Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I would like to point to a relationship SERA developed with the 
Talladega NF that should serve as a model. The relationship between the 
BLM and the AERC is also a model but Roger Taylor or Randy Eiland would 
need to talk about that.

When I started riding one of the best rides in the SE was in the Shoal 
Creek district of the Talladega NF. Because of poor trail layout and the 
endangered freshwater mussels in the creeks and the large number of 
creek crossings - organized endurance rides stopped there. A group of 
SERA members a few years ago approached the range district. The problem 
was the stream crossings and the layout of the trails - up and down the 
steep ridges thus erosion. SERA and the TNF formed a partnership. We 
(SERA) funded material for five bridges on one trails with a large 
number of crossings that could not be avoided. It was a significant 
expenditure from what I remember but we saw it as an investment in the 
future of our sport.  We helped TNF by supplying labor to reroute the 
trail and build the bridges. A few years ago the first endurance ride in 
years was held in TNF. Since then the TNF has upgraded the horse camp. 
There is now more parking space and running water throughout the camp.

The first trail reroute of 14 miles with five bridges across the streams 
turned a badly eroded trails that silted the streams into a sustainable 
trail that allowed both recreation while protecting the watershed and 
the critters that depend on that watershed. More recently a second 20 
mile trail has been rerouted. As of today 34 miles of nonsustainable 
trail have been replace and 5 bridges have been put in through this 
partnership and the Alabama Yellowhammer Endurance Ride has become one 
of the most popular in the SE. The result is beautiful trails that has 
minimal impact on the land. That investment has paid off many times over.

When is the last time you heard a USFS district ranger say equestrians 
were "stewards of the environment and in protection of the watershed and 
its inhabitants."  Several years ago that is what I heard when I 
accepted a nice plaque on behalf of all the SERA members presented by 
the district ranger in recognition of SERA's work.  I am proud to say 
SERA has received formal recognition form the TNF - both from the Shoal 
Creek district and the TNF supervisor for it's work. This is a model of 
what we should be doing. It has gotten horsemen (and endurance riders) 
wonderful press in the SE.

Working together we can make a difference, but first we have to get out 
of our saddles and get on the ground.

Truman

Dawn Carrie wrote:
> Truman is right.  Equestirans do need to work *with* government 
> agencies to help design AND MAINTAIN trails that are properly placed 
> and built.  In the Mammoth Cave situation, the best approach *right 
> now* is to work within the public comment system as I outlined 
> previously.  If one of the problems noted in the purpose and need is 
> that the existing trail is in bad shape, lots of erosion, poorly 
> situated, etc., then proposing to build a new horse trail, to Trail 
> Master standards, would be an excellent suggestion.


--

"It is even harder for the average ape to believe that he has descended 
from man." H.L. Mencken


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