Breaking News
Illinois OHV Association Pushes for More Land on Which Enthusiasts Can Ride
By: Robert Janis [ATV Source]
It appears that the off-highway vehicle enthusiasts in Illinois are starving for more land on which to ride, and the Illinois Off-Highway Vehicle Association (IOHVA) is determined to get that land for them.
"We are in constant search for new riding opportunities," explained Lance Martin, public relations director for IOHVA. "Grant programs are available to open new riding areas, but land is very hard to obtain. There is a lot of competition from other interest groups. IOHVA links the riding areas and helps get the word out that there are places to ride in Illinois, and we are looking for more."
I know it looks like wilderness, but it's actually MONEY MONEY MONEY!
posted by Andrew Kiraly [CityLife]
Tuesday, May. 6, 2008 at 8:48 PM
Sue Silver of Hawthorne, Nev., writes:
With regard to the recent article by Andrew Kiraly regarding Lyon, Mineral and Esmeralda counties rejecting wilderness area proposals as part of federal lands bills, those of us who reside here have far more knowledge of the impacts these designations will impose on our counties.
In Mineral County, our economy is based on three main influences - Military, Mining and Tourism. This fact is posted on US. Sen. Ensign's website. The areas proposed for Mineral County would have interfered with MILITARY operations, MINING operations and development and TOURISM trade when people found they could not come and go through the playground they've always enjoyed.
Mountain bikers work to expand trail access
May 4, 2008 [Times Argus]
By CHRIS HRENKO Correspondent
Born in the late 70s, the young sport of mountain biking is starting to mature.
And if the efforts of the Vermont Mountain Bike Association and its local chapters are any indication, Vermonters can expect to see its continued growth for many years to come.
VMBA is to mountain biking what VAST is to snowmobilers in the Green Mountain State. But while cost, climate change and increasing environmental sensitivity may have snowmobiling on the wane, mountain biking is poised as a fashionably greener, more fitness-oriented alternative. The organization recently reached an agreement with the State of Vermont's Agency of Natural Resources Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) to become a corridor manager for mountain biking on state land.
MOU: protect, preserve trails
by Patrick Davarn [The Hub]
April 25, 2008
RIDGWAY - Not a discouraging word was heard, allowing county commissioners to promptly pass a resolution, and memorandum of understanding, that should ensure public access to area trails and roads.
The unanimous action by the Board of County Commissioners took place at the close of a 35-minute public hearing on April 14 at the 4-H Event Center Ridgway.
BOCC Chairman Keith Meinert said the resolution is intended to assert that public access will continue in Ouray County, the mechanism for that is the MOU.
"The purpose is to preserve and protect historic public access, motorized and non-motorized," said Meinert. "This does not address appropriate use, or jurisdiction."
Tread Lightly! And HUMMER Announce Grant-Giving Initiative For Recreation Sites
[ATV Rider]
OGDEN, UTAH (April 24, 2008) - General Motor's HUMMER division and the nonprofit organization Tread Lightly! announced today the launch of a new partnership called HUMMER's Recreation Rescue, which will provide grants to outdoor recreation sites. The grants will be dedicated towards land use education, management and trail maintenance.
"This partnership comes at a critical time, especially for recreation activities involving the use of off-highway vehicles," said Tread Lightly!'s executive director Lori McCullough. "These grants will help land management agencies implement their new travel management policies in a way that helps both recreationists and the great outdoors." Project sites already selected for 2008 include off-highway vehicle areas in the Sierra National Forest in Central California and the Ocala National Forest in Florida.
Legal Steps Taken To Preserve Trail Access
by Christopher Pike [The Watch]
RIDGWAY - A process for preserving public access to historic roads and trails took legal effect when the Ouray County Board of Commissioners adopted a Resolution and Memorandum of Understanding regarding the matter. The action took place following a brief public hearing at the commissioners' meeting on Monday, April 14, at the Ouray County 4-H Events Center in Ridgway.
The two documents give the county and other participating agencies the power to monitor and, if necessary, intervene when a public right-of-way is gated or otherwise obstructed by a landowner. The move follows almost a year of workshops between county officials, the U.S. Forest Service and the recreation industry, both motorized and non-motorized, to draft legal documents and to identify and map over 232 miles of historic trails and roads.
Education is Essential to the Success of the Nebraska Off-Highway Vehicle Association
By: Robert Janis [atvsource.com]
According to Dan Nitzel, business manager and co-founder of the Nebraska Off-Highway Vehicle Association (NOHVA), the greatest hurdle to solving issues related to off-road vehicle use is understanding those issues. "Understanding the issues involve knowing how the issues affect enthusiasts and understanding the perceptions that non-enthusiasts have to our sport," he said. "Education is the key to informing enthusiasts about the issues."
Also, education is essential in winning opponents to off-road ATV use. "Nebraska's agriculture interests and hiker-biker trail advocates have in the past demonstrated a negative sentiment towards our sport," explained Nitzel. "Agricultural interests oppose ATV registration to help fund trails.
Utah Legislature Aims to Protect Land Use Rights
Written By: Darrell Proctor [Environment News]
Publisher: The Heartland Institute
Both houses of the Utah state legislature have registered their opposition to proposals by environmental activist groups to have the federal government lock away more than 9 million acres of public lands in Utah.
Instead, the legislature is calling for continued development of the state's abundant oil, gas, coal, oil shale, and other natural resources.
Protecting Public Access
In an overwhelming 22-3 vote, the Utah Senate on February 28 approved legislation that "urges Congress not to enact federal legislation designating additional 'wilderness' on public lands within Utah without the unanimous support of Utah's congressional delegation."
Hatfield-McCoy Receives NOHVCC Education Award
Pinkerton Receives 'Walks The Talk' Award
Lyburn, WV - Thanks to a recent trip to New Mexico, the Hatfield-McCoy Regional Recreation Authority (HMRRA) has some new hardware sitting in their offices. It not something they can use to help build more trails or make the trails safer, but rather something that's a result of their efforts to make the trails safer over the past few years.
At the recent National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) Conference held in Albuquerque, the Hatfield-McCoy Education Team received the 'Education Excellence of the Year 2007' award for its dedication to OHV safety and education.