 inches wide and of an adequate length for the anticipated number of people. Buckets of lime or wood ash shall be available at all trench or privy sites. Trenches or pits shall be closed when they fill to within 15 inches of the surface. Disinfectant hand wash should be provided at each location.

RESOURCE PROTECTION

  1. Parking areas will be agreed upon by the Forest Service. The participants will provide crews to organize, direct, and provide security for the parking area(s). Site specific needs will be addressed on location to provide for shuttle, supply, route closures, etc. Vehicles parked in areas specifically closed for parking, or parked in a manner that interferes with the ingress/egress of emergency vehicles will be towed at the owner’s expense. A live – in area (Bus Village) will also be agreed upon by the Forest Service.
  2. Sensitive areas (wetlands, sensitive species, archeological sites, etc.) will be flagged by the Forest Service. Individuals at the gathering are responsible for not camping or congregating within these areas, and for not removing items from these areas (plants, items over 50 years old like bottles, cans, etc.)
  3. Collection of edible and medicinal plants and plant parts should be done in a sustainable manner, with no more than 30% of products in a given area removed.
  4. There will be no camping within 150 feet of running water (or applicable Forest Plan Standard/Guideline.)
  5. Gray water and compost pits from Kitchens should be at least 300 feet from running water and should not be located in areas that contain riparian vegetation. Compost and gray water pits should be covered with plastic if they attract flies.
  6. The Regional Gathering attendees will monitor all activities to ensure that soap, disinfectants, medical waste, or any other foreign material will not be introduced into lakes, streams, or other surface waters. Bathing and washing will be done at least 150 feet away from streams and springs.
  7. There will be no excessive excavating or digging out around drinking water sources. At least one spring head may be “tapped” to send water through a piping system. The outlet of the culvert under the road at the north side of Hat Springs may be used to collect non-potable water.
  8. Avoid excavating or digging out around drinking water sources. Use temporary collection techniques (such as rocks, logs, or tarps) to collect drinking water at the source.
  9. Log crossings over creeks/streams will be constructed as to minimize impacts to the banks.
  10. Local travel management restrictions will be adhered to and followed at all times.
  11. Campfires will be attended to at all times. It is recommended that a shovel and at least one – one 5 gallon container of water be placed at each campfire location. Community fires are mandatory – individual fires will not be permitted.
  12. If local drought conditions dictate, an “Open Fire Closure” may be issued. If it is, no open fires will be allowed. All cooking and warming will have to be accomplished with camp stoves fueled by propane, white gas, etc. Smoking would only be allowed within vehicles.
  13. Only dead firewood may be used. No cutting of green vegetation will be allowed without prior approval of the Forest Service.
  14. Motorized vehicles may access a suitable campsite or gather firewood within 300 feet of an open Forest Service system road as long as no damage is caused to land or streams.
  15. Parking and camping will not be allowed on the riparian side of Forest Service Road 739 to reduce impacts to the riparian area. The two parking areas identified west of the Hat Springs Main Camp should only be used during dry weather conditions.

SITE REHIBILITATION

  1. All parking areas, Bus Village, trails, and areas of concentrated use will be scarified to a depth of 2-4 inches and will be seeded with a native seed mix approved by the Forest Service. Seeding will be accomplished by August 18 following the gathering.
  2. Slit trenches and latrines will be filled and covered with the native material originally removed from the pit and mounded with excess material to allow for settling. Any surface waste will removed from the area.
  3. All trash will be removed and disposed of at a recognized sanitary landfill, or contracts may be made with local trash hauling companies.
  4. All man made structures not previously existing at the gathering location (bridges, swings, lean-to’s, ovens, “art”) will be dismantled, removed, or scattered to achieve a natural appearance.
  5. Any user created trails will be obliterated. Existing trails will be returned to a width specified by the Forest Service, with the appropriate water controls to avoid concentrations of water and to prevent gully formation.
  6. All water lines will be removed from the gathering site.
  7. All vehicles abandoned by gathering members or their guests will be removed from National Forest System lands at no cost to the Forest Service.
  8. Fire pits will be filled with native material originally removed and mounded with excess material to allow for settling. Rocks will be scattered to give a natural appearance to the landscape.
  9. Site specific needs will be identified at a walk through with Regional Gathering representatives and the Forest Service after August 12, 2007 but on or before August 14, 2007. All rehabilitation will be completed no later than 1200 August 18, 2007. A final Forest Service inspection will be completed at 1400 August 18, 2007.
  10. Regional Gathering attendees will take all pets with them when departing the gathering.

GENERAL

  1. Copies of the Operating Plan will be posted at the gathering information center, and at other suitable locations.
  2. The participants will establish contact with local agencies, businesses, and organizations to arrange services and supplies, as needed.
  3. The participants will be responsible for emergency medical coordination and evacuation with area medical facilities.

Copyright

This page is in the public domain as a product of an employee of the government of the United States, Kristi K. Murphy of the Saguache Ranger District, United States Forest Service.</protect>

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