River Kern Trash problem - This may help

[mike.s]

It's not my home water but I love the place have fished it both in the summer (bad call) and the fall and spring (much better call) and ive always questioned why they let people basically camp any where they want along the 20 mile section.
The whole section only has a few actual camp grounds with bathrooms. However in the late spring and all summer most people camp in large groups right on the river just about anywhere they want for miles on end right next to each with no outhouses in sight. Was there this aug and its unbelievable they allow this to happen. I understand the town needs money from rafters and tubers but I have never seen such an uncontrolled river anywhere except the LA mountain creeks.
The trash in the pics in this post is tame to what you see there in July and aug.
until they regulate camping on the river I really dont see it changing.

[RiverRat]

Just posted on the Kern forum.
shane

Hello friends of the Kern River. My name is Al Watson and I am the Acting District Ranger for the Kern River Ranger District. Thank you all for the energy and time you have taken writing me emails and letters (more than twenty emails and about thirty letters to date). Your comments are a vivid reminder that there are people that care for our public lands, and I am encouraged by that.
For the past couple of months we the Forest Service have begun strategizing how to best tackle this issue. As many have commented, the financial resources we have to address this problem are diminishing so we have reached out for help. This has included the Kernville Chamber of Commerce, Giant Sequoia National Monument Association, Kern River Revitalization, Fish and Wildlife Service, Kern River Chamber of Commerce and other groups. In time I hope that it will also include the members of this forum. My goal is to move past simply getting groups together to clean up after others leave a mess. All that seems to do is encourage users to leave a mess as "someone" will eventually clean it up (think Dodgers Stadium use). Here are a few ideas that are already in the works or gaining steam.

•Increase law enforcement in the area. Last year we were down to just one LEO (Law Enforcement Officer) on the district. We have since hired one more that is going through training, and will hire another within a year. This will increase presence and also enforcement. Something for this group to understand though is one of our primary functions is keeping marijuana plantations off public land. The trash issue will compete with this priority.
•Work with the local chambers to help supplement garbage disposal. As our budget keeps decreasing, we need to find supplemental funding to keep or increase trash and waste disposal needs. The alternative is to begin closing areas to public access which I hope to avoid.
•Begin incorporating our highly successful fire prevention programs with a littering education theme. Bringing back Woodsy Owl to children and other public forums.
•Focus our combined resources during high use or other times that will, for lack of better words be the most bang for the buck. This would include better signage, public contacts and moving critical employees to areas that need more staff.

These above items are just a taste. Also, for those that wrote letters I have been collecting ideas, themes and the like. I figure if people took the time to write, it is my job to respond to their concerns. Please keep those ideas coming!
Regards

[silverlaker]

Shane - thanks for posting. His response is encouraging. I'm glad to hear they intend to approach the problem from a few different angles. Fingers crossed and more letters!

Tom