Off-road enthusiasts and stream habitat alike will benefit from new Oregon
Department of Forestry (ODF) bridges in the Tillamook State Forest, thanks to
grant funds.
ODF recently completed construction of two new off-highway vehicle (OHV)
trail bridges on the Elliott Creek and Military OHV trails. The project was
initiated to replace failing and poorly located bridges, and to enhance and
restore stream habitat through trail and bridge relocation.
Both trails cross the Devil's Lake Fork of the Wilson River, which is an
important salmon stream in the northern Coast Range near mile marker 33 on State
Highway 6.
The new 114 foot-long bridge on the Elliott Creek Trail replaced four
bridges that were located within the stream channel and floodplain. One was
failing, and all risked damage during a major flood or storm.
Work included dismantling the old Elliott Creek Trail bridge structures,
constructing a new 114-foot bridge, stream restoration and enhancement, and
reassembly of one of the Elliott Creek Trail bridges - a 54 foot-long pony truss
bridge - on the Military Trail to replace an aging bridge that no longer meets
design specifications.
The project was funded entirely through grants, including a Yamaha Access
Initiative GRANT to support bridge design and engineering work. The GRANT
(Guaranteeing Responsible Access to our Nation's Trails) was awarded as part of
the Yamaha OHV Access Initiative promoting safe, responsible riding and open,
sustainable riding areas.
Two Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) grants, a Recreation
Trails Program Grant and an ATV Fund Grant supported bridge construction work.
The ATV Fund Program provides funding statewide for OHV recreation. Recreational
Trails Program Grants are national grants administered by OPRD for recreational
trail-related projects, such as hiking, running, bicycling, off-road
motorcycling, and all-terrain vehicle riding.
"Bridges are among the highest priority projects for funding from the
Yamaha OHV Access Initiative program because they achieve so much for an OHV
trail system or riding area," said Steve Nessl, Yamaha ATV/SxS marketing
manager. "With the Elliott Creek Trail Bridge, the Oregon Department of Forestry
protected OHV riding access and an environmentally-sensitive wildlife habitat
with an efficient, dedicated effort. We are proud to partner with ODF again to
support the OHV riding community."
The Elliott Creek and Military Trails - 2.8 and 2 miles respectively - are
also important connector trails for the larger OHV trail network in the Browns
Camp OHV area.
"The Elliott Creek Trail and Military Trail are two of the more popular
trails in the Browns Camp OHV area," said Randy Peterson, recreation program
manager for ODF's Forest Grove District. "These grants made it possible for us
to maintain long-term trail access and meet our habitat enhancement and stream
restoration goals."
For more information about Yamaha's OHV Access Initiative, visit:
For more information about Oregon Parks and Recreation Department grant
programs, visit:
The Oregon Department of Forestry manages the 364,000-acre Tillamook State
Forest. Additional information about the Tillamook State Forest Recreation
program and forest management in Oregon is available on ODF's web site, www.oregon.gov/ODF
No comments:
Post a Comment