Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests
closes camping area for rehabilitation
Rainbow Family national gathering concludes as cleanup crews begin work
Gainesville, Ga. (July 6, 2018) - Today, U.S. Forest Service officials issued a camping closure order between July 8 and July 15 for the area used by the Rainbow Family of Living Light (RFLL) for its 2018 national gathering. Trail users and other visitors may still access the area during the day.
The RFLL began rehabilitating the site on the Chattahoochee National Forest, located near Bull Mountain, earlier today. Forest Service officials will evaluate the group's progress in the next few days and may extend the camping closure to allow for continued work. Trail users should exercise caution in the area until a final assessment is complete.
"Any time several thousand people concentrate in one area of the national forest, there are visible impacts to vegetation, soil and other natural resources," said District Ranger Andy Baker. "During the gathering, we worked hard to minimize effects to our local communities and the environment. Now that it is over, we are working with the participants to ensure that they pack out what they packed in and leave no trace for future visitors."
Cleanup and restoration efforts include:
- Trash removal, including abandoned camping supplies;
- Taking apart and scattering any constructed feature like clay ovens;
- Raking and loosening any compacted soil;
- Rehabilitating user-created trails;
- Removing constructed water crossings like bridges and stepping stones;
- Eradicating any constructed dams or pools to allow streams to return to their natural flow; and
- Covering latrines with soil and mound to account for settling over time.
Baker added, "We know the Jake and Bull trail system is very popular with visitors and is regularly maintained by dedicated volunteers. My intention is to make sure the area is left in a better condition than it was before the gathering."
