Forest Service invites public to discuss the Upper Kern

[Fishfreak911]

This was emailed to me today through lakeisabella.net. Someone I know up there tells me there is a big grassroots movement underway to address the camping trash/waste issue. This is an update along those lines. I am going to write in to suggest NO CAMPing outside of designated c/g's.

UPDATE -
Forest Service invites public to discuss the Upper Kern River
UPDATED Kernville, CA — For Immediate Release. The Kern River Ranger District (KRRD) will hold a public meeting at the Kernville Elementary School, 13350 Sierra Way, Kernville, CA, at 6PM, January 23 to discuss the trash, camping, and resource issues along the Upper Kern River. District Ranger Al Watson and the District Recreation Officer, Tricia Maki, will share strategies the Forest Service plans to use in addressing these issues; and the meeting will provide a chance for them to gather more information and feedback from the community before implementation begins.

This stretch of river is a popular recreation tourist destination and offers world-class whitewater rafting and kayaking, camping, fishing, and hiking opportunities; and it serves as a primary gateway to the Giant Sequoia National Monument. The KRRD began a review of the negative impacts to this river corridor in May of 2010 when the Upper Kern River Action Plan was first released to address increasing resource damage and sanitation issues caused in part by dispersed camping within the Upper Kern Wild and Scenic River corridor.
Currently, visitors are allowed to camp anywhere within the river corridor unless the area is posted otherwise. The only restriction has been the enforcement of a 25 foot setback from the river’s edge for fire-use and camping. A significant increase in use throughout the area has resulted in resource damage from campers illegally cutting trees, shrubs, and clearing ground cover. The scenic quality of the Kern suffers from trash, toilet paper, and human waste frequently found between the river and highway. Overcrowding, congested parking, and visitors creating and expanding camping and parking areas also diminished the Wild and Scenic River values and overall recreation experience.

Over the last three years, the KRRD has made in-roads into addressing these negative impacts, but more needs to be done. Since 2010, boulders have been used at several sites to control parking and reduce resource damage. More KRRD personnel have obtained the training for ticket-writing authority to cite anyone caught littering or vandalizing. Limited funds used for trash cleanup and dumpster placement have been carefully allocated to provide maximum effect, and valued partners have come forward to help clean the area.

Even with this positive progress, many of the issues have persisted or grown worse. The Forest Service has listened to public complaints about trash, human waste, and resource damage along the Wild and Scenic River; and has also listened to the public’s suggestions on ways to address these issues. The meeting on January 23 will be an opportunity for people to continue this discussion so that positive changes to management of the Upper River can be implemented. The goal of management actions will be to restore public health and safety, safeguard the water quality, and protect the river’s outstandingly remarkable values for current and future generations. District Ranger Watson stated, “We hope to improve the quality of the recreation experience and ensure the long-term protection of this Wild and Scenic River, and we can do it with your help and support.”
For more information, contact Tricia Maki at triciamaki@fs.fed.us, or by phone at 760-376-3781 ext.630.

[Papasequoia]

Jan. 23rd is a Thursday - not the best day of the week to get input from all interested parties unless they are local, and even then it is a school night. I will try to be there but not sure at this time. Thanks for posting.

[RiverRat]

Word on the river ........dispersed camping is going to become very limited.

The scary part, will it push the river pillagers upstream into the high country or down to the lake?

shane

[NorcalBob]

Ending massive dispersed camping is probably the best solution to most of the problems impacting the Kern. IMNSHO, they will just move elsewhere, likely down to the lake. I seriously doubt that they will move into the high country as that's too much work to carry a cooler full of beer and all their junk!

[midger]

Hopefully they do away with the dispersed camping. They've tried it--this camp anywhere and dump anywhere camping--long enough to know that all it does is ruin a beautiful river so they should try something else. I also agree with Bob--they won't carry all their "stuff" upriver, and I also think the lake area is going to experience the scourge descending upon it.

[Wildman]

There are no "good" solutions. You would be amazed just far people will carry very large amounts of ice chests, tarps, and all of their "stuff" into a wilderness environment. In our locals, it is amazing to see the volume and types of trash left behind and even more amazing seeing it being brought down a mountain trail by folks in flip flops.

[fflutterffly]

Though this is primarily about restricting camping along he road I'm worried the next step will be to limit shoulder parking for fishing. This would amount to disastrous, placing limits to and adding congestion along designated area's of the river. This meeting should be held on a weekend.

[Papasequoia]

I very seriously doubt they would consider eliminating shoulder parking, unless it were overnight parking at the shoulders which is where many of the dispersed people park.
As for trash moving upstream, it is already there. Drive up past Johnsondale bridge, for example headed towards Peppermint and pull into any of those dirt roads, many of which parallel other small feeder streams. They are already littered with trash. Moving people down towards the lake would be preferable, but that is just my opinion and ymmv.

[Fishfreak911]

Guys, at the end of my post was "For more information, contact Tricia Maki at triciamaki@fs.fed.us, or by phone at 760-376-3781 ext.630."

I already emailed her my thoughts. I we all try and let this lady know our opinions about the timing, and our concerns. Certainly can't hurt if you can't be there. Papa, I sure hope you can make it. A lot of us would appreciate it!

I have to say, it it not the best scenario to move them down to the lake, but at least there aren't as many trees and boulders for them to hide behind whilst shi**ing!

[Fishfreak911]

I finally received a reply from the Forest service after emailing them my concerns. She replied, "Thank you for your comments! I will include you in my list of folks to keep up to date on the decisions we make regarding managing the upper kern river, in an effort to provide better resource protection and reduce the amount of trash and human waste that has been occurring.

Tricia Maki
Recreation Officer
Kern River Ranger District
Sequoia National Forest
760-376-3781 ext. 630"