How can we help you be better land use stewards?

[uss]

As the President of Sharetrails board of directors, I am always asking folks what we can do better?

This can be a loaded question, and sometimes people will tell me that I really don't want to know what they think.
I tell them, as the President, the buck stops with me!

I usually have the authority to make the changes that people bring to me.
One that we implemented a few years ago, was an easier way to alert our staff and contractors on issues in other areas that they may not know of.

Now, if you have a land use issue in your area, you can post info here about it.
https://sharetrails.org/pli/
The email from this goes to our land use team for review and possible action.

If there is something that you think we can do better, please let me know.
I will listen, and try and figure out a way to make it happen.

Thanks

Todd

 

[Road]

A lot of people seem to be unaware what's done by others, often unheralded, and how important what they do themselves can be.

I think examples of what others have done in being good stewards of the land would be wonderful, from solo efforts and the smallest of groups to larger more established organizations.

I'd love to have examples linked to here on Overland Bound, or personal accounts of what others do regularly, along with some stats, even, of effective changes that have taken place as the result of people becoming more aware and more involved.

Even informational handouts I can have with me as I wander the continent; pieces that may help remind and motivate others that it's up to us, the users of the land, to be good stewards. Simple third sheet card stock, or graphics and info I can fashion into handouts myself.

Appreciate the question, Todd . . .it's good, and thought provoking.

Thanks for the link, too, where we can post land use issues. I'm bookmarking it under Outdoor Ethics Organizations, a folder that's been getting a lot more use of late!


Road

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[uss]

The Sharetrails/BRC magazine is always looking for articles.
Writing about what a club or individual has done to help access are stories that we love to print.
We just don't get many of them.

Road

I will work on some handouts for you.
The office does have membership brochures that we can send to people if they want to help spread the word on what we are doing.

Del can write about some of the work that happened on the Tahoe that him and his local club did to ensure future access.
I think it was the Deer Valley Trail. Lots of work last year in collaboration with the Forest Service.

Other clubs on the Sierra National Forest have worked hand in hand with the forest to open new trails or reopen old ones that did not make it on the original MVUM.

For me, I love to get out and talk about what the organization is doing to preserve our access and our way of life.
I am new at this compared to many.

We don't highlight those that are in the trenches enough for the work that they are doing.

Still looking for ideas and thoughts on this thread.

 

[TreXTerra]

I wasn't even aware of ShareTrails before now.

One thing that I try to do is advocate for a Tread Lightly approach. What gets areas closed off is abuse and destruction of the environment. I'd be all for teaming up with hikers, equestrians, and cyclists to provide vehicle support for repair and cleanup efforts - show that 4x4s are not the enemy.

 

[uss]

I wasn't even aware of ShareTrails before now.

One thing that I try to do is advocate for a Tread Lightly approach. What gets areas closed off is abuse and destruction of the environment. I'd be all for teaming up with hikers, equestrians, and cyclists to provide vehicle support for repair and cleanup efforts - show that 4x4s are not the enemy.

We have been involved in lots of issues in Utah for years.
As you are probably well aware, Utah has been a hot bed of land use issues for years.

www.sharetrails.org

Todd

 

[TreXTerra]

We certainly have, a lot of that is due to the adversarial relationship between off road vehicles and conservationists. The rest is due to people going out and tearing up the place just because they can.

 

[uss]

We certainly have, a lot of that is due to the adversarial relationship between off road vehicles and conservationists. The rest is due to people going out and tearing up the place just because they can.

I am not sure I would call it adversarial.
They want everything closed, we want everything open.
Have to usually find a compromise in there somewhere.
We usually do, and they do up front, and then sue to get their way!

Seen it way to many times.

I have seen the collaborative method work a few times also.
Grand Sequoia National Monument was a collaborative with all the stakeholders.
OHV only lost trails that should have been closed to begin with because of the routes they used with very wet areas.

Another one that is currently in the works, is the Sierra Collaborative in the Sierra National Forest.
Been in the works for over 4 years.
All groups working together to protect the forest for future use. End of the day, that is all we all really want!
Sharetrails has been involved in both of those since the beginning.

Todd

 

[David C Gibbs]

Todd,
I'll share my 2 cents. I'm older than lots of our members, and my experiences and perspectives are different. My first Toyota LandCruiser was a 78 FJ40, mostly stock. I explored 1000's of miles of Arizona desert, alone. Very rarely running into others in Jeeps, Suburbans, IH, early Broncos. I sold it to help pay off college debt. (Worst decisions of my like) Fast-forward in 88 my now wife and I, are living in Bay Area, we purchased an 88 62-series LandCruiser, again with minor modifications - we (she and I together) ran the Rubicon, Apple Trail, two or three times into Lost Harbor. In addition to 1000's of miles on National Forest roads. A couple times - I found bad people doing bad things. I'd walk up and say "Hey - have you heard about Tread Lightly?" Got told to F-off numerous times to the point I quit taking License Plates and descriptions. Today we live in Boise, ID - the 88 has 300K on it. Now there are millions of UTV's, Cycles, Off-Roaders, Mountain Biker's, Overlanders all competing for the use of a Trail. "Tread Lightly" is completely different to a UTV user, that it it to a 60+ owner of an antique LC.
With iPhones, Cell-enabled Routers, GPS and Time-stamps, I just record the damage and let the proper Jurisdictional Authority to determine whether a crime has been committed. Once-fragile meadowlands that filter clean water into streams. Are now muddy messes. Once quite Forest Service roads, are crowded and noisy. It drives people like me, further away from the urbane idiots.
Education of what "Tread Lightly" really means is needed by class of vehicle, period. One of my most favorite hiking trail from the North Fork of the Boise River is dangerous! The Mtn Bikers have trashed the debris banks, busted what was the trail into multiple treads. This then causes people to wonder where the trail "really is"?
Enough of my rant.
DCG

 

[uss]

David

Sounds like a nice rig that you and your wife have.
I have been going off-road since I was a little kid with my dad.
I remember the days of hardly seeing anyone out there.
Now, most of the trails are so crowded, it is hard to find peace and quiet.

I think you nailed it on the head, that Tread Lightly is different to those in the SxS or ATV/UTV community than a guy in a mildly built rig to just get into the back country lakes.
My Jeep is built pretty well, and that is so I can get further back into the woods with very minimal resource damage along the way. No spinning of tires on the rocks, stay out of the mud and enjoy the day off the beaten path.

Thanks

Todd

 

[Road]

The Sharetrails/BRC magazine is always looking for articles.
Writing about what a club or individual has done to help access are stories that we love to print.
We just don't get many of them.

Road

I will work on some handouts for you.
The office does have membership brochures that we can send to people if they want to help spread the word on what we are doing.

Del can write about some of the work that happened on the Tahoe that him and his local club did to ensure future access.
I think it was the Deer Valley Trail. Lots of work last year in collaboration with the Forest Service.

Other clubs on the Sierra National Forest have worked hand in hand with the forest to open new trails or reopen old ones that did not make it on the original MVUM.

For me, I love to get out and talk about what the organization is doing to preserve our access and our way of life.
I am new at this compared to many.

We don't highlight those that are in the trenches enough for the work that they are doing.

Still looking for ideas and thoughts on this thread.

Great, Todd - I'd love some membership brochures and anything else you have for handouts. I'm a talker and storyteller, and when folks come by to ask about my rig or gear and we end up talking, conversation invariably gets around to any number of issues. I like having info, brochures, and handouts I can give them. Take aways they can read at their leisure.

As time goes on and I'm wandering the continent, I'll stop in Odessa and we can do an interview if you're game. Happy to do the same with Del.

I'll also keep my ears to the rail for article potential.

Thanks for being an early part of getting this forum going.


Road

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[uss]

Great, Todd - I'd love some membership brochures and anything else you have for handouts. I'm a talker and storyteller, and when folks come by to ask about my rig or gear and we end up talking, conversation invariably gets around to any number of issues. I like having info, brochures, and handouts I can give them. Take aways they can read at their leisure.

As time goes on and I'm wandering the continent, I'll stop in Odessa and we can do an interview if you're game. Happy to do the same with Del.

I'll also keep my ears to the rail for article potential.

Thanks for being an early part of getting this forum going.


Road

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Message me your address, and I will get the stuff on the way from the office.
Appreciate the help on recruiting new members and talking about what we do for access.

Todd

 

[Road]

Will do, Todd. I'm interested in what you have and how it's presented.

Road

 

[uss]

Will do, Todd. I'm interested in what you have and how it's presented.

Road

The office will get the stuff boxed up and sent either today or Monday.

If you have ideas on how it can be made to be better once you see it, please let me know.
I am always open to constructive criticism on our materials.

When I get home, I will post up some of the materials that the membership brochures and other material were based off of.

Thanks for helping the team.

Todd

 

[Road]

The office will get the stuff boxed up and sent either today or Monday.

If you have ideas on how it can be made to be better once you see it, please let me know.
I am always open to constructive criticism on our materials.

When I get home, I will post up some of the materials that the membership brochures and other material were based off of.

Thanks for helping the team.

Todd

Great, thanks, Todd! Yes, I think posting some of the information would be helpful for readers.

Thank you, too, for adding your perspective and that of BRC/Sharetrail.org here. I suspect that as the Land Use forum grows and other national and regional groups become more involved, perspectives and opinions on what needs to be done and how one should go about it may differ. Overland Bound is committed, though, to being a place where members and public alike can find the details they need to make informed decisions and find out how they can make a difference.

I'm interested, too, in more stories about how individual people and small groups have helped effect positive change. If they have not been formed into an article yet, let me know the details and names in an email or DM and let's see if we can shape an article or two we can both use. If they are still with us, I'll stop and interview them and do some photos when near.


Road

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[uss]

As you well know, some people will not join a specific club or organization because of what someone said or did.

In a couple of instances, I know things like that was all put aside and groups and individuals worked together to save a couple of trails.
The most iconic trail to be saved, is the Rubicon.

Friends of the Rubicon was formed to save the Rubicon when the county wanted to install a gate.
Potentially having the ability to close the trail on a whim if they wanted.
Rubicon Trail is technically a registered county road.

Friends of the Rubicon was formed and people from many organizations, clubs and individuals worked side by side to save the trail, eliminate high profile resource damaged areas and help the surrounding environment all in the name of keeping the trail open.
I have lead, helped and oversaw a few work parties on the trail over the years.
After a while they formed the Rubicon Trail Foundation as a 501.c.3 so they could collect donations, funds and other material things to help preserve the trail.

Some of the same people involved here have also helped form other Friends groups to preserve trail access in other areas.
It is a proven method that has worked.

Within this group and the others, they usually have a "Trail Boss" that is assigned to coordinate things, but no true formalized leadership hierarchy exists.

I am looking at using this format to help preserve an area down here in Texas in the next year.
Working to get everything lined up and then kick it off.

I am sure of many other success stories out there like this.
Maybe we make a separate thread about the success stories?

Todd

 

[Road]

As you well know, some people will not join a specific club or organization because of what someone said or did.

In a couple of instances, I know things like that was all put aside and groups and individuals worked together to save a couple of trails.
The most iconic trail to be saved, is the Rubicon.

Friends of the Rubicon was formed to save the Rubicon when the county wanted to install a gate.
Potentially having the ability to close the trail on a whim if they wanted.
Rubicon Trail is technically a registered county road.

Friends of the Rubicon was formed and people from many organizations, clubs and individuals worked side by side to save the trail, eliminate high profile resource damaged areas and help the surrounding environment all in the name of keeping the trail open.
I have lead, helped and oversaw a few work parties on the trail over the years.
After a while they formed the Rubicon Trail Foundation as a 501.c.3 so they could collect donations, funds and other material things to help preserve the trail.

Some of the same people involved here have also helped form other Friends groups to preserve trail access in other areas.
It is a proven method that has worked.

Within this group and the others, they usually have a "Trail Boss" that is assigned to coordinate things, but no true formalized leadership hierarchy exists.

I am looking at using this format to help preserve an area down here in Texas in the next year.
Working to get everything lined up and then kick it off.

I am sure of many other success stories out there like this.
Maybe we make a separate thread about the success stories?

Todd

Great info on groups and individuals with potentially different opinions working together towards a common goal. That's the type of action and effort I believe can change things for the better in all sorts of places, not just land use issues, but in a variety of ways in communities large and small. It's often the result of being willing to have dialog instead of debate.

I think a thread on success stories would be great. I'll start it in this forum later this morning and invite others to contribute. Good idea.


Road

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[uss]

Here are the handouts that I promised.
These are pdf's that you can print at take with you.
They have membership signup info on the form.
The easiest way though, is to go online here. https://sharetrails.org/membership-options/

Please feel free to print and hand them out.
If you need something specific, please let me know.

Glad to have you all on the team.

Todd

 

[Road]

The office will get the stuff boxed up and sent either today or Monday.

If you have ideas on how it can be made to be better once you see it, please let me know.
I am always open to constructive criticism on our materials.

When I get home, I will post up some of the materials that the membership brochures and other material were based off of.

Thanks for helping the team.

Todd

Hey Todd - got back from being out camping for nine days and see the materials arrived! Much appreciated.

I'll keep a handful in my vehicle all the time, and especially when out camping (when most people want to come talk about my rig and gear) will take the opportunity to talk up low-impact land use and responsible recreation.

 

[uss]

Cool, and much appreciated.
That is my Jeep on that cover.
The picture was taken at Hollister SVRA in Cali.

When you need more, just let me know.

Thanks

 

[Justinwrites]

I'm sad to see my concerns about share trails organization is confirmed by Navy Jeeps attitude toward conservationists. I hoped we would all count ourselves among their number. After all, wilderness is the one thing we'll never get back... I am uncomfortable with this new partnership. I'm not sure there is room to compromise on a lot of environmental issues. But I'm damn sure that a hostile attitude is the wrong one. Starting to wonder if I should have bought by membership after all...