Re: why join AERC?/trails

[Nancy DuPont <htrails@earthlink.net>]

to those of you who are making decisions, please read on:

I agree that AERC should live up to its mission statement or change their
mission statement. I was not aware it was "riding historic trails and
preserve such trails for future generations."
If so, then how much of their funds are going to support this mission
statement?

As a past president and now executive director of Heritage Trails we work
full time advocating trails. You have to think trails when you see your
environment.  When you look at a drainage ditch or a P G & E right of way,
you see a connecting trail--away from traffic. You show up at meetings, you
listen for opportunities, every one of us is a trails chairman. 

For instance, at a dinner meeting with the Mary Ann Fowler, Govt. Affairs
Liason for Rails to Trails, I mentioned there were no horses in the
photographs appearing in their gift calendars -- only hikers and bicycles.
She made a point to change it, and send me the new brochure which included
horses!  You make your opportunities.  You don't always succeed. Our
organization, Heritage Trails joined with the other groups in a lawsuit to
provide the completion of a rails to trails conversion called the Katy
Trail which is in Kansas (Texas/Arkansas) we won. We got the trail, but the
state banned horses from this trail!

We were in Washington DC Lobbying for trails when we got a call from Karen
Drellich (of Cool, CA.) that they had closed and were going to destroy the
No Hands Bridge. We immediately went into John Doolittle's office (4th
district includes Auburn) to tell him to re open the bridge.  He was
perplexed and unaware of the bridge.  We returned two days later (after
getting more information from Larry Suddjian) and asked again, saying we
represented the Western States Trail.  One Congressman, entering the office
laughed when he saw three ladies in our cowboy hats (we wear Stetsons for a
statement!) and said: "oooh you are here to "Save the Bridge!" Well, we had
a good meeting, taking pictures of John Doolittle, explaining we were going
back home to write the stories for our newsletters and would he like to
comment on his supportfor the folks back home? 
By the time we returned, Larry had taken over and sent another person back
to DC to meet with John and then the word got out all over the world.  
After tons of mail - they no longer thought it was a joke!!
John Doolittle became a hero for backing the cause and the rest is history.  
IT WAS BEING ON JOB AND WORKING TOGETHER THAT GOT US BACK THE BRIDGE!
By the way, we also got support from the hiking community on the bridge
because it is the link to the American Discovery Trail that starts in Point
Reyes and goes all the way to Delaware.
If AERC does not put much importance on trails, neither will the people who
make the decisions for them to ride and where.
If you make it important and think trails, you can make the impossible happen.

Just this morning we met with the City of Clayton to assure trail heads and
staging areas for horses. We secured, in the planning stage, hitching posts
in town to tie our horses.  This was done because we stay in touch with the
City Council, Mayor and decision makers when they are planning their
trails, golf courses, open spaces, etc.
Have you ever seen a trail close suddenly? One day you are riding there and
the next day it is off limits?  Well, it isn't sudden folks, it was in the
works a long time before you knew it because you were not there to change it.
Sometimes I would rather spend the time riding the trails than advocating
for them. Too many meetings and when you see the apathy you wonder why you
do it.  But I guess we are driven to see that horses will be here to stay.
That trails are our right.
I myself cannot forget the dream that a horse can take me to that next
adventure, just around the bend in the trail.



At 08:54 AM 1/13/99 -0600, you wrote:
>Connie, you brought up a lot of good points, and some good background
>information that newbies like myself need to know.  I agree it will take
>$$$ to do this, but I believe it should and must be done.  The Bylaws of
>the AERC state that one of the purposes of this organization is "To
>encourage the riding of historic trails and to preserve such trails for
>future generations."  Clearly, the organization has a self-declared
>mandate to be active in trail preservation.  This is one of the reasons
>that I and others have suggested AERC take a hard look at its financial
>structure this year -- too many of the stated purposes are not being
>fulfilled at this time.
>
>While getting involved on the local level by joining local riding/trail
>clubs and Back Country Horseman, working on your own trails, contacting
>local officials, etc., is good advice for those who have local trails, it
>is important to remember that the AERC is a national organization
>representing members like myself who have no local trails, no local
>riding/trail clubs, and no chapter of BCH. And I'm sure that there must be
>members in other parts of the country who have local trails that are not
>in danger now, who would like to put forth a bit of effort to preserve
>trails elsewhere.
>
>If the AERC could provide information and guidance at the national level,
>to effect coordinated action by the membership, folks like myself could do
>our part in trail preservation by wielding keyboard and telephone. Few can
>deny that better organization is the key to success, and I believe that
>AERC is in a perfect position to provide the focal point for an active
>trail preservation group.
>
>Glenda & Lakota
>Mobile, AL
>AERC # M18819 & H27310
>SE Region
>
>
>