The National Forest Service in Southern California is in the lengthy process of updating the "Forest Plan". The four Forests from Big Sur to San Diego; the Los Padres, Angeles, San Bernardino and Cleveland National Forests are updating their plan simultaneously. The Forest Service planers are asking for input from Forest users during this long process, and with a majority of our flying sites on Forest Service lands, this is a great opportunity for us to strengthen our relationship with the Forest Service and get our sport "written in" as one of the appropriate activities.

   Recently the Forest Service published a "Notice of intent" Proposed Action (NOI). The NOI is a draft or their management plan. They have Hang Gliding listed as one of the appropriate recreational activities for motorized areas within the "Recreation Opportunity Spectrum" (ROS) classes. Thanks to all those pilots whose comments got us listed! Currently almost all of our popular Forest Service launch sites are in the proposed motorized areas. These are areas with vehicle access.

   So, we're not loosing any ground, but our activity is typically less of an environmental impact than other activities such as Mt.biking and horse back riding, that are listed in the NOI under "semi-primitive non-motorized". And because some of our X-C LZ's may be in the non motorized areas and because pilots (especially Paragliders) can hike-in to launch these areas, we should request to be listed in that class as well. Also, even though we are often painted with the same brush, we should also ask the planers to have paragliding listed along with hang gliding where HG is currently listed. The last time the So Cal Forest Service plans were revised paragliding didn't exist!

   It should be noted the plan is a policy guideline that the Forest Service uses as a tool for management direction, and that all of the different forests as well as the individual districts within the forest have the authority to, on a site by site basis, support or restrict any activity if the local supervisor or ranger thinks the activity is beneficial or harmful to the forest.

    The following are sample letters that you can use to send to the Forest Service to let them know that you want paragliding listed with HG where HG is listed in the Notice of intent / Recreational Spectrum Opportunity classes and that both HG and paragliding should be listed as an appropriate activity in the "Simi-Primative Non-Motorized ROS". You can copy and paste, or use to create your own letter, and then send/fax the letters to the forest service.

The fax # is 858 524-0130

Snail Mail:
Southern California Forest Plan Update
10845 Rancho Bernardo Rd. #200
San Diego, CA 92127-2107

   This opportunity for input only happens every 10 to 15 years and the dialog that will come from our input will contribute towards informing our public lands managers about our sport and it's needs. Most Forest Service employees, like the general public, have little knowledge of us. The more they know, the better our chances are for attaining launch and landing area improvements, continued access, new sites, etc, etc.

Thank you,
   John Greynald