Ashley National Forest 

 2010 Year In Review 

 FO R E S T S U P E R V I S O R’ S L E T T E R 

Dear Friends, 

Occasionally I am asked about my vision for the Ashley National Forest. I typically 

frame my vision around three perspectives, i.e. forest resources, our users, and our 

employees. The Ashley National Forest is a scenic and productive forest with tremendous opportunities. The Forest has a reputation for providing multiple-uses in a 

manner that demonstrates good land stewardship. Many people care deeply for the 

Ashley. It is also apparent that we have a committed workforce. My personal vision is that our work environment encourages participation, that we celebrate diversity, dignity, ownership, job satisfaction, and employee growth. 

Natural resource management is not without controversy. There are many interests, 

and often they conflict. However, I must fall back on the mission and purposes for 

which Congress created our national forests. Our mission is broad and finding the 

right balance is a challenging problem and one we take seriously. Our national forests are a irreplaceable part of our 

American heritage, providing a wide variety of ecological, economic, and social benefits to current and future generations. Our challenge and responsibility as land stewards is to involve more people, incorporate science, and to make decisions that sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of our natural resources. 

In the following pages we have highlighted many of the accomplishments completed with partnerships that could only be 

accomplished with the passion and dedication of people like you. One milestone is after five years we completed the 

High Lakes Stabilization project. As part of the Uinta Basin Replacement Project and mitigation for the expansion of 

Big Sandwash Reservoir water rights and storage capacity were transferred from 13 lakes in the High Uintas Wilderness 

Area allowing us to begin restoring natural character to a human altered landscape. This past summer we stabilized the 

last two out of 13 lakes, Deer and East Timothy, both in the Swift Creek drainage. This was a tremendous partnership 

involving players from a variety of affiliations and sharing a common interest of water and wilderness stewardship. 

We continue to place an emphasis on connecting people with America’s great outdoors, renewing mind, body, and spirit, 

and inspring passion for the land. Despite changes in population and fluctuating visit use patterns, outdoor recreation is 

traditional part of the American way of life. We are fortunate to have a gem such as the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area and other developed and dispersed recreation opportunities across the Forest. 

The preceding paragraphs reflect our Intermountain Region’s legacy priority of water stewardship, i.e. restoring and 

maintaining water quality and biotic integrity, protecting public interests in water on National Forest System lands, and 

connecting people to lands that provide the very water resources they depend on. 

Thanks for all that you do helping us make a difference. 

KEVIN B. ELLIOTT 

Forest Supervisor 
V EGETATIO N MANAGEMEN T 

The purpose of the timber and vegetation program is 

to manipulate forest vegetation to maintain or promote 

the health and resiliency of forest ecosystems on the 

Ashley National Forest. 

 In 2010, four conventional timber sales were sold 

and two stewardship contracts with timber removal 

were awarded. A total of 1,315,800 cubic feet (CF) 

of timber was sold through permits, timber sale contracts, and stewardship contracts, and 792,700 CF of 

wood was removed, 522 acres of forest vegetation was 

(Continued on page 5) 

Fellerbuncher working on the 

Reservation Ridge Stewardship 

Project 

R ECR EATIO N EN H ANC EMEN T AC T 

More and more people recreate on national forests and 

grasslands every year. Meeting the increasing needs of 

these visitors, delivering quality recreation, heritage and 

wilderness opportunities, and protecting natural resources has become challenging. 

 To help address this issue, President Bush signed the 

Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA). 

The Act permits federal land management agencies to 

continue charging modest fees at campgrounds, rental 

(Continued on page 10) 

The entrance to Yellowstone 

Campground on the 

Duchesne/Roosevelt Ranger 

District 

AS H LEY NATIO NAL FO R ES T 

O IL AN D GAS AC TIV ITIES 

NEPA Projects 

Berry Environmental Impact State

ment (EIS): The Ashley National 

Forest continued work on the South 

Unit Oil and Gas Development 

(Berry) EIS, a programmatic proposal

from Berry Petroleum to drill up to 

400 new oil and gas wells over an 

approximate 20-year period. The 

Public Draft EIS was released for 

comments in February 2010. Since 

then, we've been reviewing the comments received, and updating the EIS 

-

Page 2 Volume 1, Issue 1 

documents, 

getting ready 

to release the 

Final EIS 

sometime in 

2011.

 Vantage Environmental Analysis 

(EA): The Ashley National Forest continued work on the Vantage EA 

(Vantage Energy Uintah LLC Ashley 

National Forest Oil and Gas Exploration 

Project Environmental Assessment) pro-

(Continued on page 5) 

“If bread is the 

first necessity of 

life, recreation is a 

close second.” 

Edward Bellamy 

American Author

“About 60 percent 

of the oil consumed 

daily by Americans 

is used for transportation, and about 45 

percent is used for 

passenger cars and 

light trucks.”

Sherwood Boeblert 

U.S.House of 

Representatives 

1983-2007 
Ashley National Forest Page 3 

Partnerships in land stewardship reflect 

a growing and important trend: the 

joining of passion and resources between groups to accomplish the task of 

caring for and managing our natural 

environment. During the past year, 

many accomplishments have been 

made possible through these collaborative efforts. Partnerships are involved 

in almost every aspect of Forest management --from watershed restoration 

and conservation, to improvements in 

recreation and transportation. 

 One example is a unique project that 

was completed through partnership 

with the Northeastern Utah OffHighway-Vehicle Working Group. In 

order to better educate the public on 

proper OHV use and provide travel 

route information, an interagency OHV 

visitor station was created. The station 

consists of a toy-hauler trailer outfitted 

to be a “rolling” education center. The 

trailer provides the ability to take materials and information to the public, 

wherever they may be located. Its debut this past year has been a huge success. It has been used at OHV events, 

county fairs, parades, and on-theground locations to distribute travel 

route information and provide a message to ride responsibly. 

 The OHV visitor station project was 

PARTN ER SH IPS IN LAN D 

S TEWAR D SH IP: A G R O W I N G T R E N D? 

a true partnership effort. Additional 

funding and contributions were made 

from Utah Parks and Recreation, Bureau 

of Land Management, State of Utah 

Schools and Institutional Lands Administration, Uintah County, Tread Lightly, 

and other organizations. 

 Another partnering success can be 

found at the Flume Trail in Dry Fork 

Canyon. This popular hiking and biking 

trail is one of the most heavily used paths 

on the Forest. Previously, the trail incorporated parts of the Red Cloud Loop road 

because of terrain and other obstacles. 

This created a concern with mixed pedestrian and motorized traffic use. 

 A solution was found by collaborating 

with several groups to reroute the trail. 

Utah Parks and Recreation shared in 

funding materials and labor. Students 

involved in a Youth Conservation Corp 

(Y.C.C.) program funded by the Uintah 

Impact Mitigation Special Service District assisted in the work. 

 According to Don Jaques, partnership 

coordinator for the project, “The students 

were great! They really jumped in and 

went to work. Before they started, nothing existed but a flagged route through a 

tangled mass of trees, shrubs, and rocks. 

When they finished, the route was there.” 

 Forest employees continued to work 

(Continued on page 4) 

“The success or 

failure of 

conservation today 

depends on building 

partnerships for 

community-based 

stewardship.” 

Dale Bosworth 

Former Chief 

U.S. Forest 

Service 

 
PR E SC R IB E D FIR E

The Ashley National Forest has an active 

hazardous fuel treatment program. In 2010, 

the Forest treated about twelve square miles 

or 8,100 acres for hazardous fuels. 

 About 6 square miles or 3,872 acres were 

treated with prescribed fire. Prescribed Fire 

is used to approximate the natural vegetative 

disturbance of periodic fire occurrence to 

maintain and restore fire dependent ecosystems. Generally, low intensity prescribed 

fire, is applied by trained experts to clear 

ground of dangerous fuels like dead wood 

and brush. Low intensity fire is vital to the 

life cycles of fire-dependent range and forest lands. Most prescribed fires are lit by 

crews using the drip torch, a hand-carried 

device that pours out a small stream of burning fuel. Other fires or burns are ignited by 

helicopters carrying a gelled fuel torch 

(helitorch) or a sphere dispenser machine 

that drops material to ignite the surface fuels. Exactly how each unit is ignited depends on weather, the lay of the land, and 

the intensity of the fire needed to meet the 

goal of the burn. 

 An additional six square 

miles or 4,044 acres were 

treated using mechanical methods, including thinning, piling 

and lop and scatter. 

 One project area of 184 

acres was seeded with fire 

friendly grass to assist in future 

prescribed fire treatments. 

Firefighter igniting a fire with a 

hand-held drip torch 

Page 4 Volume 1, Issue 1 

Prescribed Fire is used 

to approximate the 

natural vegetative 

disturbance of periodic 

fire occurrence to 

maintain and restore fire 

dependent ecosystems. 

http://

www.fs.fed.us/

fire/fireuse/rxfire/

rx_index.html 

PA R T N E R S H I P S I N L A N D

S T E W A R D S H I P C O N T I N U E D

on the trail throughout the 

year, installing retaining 

structures, a footbridge, 

and completing additional 

trail construction. Although the trail is not yet 

complete, it will be a 

wonderful contribution to 

the Forest. Opportunities 

for volunteer work will 

take place this summer, 

and additional partnerships are being developed 

to complete a trailhead 

area. 

 These are just two of 

many examples of partnering and collaborative 

efforts that occurred during the 2010 year. Special thanks to these and 

each of our partners who 

are making these successes happen. 

(Continued from page 3) 
OI L A N D GA S AC T I V I T I E S C O N T I N U E D

(Continued from page 2) 

ject. During 2010, we 

reviewed public and internal comments on the 

Vantage EA, prepared 

responses to those comments, and started working on a decision for the 

project. 

 Iron King EA: During 2010, the Ashley National Forest signed a decision on our Iron King 

Project, which is a proposal to conduct exploratory drilling for locatable

minerals in the Farm 

Creek area, along with 

construction of a temporary road to access the 

proposed drilling area. 

The decision approved 

the exploratory drilling 

and access road construction to proceed. The access road was then constructed by the project 

proponent, but because of

the last season, drilling 

activities have been postponed to the 2011 field 

season.

Ongoing Minerals Development: 

Oil and Gas Development: During 2010, 

Berry Petroleum constructed several new well 

pads, and drilled approximately 17 new oil and 

gas wells. This brings 

the total number of active 

or semi-active oil and gas 

wells on the Forest to 

approximately 37 wells 

(Continued on page 12) 

 

V EGETATIO N MANAGEMEN T 

C ON TINU ED 

Page 5 

(Continued from page 2) 

improved through precommercial thinning to 

improve future growth, 

1,350 acres were surveyed and determined to 

be fully stocked with 

trees and required no 

planting of trees and 20 

acres were planted. 

 The timber and vegetation program on the 

Ashley National Forest 

employs six full-time employees, two permanent 

full-time employees who 

are shared with the UintaWasatch-Cache National 

Forest and up to 8 seasonal employees. 

 In 2010, cutting unit 

layout, timber designation

and cruising was completed on approximately 

550 acres. Four additional sales totaling approximately 500,000 CF 

were prepared for sale in 

2011 . 

 Forest goals for the 

timber and vegetation 

program in 2011 include 

selling 1,102,300 CF of 

timber, improving vegetation on 600 acres and surveying 1,000 acres to ensure they are fully 

stocked with trees. 

 Other work includes 

spraying campgrounds to 

minimize tree mortality 

from bark beetles, distributing insect pheromones 

to prevent tree loss, coordinating noxious weed 

treatments on completed 

timber sales, and monitoring harmful insect activity and disease levels on 

the Forest. 

 The vegetation and 

timber program is active 

and working to maintain 

or promote the health and 

resiliency of forest ecosystems on the Ashley 

National Forest. 

Forests are key to clean 

water. 

About 80 percent of the 

Nation’s scarce freshwater 

resources originate on 

forests, which cover about 

one-third of the Nation’s 

land area. 

Publication: 

Water and the Forest 

Service 

January 2000 

http://www.fs.fed.us/public

ations/policyanalysis/water.pdf 

Ashley National Forest 
Page 6 Volume 1, Issue 1 

High Lakes Stabilization 

Multi-Agency Partnership in Action 

 After more than a decade of 

discussion, collaboration and planning, implementation of the High 

Lakes Stabilization Project began 

in the summer of 2006 and ended 

in the summer of 2010 achieving 

the goal of stabilizing 13 reservoirs within the High Uinta Wilderness Area at natural or nearnatural levels, restoring natural 

hydrologic functioning and removing the need for reservoir operation and maintenance activities 

within a Congressionally designated wilderness area. 

 The project was a cooperative 

effort of numerous state and federal agencies, as well as local water users and wilderness advocacy 

groups. The project was expected 

to take six to seven years to complete but was completed in just 

five years. Water storage rights for 

three reservoirs were transferred 

downstream to the recently 

enlarged Big Sand Wash Reservoir 

(located off-Forest), and specialuse permits for the wilderness reservoirs were retired (closed). 

 All of the reservoirs were built 

in the early 1900’s by EuroAmerican settlers who expanded 

the storage capacity of natural lakes 

with embankments and/or created 

tunnels and trenches with outlet 

works to access and control the outflow of water in the lake basins for 

irrigation of fields downstream. 

The reservoirs, associated outlet 

works, and primitive tools left behind are cultural resources that 

have been extensively documented, 

and have been preserved to the extent practical. 

 Complete removal and restoration of the reservoirs was not the 

objective, restoring natural lake 

levels and natural flows to the 

streams, removing the need for any 

operation or maintenance activities, 

and minimizing new impacts on the 

wilderness were the goals and they 

were all accomplished. 

 The project costs amounted to 

about 7 million dollars over a 5- 

year period. The reservoirs stabilized during this project included 

Bluebell, Brown Duck, Clements, 

Deer, Drift, East Timothy, Farmers, 

Five Point, Island, Kidney, Superior, Water Lily, and White Miller. 

 Through detailed annual planning, equipment, resources and 

personnel were gathered and employees were trained to move 

equipment into high mountain reservoirs within the High Uinta Wilderness Area to stabilize the spillways and dam structures. Through 

the use of government and outfitter 

pack strings and medium and 

heavy lift helicopters, and a combination of hand tools and motorized equipment the work associated with each reservoir was completed on or ahead of each year’s 

schedule. Impacts to wilderness 

characteristics were mitigated by 

minimizing the movement of 

tracked equipment and using manual labor where possible. 

 To ensure public safety work at 

each reservoir had to be completed 

in one field season often from the 

beginning or the middle of June 

through the end of September. 

This ensured that the breached 

spillway structures could withstand the spring runoff without 

incident. 

(Continued on page 8) 
Ashley National Forest Page 7 

Trail Crew clearing the path for pack strings. Pack String moving supplies to the worksite. 

Pack String moving supplies to the worksite. Clearing debris from worksite Burning debris at worksite Hand work 

Moving heavy supplies and equipment Loading equipment for fly in to worksite Preparing to pour cement in outlet 

Cement Work Working on outlet Working together to move dirt Equipment working on the outlet 

Finished outlet after project completion Another finished outlet after project completion 

Brian Paul, Project Coordinator, USFS 
HIGH LAKES STABILIZATION CONT’

 In order to increase the skill level of all employees engaged in this project work activities at 

the reservoirs were classified from the simplest to 

the most difficult in terms of design complexity 

and type and amount of earth that needed to be 

moved, and the equipment required to move it in 

one field season. Work was also scheduled in 

order to maximize logistical efficiencies, which 

were a function of geography, which contributed 

to the difficulty in identifying work targets for 

each field season. 

 Annually, before any work began, a minimum tools analysis was completed to determine 

the “minimum tool” needed to complete the 

work. This ensured maximum compatibility with 

the goals of wilderness management. For example, analysis showed that Farmer’s Lake reservoir, was a small project (36 cubic yards of material moved), and could be stabilized entirely by 

hand tools in one season. At Farmer’s Reservoir, 

a tunnel, used to access the lake’s natural storage 

basin was closed with spoils from the original 

excavation. This work was accomplished by 

hand crews which sealed the inlet, outlet, and a 

hazardous air shaft with native soil and rock. In 

2008, Clements Lake Dam (730 cubic yards of 

material moved) stabilization required the movement of a larger volume of material by two small 

skid steers and one small excavator in combination with hand tools and labor to accomplish 

work in a single season. This motorized equipment was flown in and out by a medium lift helicopter to ensure that wilderness values were protected in moving equipment to the reservoir deconstruction site. In 2010, the project faced its 

greatest challenge, East Timothy Reservoir Dam, 

which was constructed in 1951 with bulldozers 

and other large motorized machines. Due to the 

sheer mass of material to be moved (15,000 cubic 

yards of material moved) and deconstruction design challenges at East Timothy Reservoir, 10 

pieces of medium sized motorized equipment 

(Continued from page 6) 

Page 8 Volume 1, Issue 1 

with tracks, 4 of which were disassembled to meet 

flight weight restrictions, were flown in by heavy lift 

helicopter to perform the majority of the earthwork. 

Hand crews completed the detail work such as blasting 

to prepare rock for movement, sifting sand for concrete work, campsite management, and breaking, placing and removing small rock, as well as rerouting 

trails and some work site rehabilitation. 

 Brian Paul, High Lakes Stabilization Project 

Leader stated, “Without complete cooperation from all 

of the partners involved in this project it would not 

have been possible. Leaders in each organization ensured the safe and timely completion of this project 

without injury to employees or to the characteristics 

that make the High Uinta Wilderness Area special to 

many Forest visitors.” 

 There were many organizations with working roles 

in the completion of this project and deserve recognition. 

 They include the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and 

Conservation Commission, US Department of Interior’s Central Utah Project Completion Act Office, the 

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Central Utah Water 

Conservancy District, the Duchesne County Water 

Conservancy District, Moon Lake Water Users Association, the Utah State Division of Water Rights and 

Division of Wildlife Resources, Flying J Outfitters, 

and the United States Forest Service. 

 Hand crews from the Student Conservation Association and the USU Logan Utah Conservation Corps 

provided the majority of the hand labor during the project, and Forest Service employees including animal 

packers, trail crews, wilderness manager, wilderness 

rangers, engineers, lands and special uses manager, 

archaeologists, fire crews, recreation, wildlife and 

fisheries biologists, maintenance crews, and various 

administrators (contracts, agreements, purchasing), 

Fire & Aviation Officers, Public Affairs Officer, Planning personnel and a lot of others all provided critical 

support to accomplish the work. 
Ashley National Forest Acres:........1,382,347 

Acres in Utah:..................................1,286,124 

Acres in Wyoming:................................96,223 

Wilderness Areas Acres 

High Uintas Wilderness 

Ashley N. F..............................276,175

High Uintas Wilderness 

Wasatch Cache N. F.............. 180,530

Recreation 

Campgrounds (Family).....................60

Campsites....................................1,156

Campgrounds (Group)......................12

Picnic Areas.........................................8

Trailheads..........................................10

Total Trail Miles...........................1,196

ATV (All Terrain Vehicle)..........194

Biking.......................................325

Hiking.......................................939

Snowmobile.............................116

Total Road Miles..........................1,818

ATV.........................................1,151

 

Human Resources Work Value 

Volunteers..............................$84,000

Senior CommunityEnrollment Program............$212,000

Employees 

Permanent Employees..................126

Temporary/Seasonal.....................

Payments to Counties Amount 

Uintah County.........................$289,700

Duchesne County ..................$573,760

Daggett County ......................$542,868

Sweetwater County, WY...........$45,724

Utah County ...............................$8,046

Wasatch County ......................$63,657

Land Use Permits Collected 

Non-Recreation.184......................$39,001

Recreation.........100....................$189,863

Power...................16.........................$1,306 

 

Fire Management 

Fuel Treatment Acres........................4,044 

Prescribed Burn Acres.......................3,872

Number of Wildfires.................................14

Wildfires Acres Burned .........................166

Number of Wildland Fire Use Fires...........0 

Wildland Fire Use Acres Burned................0

 

Fish and Wildlife Habitat Improved 

Enhancement (Miles)................................2

Terrestrial Acres.................................3,305

Lake Acres ...............................................70

Stream Miles ...........................................16

 -Surveyed:

Terrestrial Acres...............................33,000

Aquatic Acres......................................1,000

Grazing 

Livestock Grazed

Horses ....................................................18 

Cattle ............................................12,857 

Sheep ............................................13,795 

Head Months Annually ....................90,958 

Allotments/Livestock Areas.....................71 

Ashley National Forest Headquarters 

ASHLEY NATIONAL FOREST STATISTICS 

Ashley National Forest Page 9 
Page 10 

(Continued from page 2) 

cabins, high-impact recreation areas and at dayuse sites that have certain 

facilities. 

On the Ashley National 

Forest fees are collected 

through the Flaming 

Gorge National Recreation Area, (FGNRA), 

passes sold at our local 

offices and campground 

fees across the Forest. 

Eighty-percent of the 

funds collected are returned directly to the Forest. 

In 2010 Recreation Act 

Enhancement, (REA), 

funds were used to support a workforce of employees and volunteers 

who perform compliance 

checks and resource protection patrols, informed 

the public of local fire 

restrictions, presented 

bear safety education and 

Smokey Bear interpretive 

programs at trailheads, 

interpretive sites, picnic 

areas, and fishing and 

boating sites along the 

Flaming Gorge Reservoir. In addition, REA 

funds provided safety 

patrols and site maintenance for guided and non

-guided floating trips 

down the Green River. 

Many tasks on the reservoir would not be accomplished without the enhanced funding provided 

through REA. Tasks 

such as maintaining reservoir buoys, collecting 

trash, cleaning and maintaining toilets, maintaining water and sewer systems for fishing and boating facilities at Buckboard, Lucerne, Firehole, 

and Little Hole recreation 

complexes. 

In 2010 funds were used 

to match funding from 

the Utah Division of 

Wildlife Resources to 

install a new floating 

restroom and boat pumpout station at Cedar 

Springs Marina that will 

be installed in 2011. 

New restrooms at Buckboard and Anvil Draw 

were funded with REA 

funds and matching 

funds from the State of 

Wyoming and will be 

installed in 2011. 

Work on the Dam Point 

Trail located near Flaming Gorge Dam. This 

project will create a new 

section of trail, a gangway and a fishing dock to 

facilitate fishing and 

boating near the visitor 

center, picnic area and 

dam. 

Outside of the Flaming 

Gorge National Recreation Area REA funds 

were used to maintain 

trailhead facilities and 

over 100 miles of trails in 

the High Uintas Wilderness Area, monitored 

wilderness conditions, 

funded employees for 

visitor contact and law 

enforcement and supported other backcountry 

areas in support of the 

outfitter and guide program. 

In 2010 funds were used 

in coordination with the 

Ashley National Forest 

Youth Conservation 

Corps Crew to refinish 

picnic tables, unit signs 

and posts, repaint restroom doors and trim and 

fix or replace fire rings at 

Paradise Campground. 

REA funds were also 

used to maintain access 

to rental cabins and yurts 

including winter cross

-

country ski and snowmobile trails. 

REA funding reduced the 

risk to campers and provided firewood by removing a large number 

of hazard trees from 22 

campgrounds. Sheep 

Bridge, along the main 

access trail to backcountry and the High Uintas 

Wilderness, was repaired 

with REA funds after 

sustaining damage from 

spring runoff in 2010. 

REA funding is used 

across the Ashley National Forest to maintain 

infrastructure and amenities for forest visitors. 

RE C R E A T I O N E N H A N C E M E N T AC T CO N T

’

Volume 1, Issue 1 
TRAVEL MANAGEMENT PLAN 

In June the Ashley National Forest distributed new Motorized 

Vehicle Use Maps (MVUMs) depicting routes open to motorized 

travel and areas open for motorized dispersed camping across 

the Forest. 

 The new Motorized Travel 

Management Plan designates 

1,458 miles of open roads and 

185 miles of open motorized 

trails for a total of 1,643 miles 

of open motorized routes Forest

‐wide. Some designated routes 

require work before opening to 

public use. 

 In 2010 the Forest focused 

on the distribution of the new 

travel maps and explaining the 

decision to forest visitors. Work 

began to update traffic signs 

across the Forest to depict the 

changes in motorized use and to 

clear routes designated in the 

plan that require additional 

work. 

 There are six maps in total 

with two for each Ranger District. Flaming Gorge Ranger District maps are separated by 

state, (Wyoming and Utah), Vernal Ranger District maps are 

separated by cardinal direction, 

(east and west), and Duchesne/

Roosevelt District Maps are 

separated by cardinal direction, 

(north and south). Motorized 

Vehicle Use Maps 

will be updated 

annually and a 

new map will be 

produced for 

2011. 

 Changes to the 

MVUM for 2011 

will include map 

corrections, and 

the addition of 

routes that have 

been cleared for 

public use. 

 The new MVUMs depict roads 

and trails open to all motorized 

vehicles, seasonal closures, 

trails open to motorized vehicles 

less than 50 inches wide, routes 

open to highway legal vehicles 

only, roads and trails where high 

ground clearance vehicles are 

recommended, and areas approved for motorized dispersed 

camping within 150 feet of designated routes in Utah and 300 

feet from designated routes in 

Wyoming. 

 The Travel Management Plan 

decision also states that motorized retrieval of big game animals is not allowed. 

 Maps for 2011 will be available at all Ranger District Offices and the Supervisor’s Office 

in Vernal in May or June of 

2011.

 Page 11 Ashley National Forest 
Page 12 

OI L A N D GA S AC T I V I T I E S C O N T I N U E D

(on 23 well pads). 

Mining and Minerals Exploration: 

 The Honeycomb Mine and Limestone Mine continued to operate during 2010, 

mining decorative calcite and chemical-grade limestone respectively. Various 

prospecting activities also occurred on the Dal Cuinn mining claims (drilling and 

sampling), Iron King Claims (road building), and various other locations on the 

Forest (hand-tools only). 

(Continued from page 5) 

 During the2010 fire season the Ashley National Forest experienced a total of 

14 fires burning a total of 166 acres. Of these 14 fires, 10 were lightning 

caused and 4 were human caused. Of the 166 acres, 1.2 burned as a result of 

human caused ignitions, with the remaining coming from lightning ignitions. 

2010 WILDFIRE SEASON 

District Total 

Number

Lightning 

Caused

Human 

Caused

Lightning 

Caused-Acres

Human 

Caused-Acres

Total 

Acres

Flaming 

Gorge 12 9 3 164.7 1.1 165.8

Vernal 0 0 0 0 0 0

Roosevelt 0 0 0 0 0 0

Duchesne 2 1 1 0.1 0.1 0.2

Total 14 10 4 164.8 1.2 166

Ashley National Forest 

355 North Vernal Avenue 

Vernal, Utah 84078 

USDA Forest Service, 

Intermountain Region 

Phone: 435-789-1181

Fax: 435-781-5142 

Email: ljhaynes@fs.fed.us 

We’re on the Web 

www.fs.fed.us/r4/ashley 

The U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) prohibits 

discrimination in all its programs and activities on the 

basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, 

age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or 

marital or family status. 

(Not all prohibited bases 

apply to all programs.) 

Persons with disabilities 

who require alternate 

means for communication 

of program information 

(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact 

the USDA Target Center at 

(202) 720-2600 (voice and 

TDD). To file a complaint of 

discrimination, write USDA 

Director, Office of Civil 

Right, Room 326-W, 

Whitten Building, 1400 

Independence Avenue, SW, 

Washington, DC 20250-

9410 or call (202) 720-

5964 (voice and TDD): 

USDA is an equal opportunity employer.