Trails Meeting at AERC-Reno, from Connie Berto Trails Chair

[connie B Berto <cberto@juno.com>]

To everyone going to Reno, I hope you can drop in on the Trails Committee
meeting on Saturday from 1 to 3 pm.   This is the proposed agenda:
    1.  Call to Order and Welcome -- Introductions -- approval of agenda
    2.  Guest speaker:   Crockett Dumas, former AERC President
    3.   Open time on non-agenda items (3 minutes allowed)
    4.   Petition (Bob Morris' Ridecamp petition)
     5.   A look at the Trails Committee Charter, Established
Definitions, and AERC Trails Committee Funding and Procedure. (Handouts
available at meeting)   Revisions,  rewording   possible.
     5.  Trails problems, advice, solutions (always hopeful!)
     6.    Funding for the Trails Committee
     7.   Donation to SLOPOST  (Steve Shaw's new trail project)
     8.    Where does the Trails Committee go from here?   Possible
alliance with the Equestrian Land Conservation Resource (handout at
meeting)
     9.    Adjourn
I'd like everyone to look over the following,  written by Crockett and
Sharon Dumas.  Please note:  I am not certain if these were ever
officially adopted by the Directors of AERC as official policy, but the
date on them is 1994.
AERC TRAILS COMMITTEE CHARTER
    Through non-use, lack of interest, lack of involvement or project
developments in the public and private sector, many miles of trail are
being lost or destroyed annually.
    Be it resolved that the AERC Trails Committee will:
1.  Work to encourage riders/ride management to hold rides and establish
use on existing trails rather than roads.
2.  Encourage trail users to coordinate with projects in the
public/private sector to provide for retention of and access to trails.
3.  Encourage and train local organizations to become familiar with and
involved with land use plans and the national Enviromental Policy Act
Decision Notice Processes.
4.  Encourage local organizations to become actively involved with the
Adopt-A-Trail program whereby they will develop ownership in trails and
establish rapport with land managers.
5.  Encourage local organizations to become actively involved with the
National Trails Day Program in support of National Trail Preservation.
6.  Work to establish coalitions with all trail user organizations
(environmental, hiker, horse, ORV, bikers, etc.) to promote the
retention, development and maintenance of our national trail systems.
7.  Encourage trail users to create trails where none exist in the
public/private sector.
8.  Develop trail and land use etiquette associated with endurance riding
to improve our perceived image.
      The American Endurance Ride Conference in support of Trails will be
a Sustaining Annual Member of the American Horse Council, Inc. (voted
approval of the 1990 AERC Board of Directors).

AERC Trails Committee:    Established Definitions
1.  Public Sector:  Those lands that are held for use by all people, such
as National Forests, Provincial Forests and Parks, Bureau of Land
Management lands, State and City Parks, etc.
2.  Private Sector:  Those lands that are held in private ownership and
the uses thereon are designated by the owners and/or state/local
ordinances
3.  Trail:  A single track that will not accommodate vehicles (by law or
ecological features) in excess of forty inches
4.  Way:   A set of tracks that has been established by vehicles
repeatedly driven across an area (includes old wagon roads)
5.  Roads:  Routes that have been bladed to remove vegetation/debris to
establish a smoother/faster travelling surface.
    a.  Native surfaced road:  Material excavated to build road provides
the running surface
    b.  Surfaced roads:  Foreign material has been hauled in and placed
to add structural strength to the surface (gravel or pavement,
bituminous/asphalt or concrete)

AERC TRAILS COMMITTEE FUNDING & PROCEDURE
     The AERC Trails Committee will be chaired by appointment of the AERC
President.  The Chair will select a committee of AERC members in good
standing and willing to volunteer time and efforts as per the Trails
Committee Charter.
     The Trails Committee Chair will be responsible for the monthly
publication  (sorry, my information sheet is blank after that word)
    The Trails Committee will maintain a separate account within AERC,
AERC Trails Preservation Fund Alliance, to accept donations and provide a
source of funds in the name of trail preservation, promotion,
maintenance, use, and development.  Funds will be allocated by the Trails
Committee Chairperson, dispersed only by the AERC Esecutive Director, and
an annula budget report will be filed.  (Funds will be received by the
AERC Nat. Office and reported under the line item, Trails Pres.)
    AERC Trails Preservation Funds used exclusively for:
1.  AERC Trails Convention Programs (cost for speakers, video and slide
presentations and literature)
2.  Congressional mailing and phone calls in support of AERC member
requests (i.e., postage and costs of letters written on behalf of AERC in
support of trail issues in which our members/ride managers are involved
as well as phone calls to Governmental Agencies, State or Local bodies
where trails are of issue). 
3.  AERC Trails Committee Programs and literature
4.  Registration fees for AERC representation to National and Regional
Trail Seminars.
  
   NOTE that I am allowing time at the meeting for revisions to the
above.  Thanks to all who have read this far, and hope to meet more of
you at Reno.   Connie Berto, AERC Trails Chair    

   

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