Right after the winter holidays, officials from 3 units of the Forest Service will be pondering how to best study public use on the Upper Chattooga River (NC/SC/GA). The officials will be discussing a range of possible study options, some of which include allowing paddling to occur, and others which do not.
The Forest Service will eventually have to make a decision based on this study, and limitations in the study will directly limit the management options on the table. In other words, if they don’t allow year-round paddling during the study process they will have an inadequate basis to allow year-round boating in the future. All other uses of the river corridor will presumably be allowed to occur in unlimited numbers during the study phase.
We are encouraging the Sumter National Forest to afford paddlers the same status as other recreationists during the study phase, and that they not limit the scope of the study by artificially limiting paddling use. Year yound paddling use of the entire river should be allowed throught the study.
There are two public forums in which paddlers can voice their concerns and opinions on the Sumter National Forest web site: a discussion board, and a comment tool on the right side of the following website: http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/fms/forest/projects/chatt.shtml. We ask that concerned paddlers consider sending in a comment using the comment tool. We suggest that comments ask that the USFS allow paddling to occur throughout the study process. This request is fair and reasonable and is the only way to collect real data on paddling use.
American Whitewater’s goal on the Chattooga is that fair, equitable, and nationally consistent river management be applied to the Wild and Scenic Chattooga River. To meet this goal the Forest Service must protect the ecological and scenic values that make the river special, while allowing all wilderness compiant uses to occur on the river. If use must be limited to protect the resource, tan it must be limited equitably. The current management of the Chattooga is unfair and we look forward to improved river management in the future.
Thanks to our many supporters on this issue, and Happy Holidays.