Showing posts with label ASA. Show all posts

POLARIS TURBO R FOR SALE TO HELP ASA

ALL PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT ASA'S FIGHT TO KEEP OUR DUNES OPEN!

Thank you to all the sponsors who helped build this incredible machine.

Learn more about ASA at: https://americansandassociation.org/

WHAT WILL SAVE THE FUTURE OF MOTORSPORTS?

Saving the Future of Motorized Recreation

What Your Membership to Organizations Accomplishes

By Del Albright, Sustainable Motorized Recreation Advocate

Author Del Albright is joined by Don Amador, career Recreation Advocate

Saving trails and the whole sport of motorized recreation depends on many factors, but without those factors, our trails and our sports will be in jeopardy. Primary in the list is local club involvement in issues and organizational growth. Without local membership support and involvement, a larger umbrella group (state, regional, or national) will push water uphill and waste precious resources.

From what we’ve seen, working with boards at all levels, before an organization or group can invest time, money, and staff in an issue, it must assess the value of the level of service to its members.

Noted land use advocate Don Amador crafted this diagram of how many organizations develop a strategy for level of service:

The outcome (middle of the diagram) estimates the level of service a group can invest in an issue. This outcome includes member support, priority/timing of the issue, and the potential value to the group. A larger organization cannot take these factors lightly to survive long term.

A great example is the Rubicon Trail. Twenty+ years ago, local clubs and users banded together to save the trail from closure. Immediately, state, regional, and national groups recognized this local involvement and jumped in to help fight for the trail. The value returned to the larger groups included membership growth and broader recognition. Everyone won! It worked. The level of service from larger organizations matched the local interest!

We have heard members complain that their state/regional/national representatives do not do enough for them or their trail. At the same time, that member and the local club have done nothing to help the overall cause/issue. It’s like the blame game – pointing fingers instead of putting boots on the ground. The level of service from bigger groups hinges on locals being involved and invested. It works both ways to create a sustainable future for motorized recreation.

In our estimation, the future of motorized recreation depends on a few simple things and some proven formulas.

1. More unity in organized recreation leadership, including better communications and fewer turf battles.

2. Finding the money to get more full-time people doing land use and leading volunteers.

3. More training for volunteers who don’t know how to cope with government regulations, safety and EPA requirements, and paperwork.

4. A centralized source of information and coordination nationwide that people can trust to bring us all together so the messages are not disjointed but orchestrated for future wins.

5. Legal strength – with attorneys who know land use and are available to all.

6. Finding the key to getting people to join organized groups and not just be virtual.

7. Getting past egos and personalities in OHV recreation.

Focusing positive energy on the factors mentioned here will save the future of motorized recreation while finding reciprocity between local interests and larger group investment. Simply said, we must always work together, in cooperation, and with a positive focus towards a sustainable future.

(Graphic in support of two important groups, the California 4Wheel Drive Association, and the American Sand Association, that I am highly involved with and a member of).

More on land use here in my book from Amazon.

2023 OUTLOOK FOR ACCESS TO PUBLIC LANDS AND DUNES

2023 LANDUSE AND ACCESS OUTLOOK

By Del Albright, ASA Social Media Manager, Supporter

Where will we be riding and exploring this new year? What effect will our recent political history have on our access to public lands and dunes? Are we going to see changes in our favorite duning areas? Allow me to give you some insight.

The mess we call 2020 is now mostly hindsight, with 2021 and 2022 rough but better years. But our riding, exploring, and adventures for 2023 are not by any means guaranteed.

The Administration’s policy changes, as is usual in a democracy, have flooded the world we live in. However, federal and state agencies are adapting to the “new” normal just like they did a few years ago with other agency/administration changes. Still, access to our public lands and dunes is tenuous at best.

Land closures and restrictions will get headlines in almost all states, especially in the west. New Monuments, new Wilderness, new Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), new this and new that. I predict we will not be able to keep up with the pages of reading to review and comment.

In 2022 the environmental movement worked with the Administration to orchestrate the 30 x 30 America the Beautiful initiative – proposing to conserve (some say lock up) 30% of America by 2030. Right now, about 12% of our American lands and waterways are “conserved” or protected (locked up). ASA is watching this one closely!

Then we can throw in the many things that distract us daily. Gun rights will be highlighted and in the news a lot. How our kids are taught in school (or should I say brainwashed) will bug parents daily. The war over “American-made” or foreign-made will hit the top of the charts. Insurance, bills, trying to recover from the pandemic, and many other financial bites will nibble at us all year.

So what?

So, what does this mean? Does it mean you probably aren’t thinking much about keeping dunes open or saving our sports? And does it suggest that this trend of not joining clubs and associations is the easier way to do things – virtually, if at all?

WRONG! I can’t say that strongly enough. If we do not unite, speak up, stay engaged, stay tuned into what is happening with our trails, and FIGHT BACK, we will end up parking our rigs in the garage to look at a few times a year. We cannot just be virtual, and we cannot let daily distractions numb us into apathy.

Exactly what do we do?

JOIN: Get your joining back on! Join ASA and your state and regional associations/organizations. They need our membership dues to make a difference and do what dedicated, knowledgeable riders MUST do.

Sure, if you want to stay with your virtual group, ok. But do not make that your go-to. Virtual groups do not go to state capitals or Washington, DC, to fight for us (unless I missed something). But, on the other hand, brick-and-mortar groups do show up where it counts – in person, face to face.

DONATE: Send somebody some gas money! Donate to a group so they can send someone to those meetings where decisions are made about YOUR trails. Buy raffle tickets to organization raffle vehicles. If we are not at the tables, ALL of them, the head of the table will make decisions without us and not necessarily in our favor.

VOLUNTEER: Put a trash bag to work in your favorite duning area! Donate your time and volunteer to help keep dunes open. Help your association/groups on a project that needs time and effort (strong backs). Show up! Yes, I’ll be trite – the world is run by those who show up.

BUY SMART: Support businesses that support our sport. Buy from those outfits who do something for land use, such as donating to raffles, joining associations as a business, and contributing in some way to keep dunes open or helping a club doing just that.

Join, donate, volunteer, and buy smart. If you start doing those things with all your heart and ability, we can turn the tide in 2023 into a year we can be proud of and keep our right to ride alive and well.

START by joining (or renewing your membership in) the American Sand Association here: https://americansandassociation.org

AMER. SAND ASSOC. GIANT RAFFLE

AMERICAN SAND ASSOCIATION RAFFLE FOR TWO GIANT PRIZES SEP. 18TH

By Del Albright

My friends and partners at the American Sand Association (ASA) are drawing winning tickets for two incredible prizes on Sept. 18th at the Sand Sports Super Show in southern CA.

You could win a Genesis Supreme RV Overnighter trailer and/or a Polaris RZR. Get tickets on their webiste at http://www.americansandassociation.org

Del