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![]() Tellico OHV Area is under siege by the anti-access Southern Environmental Law Center, Trout Unlimited and others. If you want to wheel Tellico in the future, then you need to GET INVOLVED. Get angry, write a letter, send emails, send a donation. Tellico is YOURS and someone is trying to take it away from you. How can you help?
Read about the proposed changes and timeline below. June 24, 2008Blue Ribbon Coalition provides an online letter writing tool which goes to the USFS in response to the recently proposed changes to the OHV Area. Please use it to send your own unique letter. Its easy, its not a creative writing contest, and it takes only a few minutes. Please submit your letter prior to July 9!!!! June 17, 2008: Please fill out University of Tennessee OHV Survey!Here is the Cover Letter, describing the survey and here is the survey itself. Please fill out the survey (filling out the survey can be done online within the Adobe Acrobat Viewer and then printed, or else printed out and filled in by hand) and mail to:Tellico OHV Recreation Survey PLEASE NOTE: The surveyor we met at Tellico told us that they get almost ZERO cooperation from the OHV crowd, and tons of cooperation (ie survey responses) from the fisherman. Lets CHANGE that. June 9, 2008: Tellico Scoping memo from Forest ServiceMemo is here. Read it, please. Here is the Upper Tellico Proposal from the Forest Service. This opens a 30 day comment period prior to the Environmental Assessment and the official comment period after that is finished. They plan to have the final decision by end of Sept. The "Open House" on the 28th in Murphy is just that. An Open House. No presentations. They will just be there to answer questions about the proposal. Here is the flyer on the "open house". Here is the link to the Forest Service info http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/nepa/tusquitee/tellico.htm Rescue
Tellico Fund: We now accept donations by check, credit cards,
and PayPal.
We intend to use the Rescue Tellico Fund for legal expenses and trail maintenance expenses. We are currently working on an initial legal defense budget and estimating future trail maintenance costs. We expect to continue our trail maintenance work at an accelerated pace during the next few months.
BUY
COOL STUFF to
help support the legal battle to keep the Tellico OHV Area open. May 22 Press Release on Rescue Tellico effort, lawsuit coming...Additional info on Rescue Tellico lawsuit Tusquitee Ranger District Tellico homepage
Official USFS Tusquitee Ranger District page about Tellico: http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/nepa/tusquitee/tellico.htm Click here for the 2008 "Opening Day Flyer" put out by the Ranger District. Forest Service Decision MemoDecember 18, 2007 The Forest Supervisor has issued her decision regarding trail closures
(see proposal of Sept 17 below) at Tellico and the news is bad: The Forest Service has announced a winter closure for Tellico from January
1 through March 31 of each year, to take effect January 1, 2008. Note that as of December 18, all trails (except a section of trail 8) are still open. Winter closure on all trails is expected to start on January 1. Call the Forest Service office at 828-837-5152 for the latest status. Discussions are also on-going at our Forums in the "Land Use" section. Asheville Forest Service meeting reportNovember 19, 2007 We attended a Forest Service meeting with the Forest Supervisor in Asheville
... Trail 8 section closedNovember 19, 2007 Three bridges on trail 8 are closed due to sagging. Two bridges can be replaced with culverts and one bridge needs to be rebuilt. A section of trail 8 is closed from the bottom of the intersection with trail 9 to approximate where the old skidder (near turn to #10) is resting next to the trail. This means you cannot complete the loop on trail 8. We volunteered to do the work, but the Forest Service engineer seemed in no hurry to get the work done - maybe by next summer. Argh. We're going to keep pushing on this issue. Write a Letter to Rescue TellicoOctober 3, 2007 We now have instructions and a sample letter on-line so
you can write your own letter to help "Rescue Tellico." Forest Service Proposes Some Trail Closures, Winter ClosureSeptember 17, 2007 The Forest Service is proposing the following actions:
Click here for the full text of the Forest Service proposal Southern Environmental Law Center Threatens Tellico LawsuitAugust 6, 2007: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 2, 2007: Southern Environmental Law Center files a 60-day Notice of Intent to
Commence Civil action at the Upper Tellico ORV Area ... Need a Tellico Trail Map?
Upper Tellico OHV Area is located in the Tusquitee Ranger District in the Nantahala National Forest, near Murphy, North Carolina. It is also accessible from Tellico Plains, Tennessee. National Forests are administered by the United States Forest Service, which is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Primary web site for Forest Service announcements and info: www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/ Winter Closure Notice: As of 2007, some Tellico trails will be closed during the winter. The closed trails are lower 2, 7, 9, and 10. The closure period is January through March. Please contact the Ranger station for the exact trails and time period. Important Note: The trails at Tellico are very difficult. On most of the trails, a vehicle should be equipped with large tires, heavy duty axles, dual lockers, winch, and roll cage and the driver should be experienced. Tools and spare parts are recommended. Wet conditions make the trails significantly more difficult. Go with a well equipped group. For nearby accommodations, try Tellico Cabin Rentals at www.tellicocabinrentals.com or Crawford's Campground at www.crawfordsattellico.com For nearby attractions, dining, and other services, please visit the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce. Tellico Newspaper ArticleSeptember 4, 2007 The local newspaper in Murphy, North Carolina published an article about the recent Tellico Stakeholder meeting: Tellico Work Weekend ReportAugust 11 - 12, 2007
May, June, July 2007 Trail Work Report at TellicoAugust 3, 2007 Our totals for trail work at Tellico are listed: Click here Trails OpenApril 3, 2007 The Forest Service reports that trails lower 2, 7, 9, and 10 have been re-opened after the winter closure. Tellico River Cleanup DayMarch 10, 2007 Read the full report with pictures here Tellico Winter Closure and Camping RulesFebruary 15, 2007 From the US Forest Service, Nantahala National Forest, Tusquitee Ranger District
National Forests in North Carolina Proposes Fee Increases at Several Recreation SitesFebruary 12, 2007 The Forest Service is proposing to increase fees at several recreation sites on the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests, among them at the Upper Tellico OHV Area:
Big Thank You from Mid-Atlantic Early BroncosDecember 11, 2006
These folks live too far away from Tellico to help with trail maintenance, so they have chosen to make period donations of money and equipment to Southern. We thank them very much for their generosity! Tellico Campground Update and Winter ClosuresNovember 10, 2006
New Motorcycle and ATV Rules in North Carolina National ForestsForest Service, May 2006
Tellico Work Accomplishments for 2006August 2006 Volunteers from Southern Four Wheel Drive Association once again had
a banner year with trail maintenance work. According to Bill Champion,
Supervisory Forester, volunteers provided $45,000 work of labor and equipment
at Tellico during fiscal year 2006 !!! BF Goodrich® Tires Launches Outstanding Trails Program
BFG selects Tellico trail #4 as one of its nationwide outstanding trails! BF Goodrich Tires, in conjunction with Tread Lightly and United Four Wheel Drive Associations (UFWDA), announced the launch of its Outstanding Trails program. The Outstanding Trails program highlights some of the best off-road trails in the country and is dedicated to the responsible use and preservation of these off-road trails and will aid in the effort to keep these trails sustainable. At Dixie Run, BF Goodrich Tires presented a check for $4,000 to Southern Four Wheel Drive Association for our efforts in trail conservation. One of five nationwide trails selected is Upper Tellico OHV Area, Trail #4, located in the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina where Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia meet. Click here to read the full
BFG press release Tellico River Campgrounds Reconstruction
Keith Lannom, Tellico District Ranger, Cherokee National Forest reports:
Keith Lannom, Tellico District Ranger in the Cherokee National Forest, reports:
Keith Lannom, Tellico District Ranger in the Cherokee National Forest, reports:
Keith Lannom, Tellico District Ranger in the Cherokee National Forest, announced:
Keith Lannom, Tellico District Ranger in the Cherokee National Forest, reports:
Keith Lannom, Tellico District Ranger in the Cherokee National Forest, reports:
Thank You LetterMay 3, 2006 Our President, Jay Bird, recently received an email thanking us for maintaining
the great trails at Tellico ... Tellico Ranger District Alcohol RestrictionsApril 24, 2006 The Forest Supervisor has issued a formal order prohibiting alcohol at
the campgrounds in the Tellico Ranger District .. Tellico Work WeekendMarch 11, 2006 Volunteers from Southern Four Wheel Drive Association worked the weekend of March 10 - 12, 2006 maintaining the trails of Upper Tellico OHV Area. ... Click here for the full report Proposed Motorcycle and ATV Rules in North Carolina National ForestsMarch 29, 2006 The Forest Service is proposing new safety rules to regulate ATV and motorcycle use in Nantahala (including Tellico), Pisgah, Croatan and Uwharrie National Forests. These rules codify the new North Carolina state laws into Forest Service regulations, however the Forest Service is proposing to expand the rules to govern motorcycles, too. While the new NC state laws are applicable to National Forests, the federal Forests Service usually cannot enforce state laws. Therefore, the Forest Service is proposing their own similar safety rules for ATVs and motorcycles. You can send your comments to the Forest Service about the new rules. Comment deadline is April 22, 2006. Click here to read the proposed rules (pages 1 & 2 discuss the NC laws; page 3 describes the proposed Forest Service rules) Tellico River Cleanup Dayby Stefan Roth, March 2006 We had another hugely successful trash pickup day in the Tusquitee and Tellico Ranger Districts! Nearly 300 people attended the cleanup day - with several trash loads of trash picked up and hauled away. ... Read all about it. Note: Next year's Cleanup Day will be March 10, 2007. Bears and CampingPrevent Dangerous Visitors To Your Camp SiteThe Upper Tellico OHV Area is in the Nantahala National Forest, which is in North Carolina. However, most of the camping opportunities near Tellico are in the Cherokee National Forest, which is in Tennessee. Due to it being prime bear habitat and to avoid attracting bears to the campgrounds, the Cherokee National Forest has camping regulations to discourage bears from foraging though campgrounds. Keith Lannom, the Forest Service District Ranger, states:
Write a "Thank You" LetterPlease write a letter to R E Vann, the District Ranger who is in charge of the Upper Tellico ORV Area. Since we use and enjoy this area frequently, it would really help if he can show letters from the public to prove to his bosses that this is a popular area. You can use our provided letter or, even better, you can write a brief thank-you letter in your own words. Instructions: Please print the letter with your browser. Write
in your name, address, date, and signature
in the spaces provided. Get all your friends, spouses, family members
and even kids to fill out a letter. Make copies and fill them out at a
club meeting. One person per letter! Mail them to the address on the letter
(you can mail multiple letters in one envelope). Important: New Proposed Tellico RestrictionsJanuary 4, 2006 The US Forest Service is proposing new rules and restrictions at Tellico. You can (and should) write them a letter with your comments. The public comment period runs through January 13, 2006. The restrictions proposed by the US Forest Service are:
As you read our comments above, you may notice our reluctance about these proposals. We are not truly in favor of them, but we are compromising and accepting some of them in the interest of improving the downstream water quality and ensuring the long-term existence of the Upper Tellico OHV Area. As always, SFWDA will continue to maintain the trails and do everything in our power to keep Tellico an enjoyable experience. In return, we ask all users to follow the rules and help take care of Tellico and we expect the Forest Service to do their best to enforce the rules so that they fully serve the purpose for which they were implemented. Writing Your LetterYou can use the above comments as a guide to write your letter and you are encouraged to add your own opinions and comments. Be specific with what you favor and oppose and why. If possible, give alternate actions or better ideas. Please write your letter in your own words. These letters are the most valuable. Form letters or petitions are mostly ignored because they provide little or no useful input and no new ideas. You might also include how much you and your family enjoys 4-wheeling at Tellico - and be sure to thank the Forest Service for the opportunities at Tellico. Put your name, full address, and date in your letter - and be sure to sign your letter! The Forest Service must receive your comments by January 13, 2006.
Please tell all your friends and get them to write letters, too!
New ATV LawsDecember 1, 2005 The State of North Carolina enacted new laws for ATV usage. Even though they are state laws, you must obey them on Forest Service lands like at Tellico. Tellico Work Weekend ReportOctober 29 - 30, 2005 We are building a new parking lot for tow vehicles to load/unload. It's
located near state line and is close to being done after this work weekend.
We took lots of pictures of the construction work. Tellico Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 2005by Stefan Roth We recently received a comprehensive report from Bill Champion, Supervisory Forester, of all the work accomplished at Upper Tellico OHV Area in Fiscal Year 2005 (October 2004 – September 2005). Southern Four Wheel Drive Association (SFWDA) was the primary volunteer group on all of these projects. The total estimated value of volunteer labor and equipment was an astounding $55,000 ! … Tellico Work Results for Fiscal Year 2004by Stefan Roth Southern 4WD Association members again performed huge amounts of volunteer work at Upper Tellico OHV Area for fiscal year 2004 (October 1, 2003 – September 30, 2004). Our members spent thousands of hours of their free time performing volunteer work, additionally bringing their own vehicles and equipment to help out. The value of volunteer labor and materials again exceeded $30,000 for the year. The Forest Service currently has significant funding available for the area from the Recreation Fee Demonstration Program (daily permit fees and special use permits) and OHV Initiative Funding from the Forest Service Regional Office in Atlanta. … Hurricane Ivan AftermathSeptember 21, 2004: The preliminary reports for Hurricane Ivan impacts in Upper Tellico are a mixed bag of bad news and good news. The good news is that so far we have not found any major blow outs, slides, etc. However, there are a large number of trees down, some of which are huge and which will be very dangerous to remove ... click here for all the details Tellico River Cleanup DayMarch 13, 2004 Our report on the 5th Annual trash pick-up day at Tellico, with Trout Unlimited and the Forest Service. Includes pictures and reports from members and Forest Service staff. ... click here for the full story New Tellico Rules Published by Forest ServiceJanuary 6, 2004 There are new rules at Tellico, ordered by the U.S. Forest Service. Click
here for the details. District Ranger Charles Miller retiresJanuary 5, 2004 Charles Miller was the District Ranger for the Tusquitee District for 18 years. He worked for the U.S. Forest Service for nearly four decades before retiring. A lot of credit for the success of the Upper Tellico OHV Area goes to him, as he worked hard to keep this crown jewel open to the public. We wish him good health and long life as he starts this new chapter in his life. Tellico Work Weekend ReportOctober 17 - 19, 2003 We installed metal railings to keep vehicles (ATVs, etc) on the road
and we cleared some silt traps. New Passes at TellicoApril 10, 2003 The old annual passes at Tellico have been changed to seasonal passes. Tellico River Cleanup Day 2003On March 8, 2003 the annual clean-up along the Tellico River was held. Crews from Southern Four Wheel Drive Association, Trout Unlimited, and other groups including hiking and canoeing clubs fanned out from the Upper Tellico OHV Area in North Carolina to almost the ranger station in Tennessee picking up trash consisting of the usual bottles, cans, diapers, clothes, vehicle parts, batteries, and other assorted rubbish thrown out by uncaring individuals. ... click here for the full story Tellico Rules Proposed by Forest ServiceJuly 2002 The Forest Service is proposing new rules for Tellico and is asking the
public to comment on the rules. Tellico River Clean-Up DayMarch 9, 2002 A report on the 3rd Annual trash pick-up day at Tellico, with Southern 4WD Association, Trout Unlimited and the Forest Service. click here for full story Tellico Bridge Construction ProposedSeptember 2001 The Forest Service district in which Tellico is located is asking for your input about a proposal to build a bridge to cross the Tellico River on trail #5. Click here for the details.
Tellico River Trash Pick-UpMarch 10, 2001 Story and pictures from the 2nd Annual trash pick-up day sponsored by Southern 4WD Association, Trout Unlimited and the Forest Service. Click here for the full story. Tellico Work Day ReportMarch 10, 2001 Story and pictures from a volunteer work day at Upper Tellico ORV Area. Click here for the full story. Tellico Work WeekendSeptember 5 - 7, 1997 Southern Four Wheel Drive Association pulled off another super work weekend on September 5 - 7, 1997 in the Upper Tellico OHV Area in the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina. Our members and clubs did a fantastic job on the new entrance and pay station area near Murphy, NC and on the trails in the OHV area. The turn out was really better than expected ... Click here for the rest of the story Useful link: United States Forest Service web site Last updated: 06/30/2008 06:52:14 PM |