August 2026 - monthly meeting
Quick recap
The August One Voice meeting focused on updates and discussions regarding land use issues, including the Blue Mountain Forest Plan revision, roadless rule changes, and travel management. Marcus led the meeting and began with a good news section where participants shared updates about trail openings and maintenance projects. Jeff Knoll provided updates on One Voice's documentation efforts, including upcoming publications on Blue Mountains and the roadless rule, emphasizing the organization's commitment to accurate information over quick releases. Regional updates included joint comments submitted on lands with wilderness characteristics, and Scott suggested creating a list of roadless rule misapplications to help clarify future regulations. Angie reported on grant applications for bilingual signage projects, noting challenges with BDR partnership and ongoing efforts to secure funding and local contacts in California. The conversation ended with discussions about implementing an incident command system across organizations and updates on specific trail access issues, including the closure of the Schubarth Trail in Colorado due to private landowner actions.
Next steps
Jeff
•Finalize and publish the Blue Mountain documentation (FAQ and sample letter) after vetting, aiming for late this week or early next week.
•Finalize and publish the document on the Roadless Rule, aiming for next week.
•Edit and finalize the press release on the Travel Rule.
•Extend the scope of the operations subcommittee to include developing an incident command system, and recruit volunteers for the project.
Angie
•Focus on the bilingual signage grant project, specifically for the San Bernardino National Forest (San Jacinto District). Reach out to Josh for contacts.
Josh
•Provide Angie with contacts for the San Bernardino National Forest (San Jacinto District) and Hemajipa club.
Marcus
•Connect Angie with the State of the Trail contacts and the president of CCMR for potential signage projects in Colorado.
Trail Management and Updates Meeting
The meeting began with Marcus Trusty, chairman of One Voice, welcoming attendees and emphasizing the importance of confidentiality for internal discussions. Kerry shared positive updates about the reopening of the Morrison Jeep trail and a planned work party on September 12th to reroute a road around a collapsed bridge in Sweetgrass County. Chad reported on a recent meeting with CCMR, TPA, and CPW regarding the potential opening of previously unmanaged trails in their area, with the new District Ranger expressing interest in moving forward with NEPA processes.
Forest Management Initiatives Update
The group discussed several ongoing initiatives including the roadless rule, travel rule, and Blue Mountains forest plan revision. Jeff reported that documentation on Blue Mountains and roadless rule would be published within the next week, emphasizing the importance of accurate information over speed of release. The team also discussed progress on a communications code of conduct for influencers and updates on subcommittees for operations, funding, and communication. Marcus noted that comments had been submitted on August 14th regarding lands with wilderness characteristics, joint with AMA and One Voice.
Roadless Rule Implementation Feedback
Scott provided feedback on the regional and roadless rule discussions, suggesting the creation of a list of areas where the roadless rule was misapplied to help clarify future implementations. He highlighted two specific examples: the Manny LaSalle case involving 90,000 acres and issues with naming management areas to avoid confusion with congressional designations.
Marcus followed up by asking about tracking roadless rule applications at the individual route level, to which Scott agreed would be helpful and noted discrepancies between the 1980 rare inventory and 2001 roadless rule acreage numbers.
Bilingual Signage Grant Project Update
Angie provided updates on two grant-related projects. She reported that BDR's executive director declined to partner on trail signage due to branding concerns, though Angie will continue focusing on the bilingual signage project. For the bilingual signage project, Angie has connected with contacts in San Bernardino National Forest and reached out to local clubs for volunteer support, while awaiting responses from key contacts including the Forest Recreation Officer. The grant application is largely complete except for final cost estimates, which depend on identifying vendors and sign quantities.
Project Timelines and Funding Opportunities
The group discussed project timelines and funding opportunities, with Angie reporting that bilingual signage has good potential while BDR and wayfinding projects appear unlikely. Kerry asked about grant funding requirements, and Marcus and John confirmed that volunteer hours can be used as a match at a standard rate of $26 per hour for Forest Service projects. The discussion concluded with Angie seeking help to connect with San Bernardino National Forest contacts or relevant groups for potential collaboration.
San Jacinto District Grant Application
The team discussed a grant application for the San Jacinto District in San Bernardino National Forest, with Angie explaining that while much of the content would carry over to different areas, the rail-specific components would need revision. Josh offered to provide local contacts in the Hemet area, including connections with Friends of San Bernardino National Forest. Chad informed the group that the America the Beautiful Foundation grants are currently closed, though more funding may become available in the future, and Marcus committed to connecting Angie with contacts for Colorado-based projects including State of the Trail initiatives and CCMR.
Incident Command System Implementation
The group discussed implementing an incident command system, with Angie proposing to extend the scope of an existing operations subcommittee to establish standardized procedures as the coalition grows. Jeff mentioned a publication on this topic and noted that Del Albright had developed a comprehensive system, though he was unable to attend the meeting. During the roundtable discussion, Kerry reported that approximately 26 oak router signs worth about $7,000 were stolen from a trail system in Little Bear, and Patrick raised concerns about a closed gate blocking the Schubarth Trail in Rampart Range. Fred suggested