Southcentral 'green dot' road management public meeting scheduled March 22 in Selah

YAKIMA -- The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host a public meeting on Thursday, March 22, in Selah about changes to "green dot" road management in southcentral Washington.

Both agencies will provide information and take public comments on updates and proposed changes at the meeting, which will run from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Senior Room of the Selah Civic Center, 216 S. 1st St., in Selah. 

The green dot road management system marks roads in Yakima and Kittitas counties that are open to public motorized vehicle use. Marked with a round green reflector on a white route marker, these roads provide access to camping, hunting, off-road vehicle riding and other recreational activities.

Proposed changes include the addition of green dot roads on the Quilomene and Whiskey Dick units of the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area, said Ross Huffman, WDFW southcentral region lands operations manager. Developing a green dot road system in the "green gate" area of the Quilomene Unit is an objective of the interagency Naneum-to-Columbia River Recreation Plan.

Updates include the loss of public access across private land adjacent to the Ahtanum State Forest, said Joe Smith, DNR southeast region forest operations manager.

Huffman and Smith note that road use across private property adjacent to the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area and Naneum Ridge State Forest could also be affected.

Road management on the Colockum, Wenas, and Oak Creek road management areas will also be discussed at the meeting.

Additional information about the green dot road system is available at https://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/green_dot/