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[RC] Chattahoochee National Forest - Ridecamp Guest

Please Reply to: Sharon King gatrail@xxxxxxxxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Samantha..
If you want information directly from the horses mouth "so to speak" Kathleen 
Atkinson the FS Supervisor will be speaking at the Chattahoochee Trail Horse 
Assoc. annual meeting.  We have already requested input on issues that have 
been presented for topics. One, is the fact that many designated trails within 
the Forest are either not accessable by rigs (no parking), or that the mileage 
is such (one trail is 1/2 mile)and thus not worth the effort.  Two, how are 
trails that have been ridden in the past by equestrians, to be looked at to 
become cataloged as a designated trails.  Three, how is the plan to be 
implemented.  Kathleen will also discuss other issues and answer questions.
Kathleen Atkinson, along with Managers from the National Park Service, State 
Parks, Fish and Wildlife and Corp of Engineers will all be speaking at the 
Southeastern Equestrian Trails Conference hosted by the Chattahoochee Trail 
Horse Assoc. in Atlanta Ga. in July regarding these public agencies policies 
concerning equestrian trails and how equestrians can work with land managers in 
development and support of their Agencies program in regards to recreational 
trails.  More info can be obtained at www.ride-ctha.org or 
www.southeasternequestrials.com
Kathleen is an equestrian (owns a horse)and has been out on horseback with 
members of CTHA and SORBA (mountainbike, who also rode a horse) to tour the 
trails and discuss issues.
As far as new trails CTHA, GA. Horse Council and SORBA have worked jointly on a 
new trail system (proposed 40 miles, with 12 completed) at Lake Russell WMA 
near Toccoa.  There is also discussion of a new 60 mile trail system in the 
Oconee area (they are seeking equestrian suppor/commitment to the maintenance 
of this proposed system).
This is where the problem arises,FS does not have the manpower or the funds to 
maintain or develop trails without support from the recreational community.  
The US government has mandated a procedure that must be followed to establish a 
designated trail.  This policy is far too indepth to be covered here...but to 
say the least it is not easy.  Along with this you have all the 
environmentalist who fight them tooth and nail anytime they want to do anything 
other than designate a wilderness area.
You can't get around the fact that FS is GOVERNMENT and the paperwork, policies 
and redtape are enough to drive the lay person trying to work with them batty, 
but our elected officials are the ones who placed these restrictions that they 
must follow.  Their charter is the protection of the resource with recreation 
(now coming more into the forefront) and afterthought.  We have found that you 
get more done by working with them vs seeing FS as the enemy that we must fight 
back againest.  There are two sides to every story and both sides must be 
understood and a compromised reached.


===========================================================You don't have to be 
a 100-mile rider or a multi-day rider to be an
endurance rider, but if you want to experience the finest challenges our
sport has to offer, you need to do both of those.
~ Joe Long

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