The Tumalo Natural Area (TNA) is land under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that includes a subset of the Winter Range Cooperative Closure area plus land to the east of the eastern boundary.

The compatible uses for the first phase of the Tumalo Natural Area is described in detail in the Upper Deschutes Resource Management Plan, 2005.  This plan was the result of extensive public consultation meetings organized over several years by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).   BLM has given the following designations to its lands in the Tumalo Natural Area:

• Primary Wildlife Emphasis (PWE),
• an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) and
• Non-Motorized Recreation Exclusive (N-MRE) .

The bottom line here is that

• off highway/road vehicles are prohibited except on Sisemore Road and for purposes of access to private property by owners and,
• firearm discharge is prohibited except during hunting season with a valid permit in hand.

Quick Links to specific sections in the UDRMP applicable to the Tumalo Natural area:

• Introduction, Goals and Vision – beginning on Page 22)
• Recreation – Tumalo Recreation Area – beginning on Page 134)
• Public Health and Safety – beginning on Page 146)

The fTWC have undertaken a series of projects to advise users of the Tumalo Natural Area of the implications of the BLM designations.  Specifically:

• We are maintaining existing parking areas,
• We have erected information kiosks and signs clustered around the 3 major access points
  • Sisemore Road north
  • Couch Market Road
  • Sisemore Road south
• Progressively physically closed the multiplicity of user-initiated trails used for non-permitted off-road motorized vehicles.

See our Projects and Blog pages for detailed ongoing initiatives.