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[RC] Oconee Ride / Horse Trails - Karen Isaacs

Last week, that topic really hit our home.  Our DNR guy called to notify us 
that the 
Georgia WRD has decided, in their infinite wisdom(?) that unless your wildlife 
management area has existing, designated public use horse trails, there are NO 
horses allowed.  No special use permits, no bikers, no rock climbers, no 
orienteering.  So...the OCONEE ride is now, officially out of existence.
********

Peggy,

Am I correct in assuming that the Oconee ride takes place in the Oconee 
National Forest?  If so, then I believe your ride is being impacted by a policy 
of the US Forest Service.  Also affecting other southeast region forests is a 
new restriction that was written into several of the recently revised Forest 
Management Plans.  This restriction bans off-trail travel by horses and 
bicycles (motorized users had already been restricted to designated trails).  
Previously, horses were allowed to travel anywhere that was not specifically 
closed (e.g. hiking trails), including cross-country and along old logging 
roads, pipelines and other routes.  Under the new plans, horses must only be on 
designated roads or trails.  Following the administrative process, this 
restriction has been appealed by the Back Country Horsemen (East Tennessee 
chapter and national organization) for the Cherokee National Forest Plan in 
Tennessee and the Chattahoochee-Oconee Forest Plan in Georgia.  This appeal was 
filed in the spring of 2004 and a decision by the Chief of the USFS has not yet 
been made.  Though the appeal is pending, the restriction is in affect.  
However, should the appeal be decided in our favor, it is possible that your 
ride could be back in business, since a special use permit to use 
non-designated trails would not be in conflict with the Forest Plan.

-Karen Isaacs

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