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Re: [RC] Nature Conservancy and horse trails - Jeannie Gillen

Don't trust The Nature Conservancy with regard to access to land they own
and/or manage......I have had very disappointing experiences with them over
land they appealed to the equestrians to help them purchase for conservation
(calling it "a park by nature").....then before the ink was dried on the
documents, "NO TRESPASSING" signs were posted......Even though this land was
an original Spanish land grant used for grazing cattle and horses for the
past 150 years......The "foreign seed" thing was conveniently used to
justify excluding equestrians, and if you dig deep you'll find TNC excuses
for excluding virtually everyone except "researchers" aka government
employees that get paid BIG bucks to "study" something (?) on that land,
justifying exclusions.....

Ironically, the "researches"
usually come in large numbers, driving fast in small trucks and jeeps,
advocating "controlled burns" (started with lots and lots of
chemicals)....all in the name of "conservation"...Their studies are usually
a 5 year term, requiring a "Committee" to manage the researches and their
results.......take a look at how much money TNC gets from  government
partners and Grants...which all
ultimately is public dollars for public lands that the public cannot
enjoy..........

BE CAUTIOUS.....and if you work with them for "Trails" ...make sure the word
"Equestrian"word is included  IN THEIR DOCUMENTS....otherwise they might
agree to do trails, but exclude horses.....been there, done that......you
really have to force their hands at every point......Public opinion and the
power of the  press can be your friends here.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrea Barber" <toltstar@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2003 1:58 PM
Subject: Re: [RC] Nature Conservancy and horse trails



Someone on the Horsecamp list wrote several months
ago the Nature Conservancy
was one of the groups working to restrict or limit
public trails for horse
use. Since I am a Nature Conservancy member I wrote
to them (Idaho Chapter) to
ask for clarification regarding this issue. Here is
their response:

Although that may be true for the Idaho Chapter, at
least around here (Long Island, NY) the Nature
Conservancy has worked hard to try to bar horses from
as much land as possible.  One of the common arguments
they use is that the manure left by horses introduces
non-native plants into the area by spreading seeds of
non-native species.  Sigh . . .

Andrea

Sand Meadow Farm
Icelandic Horses
Long Island, NY

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Replies
Re: [RC] Nature Conservancy and horse trails, Andrea Barber