Working to Keep Trails Open

[SteveLCetc]

This was brought to my attention:

http://tinyurl.com/23kbr

Our local group (HDCruisers) is trying to figure out where money would be best spent keeping trails open - Around here we have the
Southwest 4 Wheel Drive Association - http://www.swfwda.org/
United 4 Wheel Drive Associations - http://www.ufwda.org/
Blue Ribbon Coalition - http://www.sharetrails.org/
Tread Lightly - http://www.treadlightly.org/
And who else?
We're trying to find out which one has the lowest overhead and does the most in line with what we want.
Any input is appreciated.
Thanks,
Steve H

 

[woody]

I keep memberships active in United and Blue Ribbon right now, outta get myself in with Tread Lightly too.

 

[SteveLCetc]

I keep memberships active in United and Blue Ribbon right now, outta get myself in with Tread Lightly too.

What have they done as far as keeping trails open lately?

 

[woody]

Lately?

Lately I have had zero free time to keep up with the happenings of either organization. I DO know that my state association has split into two competiting associations (neither one of which I support anymore) and that my regional association has been stagnant for years. (interestingly, I refuse to wheel in Wisconsin anymore...for a variety of reasons)

I just received my latest BRC publication, may actually have to get some reading done for once. BRC seems much more into the ATV, cycle, and snowmobile scene, but that's largely due to the apathy presented by the 4wd community as a whole.

I've in many ways resigned myself that the future is in private parks...our state FS offices are hell bent on limiting "us" to one 25 mile stretch of sand and mud...and even that appears to be near-gone. The latest 10-year Forest Plan, for which I burned 5 of my available 10 vacation days to sit in on meetings while piles of university professors just called field trips for their class of tree hugger students, ended up being a complete waste of my time, since EVERY alternative proposed in their drafts options reduced the available land for motorized recreation.


I am WAY out of the loop, I "dropped" in frustration about 2 years back and have really let my own involvement bomb.

 

[gater75]

Well, FWIW, TREAD Lightly is operatred in conjunction with the US Forest service, or at least they spawned it. BRC does do mostly ATV/boats, but they are involved with vehicles, I think there is a bigg push to ban the ATV's also at present.
Rod

 

[TRT2]

SteveL...

if you were looking to donate to any generic Charity group, then I would agree that overhead and operating costs are a consideration.

but if you are looking to donating money in support of keeping trails open, then I would propose that your club target organizations that work to keep 'Your' local trails open.

In other words, target groups in your geographic area that are working in support of trails that your club utilize.

for instance, here in CA, I strongly support FOTR (Friends of the Rubicon) because they are actively working in support of a trail that our club uses all the time. Also, money given to FOTR supports the efforts of Del Albright who is very active in the off road community.

On that note, I believe FOTR probably has the lowest overhead of them all and ask that you consider donating to FOTR on that note.

BRC is probably the biggest organization taking the battle to the court room and although their overhead might be higher, these are battles we all need to support.

Unfortunately, I am not currently aware of any overhead comparison between the major off road groups. You'll probaby have to do some home work there... but please let us know what you find!

thanks!

 

[SteveLCetc]

Thanks Tony.

While it's true that donating to a local group is potentially more immediately gratifying, I think pooling our resources and changing the national attitude is more necessary for a long term benefit.

That said, we out west have a somewhat different focus, since we have a lot of Forest Service and BLM land to wheel on, whereas back east it's mostly private land.

It won't be a local group that changes the direction of Federal govt. It'll have to be national or regional. A local group can change the mind of a single govt. employee, that's all. When that one retires that benefit will be gone, and typically those with that type of influence are close to retirement as well.

Steve H

 

[SteveLCetc]

Feds to let states choose

Just as I was saying that this turns up:

http://tinyurl.com/3tb9c

 

[PaLCruiser]

Hence on saving your GPS tracks, writing down the date and location of every four wheel trip you take. Be it road number, trail name, latitude and longitude. However else you can indicate the whereabouts of a particular road. PLEASE READ "Road and trail inventory needed to save our access" in the United Voice spring issue 2004. This article alone is what has me motivated. Thanks