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View Full Version : Arizona Martinez Canyon in Danger of Closure!!!


Crash
08-22-2006, 08:39 PM
I copied the below part from our local folder. I know some of you on here have wheeled on this beautiful AZ trail at AZ Rocks. Well now it is in danger of being closed. We need your help!!!

I urge you to help us in the fight to keep Martinez Canyon open. Francis Mendoza (Francisco_Mendoza@blm.gov) is setting this trail up for emergency closure based on the vandalism to the cabin itself and by way of stating they have seen trampled vegation in the area enough to warrant an emergency closure. We need your help in making sure that this does not happen. Jaw Breaker was closed on this same premise and has never been re-opened and likely never will. Below is a sample letter to the Tucson BLM Field Office regarding their intended closure of Martinez Canyon. It's IMPORTANT we deliver HUNDREDS of letters on their desks in the next couple of days. Francisco's agenda has been to close this canyon for several years so this has finally given him the ability to do so.

An EMERGENCY CLOSURE does not require public scoping.

PLEASE use this letter or write your own and delete parts that don't apply to you, but if we want to keep Martinez Canyon open to our use we need to take the bull by the horns and send your letter NOW. Don't let "the other guy do it". YOUR letter will count! BE PRECISE BUT PLEASE BE POLITE.

Please do not just "forward"............ Send as an independent letter. Cut and paste into another email but don't show "where you received the sample" or "who forwarded the information to you" etc.

We CAN make a difference. Please forward this to everyone you know??.

---------------------------------------------

Francisco_Mendoza@blm.gov Tucson Planner
Patrick_Madigan@blm.gov Tucson Field Manager
Bill_Gibson@blm.gov State OHV Coordinator
Julie_Decker@blm.gov State Resources Coordinator
Mike_Taylor@blm.gov State Resources Deputy Director
Bill_Civish@blm.gov Tucson District Manager
Anna_Atkinson@blm.gov D.C. OHV Coordinator



August _____, 2006



Bureau of Land Management
Tucson Field Office
12661 E. Broadway
Tucson, AZ 85748-7208

ATTENTION: Mr. Patrick Madigan, Field Manager

Dear Mr. Madigan,

I am a member of __________________________ (AZOHVC; club; group etc) representing _______________ (number of members.. AZOHVC is now over 11,000.)

I have been recreating, hunting, camping and enjoying our backcountry for ______ years and the Martinez Canyon area is important to me and my family in both recreation opportunities and history of our state.

I am writing this in response to a recent notice involving Martinez Canyon. I was dismayed to hear of the damage done to the Cabins but was equally dismayed to hear BLM is strongly considering an ?emergency closure? as a result.

?Emergency Closures? tend to become permanent. I am requesting some mitigation steps be considered before closure.

The BLM Volunteer ?Red Shirts? have offered numerous solutions in the past and I would hope these steps be considered again. 5-6 Years ago BLM was offered the services, at no cost to BLM, of a structural engineer to evaluate the stabilization of the cabin and the OHV community offered to supply the workers and materials to do what was needed. It was also felt that interpretative signs telling the history of the canyon would bring ?responsibility and ownership? from the users. None of this was ever accepted by BLM. We are now in a situation that OHV are paying the penalty for damage by other than OHV. Because of the intimation of the OHV being to blame for the destruction certainly doesn?t lend itself to partnerships between BLM and the OHV community. This area has been a local party spot (RAVE parties and drugs) for several years. The defacing of the historical cabin was not done by OHV. The bold writing on every wall in the cabin was done by an environmental ?BLM Volunteer?. Your office staff know of this incident???? has he been banned?

The ?BLM Red Shirt Volunteers? are those that do clean-ups; install kiosks and signs; obtain and offer these materials to BLM at no cost; we offer to Adopt trails and help with monitoring and maintenance; many of our OHV folks are now Site Stewards??? we do this and still are the only recreationists denied access to a beautiful canyon because of our choice of transportation or recreation?

I believe gating and permits for access to this canyon was recommended some time ago. I?m assuming if this canyon is closed to motorized use it will be gated at the entrance. Why could this not be a gate allowing for permitted access only. This would give BLM knowledge of who and when there is access to the canyon; it would turn the party crowd away and allow time to join together and evaluate the cabins and hopefully do stabilization work and put together a ?history story? of the area. Closing access to OHV is certainly not a way to build collaborative partnerships nor trust between BLM and the OHV Community.

It is respectfully requested BLM meet with the OHV Community leaders to discuss reaching an acceptable approach to this problem before decision of closure is made.

Thank you for your consideration.

*Name
*Address
Phone
Email

Current photo of what the cabin looks like.
http://www.ttora.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5546

Mark in Az
08-22-2006, 09:04 PM
Please cc: this email addy ( My1stJeep@excite.com ) on one of your letters so the coalition can note how commited we are.

Thanks for taking the time to write letters!
Here's what I sent to all seven on the list:

August 22, 2006

Bureau of Land Management
Tucson Field Office
12661 E. Broadway
Tucson, AZ 85748-7208

ATTENTION: Mr. Patrick Madigan, Field Manager

Dear Mr. Madigan,

I am a member of Arizona Chapter of the Toyota Territory Off-Roaders
Association. Our local chapter represents nearly 300 Arizona members.

I have been off-roading, camping and fishing from Alpine to Yuma, and the North
Rim to Rucker Lake. I have spent the last 25 years enjoying the Arizona
backcountry, but keep returning to Martinez Canyon for its unmatched beauty and
rich history. I have had many opportunities to show Martinez to out of state
visitors and they too are impressed by the scenery and history it offers.

I am writing this in response to a recent notice involving Martinez Canyon. I
was dismayed to see the damage done to the Cabins, but was equally dismayed to
hear BLM is strongly considering an emergency closure as a result.

I fear such a closure might become permanent. Before making such a possible
permanent closure, please consider offers of cleanup and other assistance from
clubs like ours, and the off-road community in general. In the past our club has
assisted in organized cleanups and abandoned vehicle extractions, and we would
appreciate the opportunity to help keep Martinez open to our community.

It is respectfully requested that the BLM meet with the OHV Community leaders to
discuss reaching an acceptable approach to this problem before a decision of
closure is made.

Thank you for your consideration.

Mark Griese
Chandler, Az
602-471-****
mgriese@4x4wire.com

1BLKJP
08-23-2006, 11:52 AM
Hi folks, Good work on this one. Our proactive nature on this one has paid off. We received the following information yesterday. We can discontinue the letters to Patrick as he has definitely stated there will be no closure on Martinez Canyon. Thank you all for your quick acting. They told us that they had received over 50 letters just in the short time period.
----------------------------------------
OHV Enthusiasts..........

While participating in a meeting today at the Tucson BLM office relating to the Ironwood National Monument I spoke briefly with Tucson Field Manager, Patrick Madigan. He related receiving numerous emails concerned about the possibility of an Emergency Closure at Martinez Canyon................

THIS IS NOT HAPPENING. Mr. Madigan assures me Martinez Canyon is not going to close. He will be sending out an official notice of this early next week.


Many of you met Mr. Madigan at the "valentines Day" meeting in February. I believe he is truly trying to work with us……………….. We need to stay with this guys (and gals). We can make this work for the betterment of our sport……………...

My THANKS to all of you for your concern and stepping up to support your sport when you're worried, but we now need to direct this participation towards partnering with our agencies. BLM is going to need our help to find a mitigation for Martinez Canyon that will work for all.

Please pass this on to your lists………………. THANKS,

Sandee

4xClover
08-23-2006, 12:07 PM
Thanks for the follow up Jack! Appreciate you and your groups efforts to help keep the trail open

Thanks to all the TTORA members that sent them letters! Just goes to show that as a group we can make a difference!

Crash
08-23-2006, 01:18 PM
Weeeeeeeeeeee

padesertboy
08-23-2006, 05:50 PM
What a shame, it is one of the great east valley trails!

I just can`t believe people would vandalize the cabins....

98 Taco
08-23-2006, 08:40 PM
I had a great time when I visited you guys and ran that trail!
How does something like the vandalism occur?
I hope you guys find he SOB's that did that and make them appear at the inquiry or whatever and make them confess and save the trail
I hate vandals

Mark in Az
08-23-2006, 09:13 PM
Not so long ago we ran that trail and met some guys dragging a 2WD F-150 to the cabins. Not saying they did any damage, but unfortunately almost any group can make it to the cabins. :(

Kaistie
08-24-2006, 01:24 PM
We all know exactly what happened. A bunch of low life scum bags went up there, probably under age and drinking, and vandalized the cabin. I used to see it all the time where i grew up. We always had desert parties and there was always a group of guys that had to destroy something, weather it was a cactus, an old structure, cars, something to draw attention to themselves...just immature and uneducated. Lets just keep educating these people and maybe make a difference. Good jobs guys on the qick response.
Nate