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Re: [RC] [Guest] Trails in the Southern National Forest (long) - Jim HollandSharon King gatrail@xxxxxxxxxxxxx I agree with Roger. The National Forest in this area is not attempting to close all trails or established "designated" areas to equestrians. I read the plan...upon what information do you arrive at this conclusion? Roger has a good land manager to work with. That is also the case in my area...however, unless you can give me facts to back up this statement, I respectfully disagree! I need to hear that from the FS. Their focus, is the management of the Forest, and this is very difficult to do, when not only equestrains, but other users continue to utilize the entire forest as their playground through the continued building of trails to allow access from private residences, the use of trails that are not sustainable, not to mention the building of "renegade" trails throughout the forest. In the first place, the National Forests ARE a playground...for ALL users. There are users in all groups that "abuse" the forest to some extent, and IMHO, the FS is singling out Equestrians in this plan. By FS estimates, there are over 50 miles of illegal ATV trails in the Cohuttas alone. In the 2nd place, they are "lumping" all the SE forests into one group, which I submit is unacceptable. Riparian environment and soil conditions between the Ocooee in Southern Georgia and the rocky mountains of the Cherokee/Chattahoochee in Northern Georgia and Tennessee are VERY different. The FS should establish "guidelines" for land managers to protect the forest and give them the latitude to make decisions on a local basis. The current plan is like establishing a 35 mph speed limit for the entire United States without regard to road conditions or driving conditions. Anyone that has dealt with FS in establishing "designated" trails within the forest realize the process that has been established by laws such as the Environmental Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act and the hoops that must be jumped through to appease the environmentalist and government regulations in order that the FS is not open for lawsuits. Many times this slows approval of trails and cost much in funding to fight legal battles that could be used in far better methods. Yes....as a matter of fact, if you wanted to designate a "local trail" as a designated horse trail, from the time you proposed it to the FS until the time designation takes place, expect AT LEAST TWO YEARS...if at all. This is part of the problem. Horses are a multi-billion dollar industry in Georgia....the State of Georgia and the FS have not kept pace by providing funding for appropriate recreation trail needs. If it were not for the local trails that disperse horse usage over the entire forest, "designated" trails would be irreparably damaged by overuse. In addition, MOST local trails are lightly ridden, heavy growth, single track and typically use old FS logging roads or roadbeds and have little impact on the forest environment. "Designated" FS horse trails are 10 feet wide x 10 feet high...which in MHO, is an issue which needs to be addressed. A trail bed this large increases the impact of rain and runoff, since it is usually "unsheltered" by tree cover, but that's another issue. Yes, there are local trails that are abused, overused, and poorly designed, but the FS should address THESE areas through the local land manager, not paint the entire equestrian community with the same brush. We as equestrians must see both sides of the coin, objectively. The people of the U.S. (through our elected officals) placed these regulations on the FS that they must meet in order to accomplish any project within the Forest, "it's the LAW". These Guidelines also dictate access to ALL trails within the National Forest because they too must meet these specifications. So to speak, we have been getting a free ride all these years because there has been no means to enforce this, and I'm not sure if this plan passes as it is now that they will have the means to do so in the foreseeable future. Agreed....and one of the first rules of government is not to pass laws you can't enforce. (Prohibition was a perfect example) This is another reason that the FS should scale this plan down to something they can manage AND focus on education, local regulation, and working with local equestrians to manage the problem and police themselves. You should also look at the safety and maintenance aspects of undesignated trails, they are a management nightmare. If a rider is lost or even worse hurt, there is no simple way that the FS or rescue teams could assist, if the area is such that they can not get help to the rider <even> if they are able to locate them. Within a designated system at least you could have some means of locating a rider and getting assistance to them. As a member of Fannin County Mounted Search and Rescue, I haven't seen this problem...even in the remote Cohutta Wilderness. Perhaps in the West, this is an issue, but not in the relatively heavy populated East. Then there is the maintenance issue. Manpower and funding is limited and continues to be decreased yearly; with much more funding going to fighting fires due to the years of mismanagement to appease the environmentalist (but that is another issue). This is where equestians and other users can assist by helping maintain trails. This is a simple process, by an organization signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with FS or an individual signing a volunteer agreement, and becoming chainsaw certified (if this equipment is to be used). Equestrians DO maintain trails....it's just not publicized as heavily as the "Trail Days" where all the hikers, bikers, horse people, and other hangers-on generate some publicity for associated "Trail Organizations". (No offense intended...we need those, too!) We pack tons of trash out of the forest on our horses. How many hikers or bikers have you seen with a bag of trash on their back? We pack trail equipment into remote areas for trail clearing. Many of us carry a folding saw, clippers, etc...with us at all times...and we clear trail EVERY time we ride...NOT just on trail days. We participate in study groups...I spent 14 months in a FS committee on how to manage the Cohutta Wilderness. We assist the FS and local EMS units with Mounted Search and Rescue. I have passed out hundreds of FS "Leave No Trace" tags to ALL types of forest users, talked to them about trail care, and encouraged them to volunteer for trail maintenance work. Many equestrians in the south agree with the management plan because of the above issues,just to name a few. However, we do not agree with its implentation, and encourage all equestrians to write and express alternatives, such as phasing in the plan as more approved designated system are in place to support the greater demand that is being placed on the Southern Forest by the growing numbers of recreational users. Work with your destricts in developing plans for designated systems, offer to assist in GPS'ing cataloged trails, determining which are sustainable trails and work on proposing rerouting areas that are not sustainable. This is just a beginning, there is far more that can be done that can be expressed in one email. Roger is also correct in stating that much can be done by working on the local level with your FS districts and their Rangers, getting to know them, expressing a desire to help and support the future of "Horses on Trails." As far as conferences; we are making a difference. We are opening the lines of communication and developing a working relationship with landmanagers on the local and national levels. Our numbers of educated equestrian advocates are growing yearly. This can be seen by the number of southern and national equestrian leaders at the Southeastern Equestrian Trails Conference (next month in Florida, 2004 in Georgia). These conferences open equestrians eyes to exactly what a land manager must deal with in regards to trails (its enough to make your eyes bug out), and in turn land managers are learning that equestrians are actually concerned with protecting resources and working within the system instead of just butting heads and demanding our rights to access. IMHO, the current FS plan does not encourage this approach. Perhaps a meeting between SETC and the FS person(s) responsible for SE Forests plan in order...and then a statement from SETC to the equestrian public as to why the FS is proposing this plan would clear the air. Maybe you could get the individual(s) responsible for this plan to address the Conference? Why was this plan not posted at all FS offices and printed in local papers? What is the justification for this action? The most important thing is to "GET INVOLVED" first at the local level then the national level. Then educate yourself on the issues, conservation measures, proper trail design and construction, this is what land managers must look at and address. Our biggest problem as a recreational user group is that we have no unity, that we are not educating All users to the issues of trails, resource protection and conservation. No matter how you look at it, this is the wave of the future, either you are riding that wave or you will be left on the shore. Although I support the efforts of SETC and the GHC, IMHO, their efforts have not been very effective in organizing the "right" horse people or publicizing equestrian's contribution. Horse people are more "integrated" into the community than other groups. They buy hay, feed, tack, trucks, horse trailers, need farriers, Vets, trainers, lessons, etc. This is a huge small business industry and important to the our economy. In counties where the National Forest occupies most of the land area, tourism, including horseback riding contributes significantly to the local economy. The availability of trails also effect land values. Perhaps a more "grass roots" approach emphasizing the importance of the horse in our economy and the impact of trail loss would be appropriate. Small business owners have a lot of clout with local and state government officials. How about more publicity about what we DO, instead of what we SHOULD do. The implication is that Equestrians are unconcerned, do very little for trails, and generally just don't give a damn. That's just not true. For instance, in this area how about some publicity for people like Charlie Crider and Gayle Milner, who spend countless hours on their horses working on trails for the FS and my farrier Dewey Campbell, who lives in Eton, GA and packs his chain saw all over that area clearing trails? Equestrians DO care.....but IMHO, much of our contribution goes unnoticed and unappreciated. Publicizing that "The xxx Horse Club" built a environmentally friendly ford on xx creek in xx forest is OK....but that isn't the REAL trail rider story. One such method of getting involved is contacting your local congressman and sentators to support upcoming bills that will change or rewrite many of the laws now established that place such strangle holds and thrones of redtape just to get anything accomplished within the Forest (some of these changes are in the works, they just need congressional support). Congressman Nathan Deal has been doing Town Hall Meetings in this area over the last week. I attended the one in Blue Ridge yesterday. I was disappointed that there were only two horse people in a group of less than 30...but the weather was miserable thanks to "Bill". However, when I brought up this issue, Congressman Deal indicated that the GHC had brought up this issue in the other meetings and several small business owners had mentioned it. He promised to express the concern of his constituents to the FS. Thanks, Sharon, for getting out the word. Jim, Sun of Dimanche+, and Mahada Magic Let your voice be heard. But in a constructive manner. Sharon King: Chattahoochee Trail Horse Assoc BOD, FS Liaison/Trials Cooridnator, Ga. Horse Council Trails Comm., SETC 2004 Planning Comm. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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