Operating Plan and Site Rehab Plan

HEALTH & SAFETY

1. Individuals are responsible for their own health and safety. [3]
2. In the event of an emergency, contact appropriate emergency personnel. [2]
3. 911 emergency services are available throughout Vermont.
   Cell phones may not work at the location of the Gathering. The nearest phone is located in the Town of Granville.

PARKING

1. General parking will be up FR 50 above the area posted “No Parking”.
   Parking will be on the west side of the road facing out to FR 55. [5]
   There are landings and openings along the road that may be used if they are dry enough.
2. Bus Village will be within the lower meadow of the Rob Ford site, on the east side of FR 207. One entrance/exit will be designated for meadow parking.
3. Should it become necessary for additional parking, an area will be identified by Forest personnel.

Signs saying “No Parking” will be placed by the Forest Service, which retains the authority to designate parking areas. [4] The following areas will not be used for parking

1. There shall be no parking on West Hill Road also known as FR 55.[6]
2. There shall be no parking in the lower meadow (on the west side of FR 207) of the Rob Ford site.
3. Signs stating “No Parking This Side” will be placed every 500 feet on the east side of FR 50.
4. Wet areas within parking meadows will be flagged off and posted “No Parking”.

Vehicles (except administrative and emergency vehicles) are not permitted north of the Welcome Home Kitchen on FR 207. For purposes of this rule, we assume that Welcome Home Kitchen is on FR 207 between the designated parking area and the point where the road enters the forest. [6]

Vehicles are not permitted outside of designated roads and parking areas.

SANITATION

Water may be piped to the site.

All water must be treated in accord with approved practice.

Compost and gray water pits attached to kitchens shall be covered at all times with 6 mil. polyethelene or similar material and shall be located at least 100-feet from all bodies of water (streams, ponds, wetlands, etc.).

Compost pits shall no longer be used and filled with soil when contents are within 15-inches of the surface.

All campsites and kitchens shall be located at least 100 feet from all water.

Latrines shall be constructed at least 100 feet from all bodies of water (streams, ponds, wetlands, etc.). Latrines should be located, to the extent possible, in the driest soils. Latrines shall be at least 36-inches deep and be covered with plywood or other similar material when not in use. Latrines shall be filled in with soil when their contents are within 15-inches of the surface. Buckets of lime and/or wood ash shall be provided at each latrine and shall be spread on waste after each use.

The following types of latrines are acceptable:

• Pit style: One hole to collect human waste.
• Trench style: A linear trench that is filled in as needed.

FIRE

Take suppression action on any escaped fire immediately and notify the Forest Service as soon as possible.

If weather conditions are excessively dry, the FS shall place an appropriate fire ban at their discretion.

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Therefore:

1. do not use or remove the stones from foundations, stone walls, wells or other features for use in fire rings, ovens or other constructions;
2. do not camp in or directly next to these historic sites;
3. enjoy visiting and examining the sites, but do not dig into them, remove artifacts/objects, or otherwise disturb them.

GENERAL SITE CONCERNS

Sensitive resources areas shall be signed and/or flagged by Resource monitors to keep people out. Gatherers shall maintain the flagging and signing. Forest Service personnel shall be notified if there are problems in specific areas.

Wet areas such as seeps, poorly drained soils and wetlands support a variety of sensitive flora and shall be avoided, even if not flagged off by Resource monitors.

The use of soap in the White River and its tributaries shall be discouraged.

GATHERING CLEAN-UP

• All rock fire rings, rock piles and other user-created structures are to be obliterated and dispersed. Materials brought into the site shall be removed. Sod removed when pits are dug should be set aside to be replaced during site rehab.
• All signs, flagging, waterlines, and trash shall be removed from the Forest.
• All water bars or other erosion control devices shall be cleaned and returned to full utility.
• For all bare soil areas (kitchens, filled in pits, gathering areas, etc.):
  • Using a grub hoe or mattock[1], scarify the compacted areas deep enough to break up the compacted soil.
  • Add water bars on slopes that could erode.
  • Seed bare areas with an approved seed mix (must not contain non-native invasive species) suited to late summer seeding to protect against erosion.
  • Mulch bare soil areas using leaves from nearby.
  • Anchor mulch on slopes with tree limbs or similar debris.
  • Heavily used areas should be fertilized. Lime should be applied at a rate of 2 tons per acre, and 10-6-4 slow release, 10-20-20, or something similar should be applied at a rate of 300 or 500 pounds per acre, respectively, for the two specified fertilizers. No fertilizing should be done within 100 feet of water sources (streams, wetlands, ponds, etc.)

List of changes

[2] Removed reference to contacting Law Enforcement in an emergency. It said (and still says) "or appropriate authorities". No doubt the LEOs think they are appropriate authorities, so the alternative is redundant.

[3] Added this assertion of individual responsibilty from the Wyoming health and safety plan.

[4] The plan as I first got it said "signs shall be placed" several times with no indication of who would place them. I assume that the FS wants to decide where the No Parking areas are, but I fear they may be expecting the Rainbows to provide signs. I do not have any such signs, and if I did I would not feel right about posting them on public roads.

[5] Changed "shall" to "will" to be consistant with the previous sentence. The original alternated "shall" and "will" with no reason I can see.

[6] Changed "the town highway" to "West Hill Road" for clarity. If that is not what was meant, then someone else had better clarify.

[7] Added description of where I assume everybody assumes the Welcome Home Kitchen will be.

[8] The section on parking has been ordered so that the positive plan is first, and description of "No Parking" is separated.