COEUR d'ALENE - Local U.S. Forest Service officials met with a handful of Hayden Creek cleanup organizers on Monday to discuss forming an official group to help self-police the area in the future.

They are looking for volunteers.

"We've done this before. In 1992 we did this on the Canfield Mountain trail loop system," said Andy Boggs, who manages trails and recreation for the Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District. "We went to a group of motorcyclists and they formed a group called the Panhandle Trail Riders Association."

Boggs said once that group formed and started working with the Forest Service to prevent unnecessary vandalism of the trail system in the area, the trail system improved and far less vandalism occurs in the area than did in years past.

In fact, the Forest Service works with 18 different special interest groups that have adopted some responsibility for maintaining different areas of the forest for special uses, such as horseback riding, bicycling, hiking and snowmobiling.

The Forest Service uses what is called a Challenge Cost Share process to provide support for these groups and the groups take care of things like downed trees, trail maintenance and litter collection.

"They also provide a presence in the area and that seems to help deter some of the activity like we are seeing up on Hayden Creek," Boggs said.

When the Forest Service closed camping on Hayden Creek back in 1990, Boggs said the human presence was lost and that is when a lot of the mud bogging started in the area. The agency worked with Hayden Lake Watershed Association to block off some of the more sensitive areas to motorized vehicles, which solved some of the problem.

"Then the Fernan shooting range was closed. That increased the shooting activity in Hayden Creek," he said.

The shooting activity grew beyond the traditional shooting pit area, and makeshift shooting ranges have cropped up in nearly every draw that is accessible from the main Hayden Creek Road.

The ranges are trashed with litter, beer cans, shell casings, household appliances and even at times abandoned cars that are being used as targets.

"Now residents are putting some pressure on us to do something," Boggs said.

Chad Hudson, district ranger, said his agency is looking at imposing new rules in the area that would restrict shooters to using paper targets with wood backing, or pre-manufactured targets designed for target practice.

But he would like to have some shooting enthusiasts involved in a group that would work with the Forest Service on enforcement, cleanup activities and signage in the area.

"The future vision is not going to happen immediately. We envision something that can be put together over time," he said. "But we need someone to step forward and do it."

Geoff Harvey, with the 10-year-old Hayden Lake Watershed Association, said his group is planning to discuss the issue later this week.

"We already have a presence up there and we are concerned that a lot of the stuff being shot up there is hazardous waste," he said. "I can take this to the board on Wednesday. I know there is some interest, but I can't guarantee anything."

Staff Sgt. Joshua McKay, with the Silver Lake Young Marines, said his group is also concerned.

"We've been involved in two cleanups in the area," he said. "We are concerned about the potential for closure up there."

He said there are very few places for shooting enthusiasts to do their target practicing. He keeps his kids involved in keeping the area clean, but he said his group is probably too small to make an impact on its own.

Hudson said his office has received several phone calls from residents willing to help, the Forest Service just needs to get a group started to get the project off the ground.

"It is a good time for us to harness some of this energy and get this started," he said.

Bob Balser, who organized a cleanup of the pit area recently, said he would help get the group organized and started. He said volunteers can contact him if they want to get involved.

"Well, it looks like we cracked the shell on this thing," Balser said. "We have had more of presence up there, and I think we have made an impact. I like the direction this is going."

Boggs offered to help Balser with organizing the volunteers and to set the next meeting date. For more information on how to volunteer contact Balser at (208) 691-0511.