Outer Limits 4x4 Board

CanberraMav wrote:I dont know what they are trying to accomplish??

possibly keeping 4wders out?

CanberraMav wrote:Yea but they only blocked off some and not others. The ones they did block off were inaccesable by most 4wders so i dont see the point. Now everyone will be driving the limited tracks that are left over and they will be trashed in no time. (especially when the snow comes)

Zute wrote:Saw the Bull dozer working today in the rain, placing tree trunks across the access road to jeep hill. This is also the acces to the back of the wild life reserve across the cotter. I wonder if there is any plan in place or is the dozer driver just doing this off his own bat ?

"road decommissioning of approximately 100 km of road;"

"Forestry operations have lead to a high density of roads in the lower Cotter. Several studies have found roads to be a major, if not dominant source of sediment to streams in catchments used for plantation forestry and timber extraction. The removal and better drainage of roads is likely to have a beneficial impact upon water quality in the LCC in the short and long term (Rustomji and Hairsine, 2006)."

3.11 Access for recreation and other uses
Prior to the 2003 bushfires, the LCC was a popular recreation area for a range of activities including high impact pursuits such as car rallies, trail bike riding and four wheel driving. The LCC was available for day-use recreation with only the foreshores of the Cotter Dam closed to public access. No camping or overnight facilities were provided. Picnic areas and the camping area in the Cotter precinct below Cotter Dam are popular for picnicking and sightseeing. This area however, is not included in the study area for this plan.
The main activities that took place in the LCC include:
• horse riding (including equestrian events);
• mountain bike riding (including down-hill mountain biking events);
• fishing;
• swimming;
• picnicking;
• car rallies;
• trail bike riding;
• dog exercise (including dog sledding events);
• four wheel driving;
• recreational driving;
• walking, bushwalking, running (including fun runs and similar events); and
• events – e.g. rogaining, orienteering.

The 2003 bushfires caused significant damage to the catchment and most of it was temporarily, unsafe or unsuitable for recreational use. The number of visitors entering the catchment is gradually increasing as the landscapes recover and the amenity improves. The Environment Protection Authority has not authorised car rallies in the catchment since the fires and it is unlikely that such uses will be permitted until the vegetation has recovered and road infrastructure is at a suitable standard.
Visitor impacts are typically physical in nature, but it also may be social whereby the experience of other visitors is affected in some way.

4.1.3c) Revise the modified road network plan for the catchment to be consistent with the recommended change in land use policy. Roads are a major source of sediment to streams and a progressive reduction in the number of roads will result in considerable improvement to water quality.
The road network will be determined primarily by requirements for fire management operations. (See Map 7 Indicative Road Map for roads required for fire suppression.) Roads that are additional to fire suppression requirements may be retained if they are needed for management purposes such as:
• fire fuel management;
• revegetation and restoration programs;
• weed control;
• soil erosion control measures; and
• water monitoring.

A greater level of management access will be required while rehabilitation work is being undertaken. Access roads will be progressively closed as vegetation re-establishes and restoration work completed.

0-1 year
EACT (in consultation with ESA and ACTEW)
(2007) for road plan.
Review plan annually.

0-20 years
(2026) for progressive closure of roads.
EACT with ACTEW

4.1.3d) Close, remove, rehabilitate or upgrade roads that are a direct source of sediment to streams. Priorities for road closures and rehabilitation will be those that:
• occur in erosion hot spots;
• are in areas with erosion susceptible soils; and
• are located in riparian areas and are not required for management purposes (see Map 3 Soil Erodibility and Erosion Hot Spots).

mattc wrote:
The map of which roads are being closed is not a public document, but we can show you this map and further explain our intensions.

physh wrote:

But I'd still like to know which tracks they're closing!