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Re: [RC] [Guest] Trails in the Southern National Forest (long) - Jim Holland


Sharon 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.



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[RC] [Guest] Trails in the Southern National Forest (long), Ridecamp Moderator