Purpose
To provide a comprehensive policy to govern access by Siletz Tribal members and others to the Tribe’s 15,000+acres of timberlands located in Lincoln and Douglas Counties. It is the intent of this policy to allow access for all legal recreational purposes.
Open Lands
Tribal timberlands that are not gated are open to the public for authorized motor vehicle access and access by other means, subject to the Tribe’s authority to close lands as described below. Where access to Tribal timberlands is through non-Tribal property, the Tribe cannot guarantee access across the non-Tribal property. All persons are subject to the access rules of the non-Tribal property owner while on the non-Tribal property owner’s property.
Gated Lands
Access to gated properties will be by permit only, except that no permit will be required for Tribal employees on official Tribal business, employees of the cooperating agencies and organizations listed below while on official business, Tribal contractors in order to fulfill the requirements of the contract, and holders of legal easements while they are within the area covered by the easement. Permits will be issued by the Tribal Natural Resources Department. Permits may be obtained in person or by mail after providing all information necessary to fill out the permit. Permits must be carried by the Permitee while on the Property and are not transferable. The Permitee may bring other persons (including non-Tribal members) on to the property with them, as long as the Permitee is present at all times. Each vehicle entering the property must have a permit and the Permitee must be in the vehicle. The permit covers all occupants of the vehicle. The permit will include the combination to the gate lock or a key to the gate lock (after providing any required key deposit), neither of which shall be shared with anyone else. Permits will state the purpose of the approved access and the duration of the access, but shall generally not exceed 30 days in length. Exceptions may include longer hunting seasons, etc.
Motorized Vehicle Access
Motorized vehicle access will be by street legal vehicles only. Use of ATV’s and motorcycles on Tribal timberlands is prohibited. Motorized vehicles are restricted to maintained rocked roads only. Motorized vehicle access to gated lands is restricted to the following persons only:
- Enrolled Siletz Tribal members;
- Guests of enrolled Siletz Tribal members when in the company of the Tribal member;
- Tribal employees on official Tribal business;
- Tribal contractors in order to fulfill the requirements of the contract;
- Cooperating agencies and organizations while on official business, including:
- Lincoln and Douglas County Sheriffs
- Oregon State Police
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Coos Forest Protective Association (fire control)
- Oregon Department of Forestry (fire control)
- Siuslaw National Forest (fire control)
- Holders of legal easements while they are within the area covered by their easement.
All Other Access
Unless otherwise prohibited below (i.e.: Bulls Bag property), persons not listed above may access gated properties with a permit by walk-in or other non-motorized means (horse, bicycle, etc.), and by boat.
Closures
The Natural Resources Manager may close all or portions of Tribal timberlands to non-official Tribal member and/or public access or for specific uses for the following purposes:
- Fire danger (Tribal fire season restrictions apply)
- Extreme weather events
- To prevent resource damage
- To protect threatened, endangered or culturally important species of plants or animals
- Public and/or contractor safety in the area of Tribal logging or other operations
- For cultural activities
- To provide the Tribal membership with sole use of an area
The following areas are specifically closed to non-official access for the following purposes and time periods (official access is at all times permitted):
- Bulls Bag: Closed to all access by non-Tribal members at all times, except Tribal members may bring a non-Tribal member guest(s) with them while they are on the property.
- Reed Creek: Closed to non-Tribal member vehicular access at all times; closed to all vehicular access during marbled murrelet nesting season (April 1 –September 15).
- Arnold Creek: Closed to non-Tribal member vehicular access at all times; closed to all vehicular access during marbled murrelet nesting season (April 1 –September 15).
- Tahkenitch: Closed to non-Tribal member vehicular access at all times.
- All Lands: When the Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) is:
- Level 2 and higher: Camping is prohibited.
- Level 3 and higher: Closed to motor vehicles.
- Level 4: Closed to all entry.
Camping
Camping will be allowed by permit on specific Tribal timberlands in designated areas only by Tribal members and their accompanying guests and by Tribal employees while on official Tribal business. The Natural Resources Department will issue permit(s) allowing overnight camping for no more than a total of ten days within any 30 day period. Open fires of any kind are prohibited. Until such time as appropriate facilities are developed, all camping will be classified as “rustic” or “undeveloped”. As such, all campers are responsible for providing for their own sanitation and trash removal. Clearing of brush and/or trees is prohibited.
Resource Extraction
Except as provided for in an official Tribal contract for sale, all extraction of resources from Tribal timberlands will be limited to Tribal members by permit only and only for personal and/or cultural use (no commercial extraction).
Penalties
The Natural Resources Manager, upon discovery of a violation of this policy by permit holders,may impose penalties on the violator(s) commensurate with the severity of the violation, including, but not limited to:
- Termination of the current access permit
- Suspension of access permit privileges for a specified period of time
- Banning of the person from the property or properties for a specified period of time
- Assessment of damages and use of all appropriate methods of collection
The Natural Resources Manager shall give written notice to the alleged violator, including a statement of the facts constituting the violation and the penalty(ies) for the violation. The notice shall also inform the alleged violator that he or she has the right to appeal the Manager’s decision to the Natural Resources Committee. The Notice shall include an appeal form and instructions on how to appeal the order to the Committee.
Non-permit holders acting in violation of this policy are and shall be treated as trespassers and may be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, including prosecution for damages sustained to Tribal lands or resources by the trespasser.