TUCSON, AZ - Some of the underutilized facilities in the Coronado National Forest are being considered for removal from recreation sites in response to safety concerns and changing recreational demands.
These changes are being made to protect river and lake areas, lower operations and maintenance costs, save taxpayer dollars, and retire deferred maintenance of the sites.
Facilities which are unsafe, unserviceable, redundant, or rarely used may be removed.
Forest officials say many of the facilities are aging, causing serious safety concerns.
All work would be done between October 2009 and September 2010.
On the Douglas Ranger District (Chiricahua Mountains), planned work includes removal of a toilet and unserviceable tables and grills at Herb Martyr Campground. A gate would also be installed to prevent vehicular access. Parking would be available at the lot above the site.
Sycamore Campground would be expanded and West Turkey Creek Campground demobilized. Serviceable tables and grills would be moved from West Turkey Creek Campground to Sycamore Campground.
On the Nogales Ranger District (Santa Rita Mountains), planned work includes removal of facilities in the floodplain, including a toilet at Lower White Rock Campground. (A new toilet would be built at Upper White Rock Campground with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.)
On the Sierra Vista Ranger District (Huachucha Mountains), planned work includes removal of one of two restroom buildings from Reef Townsite Campground.
On the Santa Catalina Ranger District (Santa Catalina Mountains), planned work includes removal of restroom buildings at Shuttle Stops #3 and #5 in Upper Sabino Canyon. Four picnic sites would be removed from Bear Canyon Overlook, with the picnic tables being moved to Sycamore Campground on the Douglas Ranger District. Rarely used picnic tables throughout Sabino Canyon would be relocated to Sycamore Campground. Gates would be installed at Butterfly Trailhead and Box Elder Picnic Site.
All areas will remain open for use (except during construction activities).
The improvements are part of the Recreation Facility Analysis study being conducted on the Coronado and other national forests across the country.
The public is invited to submit written comments by November 15, 2010 in the following ways:
Email to southwest-comments
-coronado@fs.fed.us (Place "RFA" in the subject
line.)
FAX comments to (520) 388-8305 (ATTN: RFA)
Mail comments to Coronado National Forest, 300 W. Congress St.
Tucson, AZ
85701 ( ATTN: RFA)
For more information regarding the proposed changes, you can call (520) 388-8300 or visit the
Coronado National Forest website.
