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Re: [RC] [RC] [RC] Mammoth Cave Trails in danger of being closed ? - Truman PrevattI 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 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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