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 HELPFUL LINKS:
DEL'S BOOKS (LAND USE, WILDFIRE, DEATH VALLEY, COWBOY POETRY, AND MORE)
WEBSITE (HOME PAGE)
PINTEREST (BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND MORE)
DEL'S ARTICLES (LAND USE, LIFE, WILDFIRE, VOLUNTEERISM, AND MORE)
More land use and volunteerism help here:
- MEETINGS:
- RUN A BETTER MEETING
- NEPA:
- LEARN MORE ABOUT NEPA
- LETTERS:
- WRITE A LETTER
- SPEECHES:
- GIVE A SPEECH
- FACILITATE:
- LEARN TO FACILITATE MEETINGS
- CLUBS:
- WHY JOIN A CLUB
- CONVOYS:
- ORGANIZE A CONVOY
- JOIN:
- JOIN THE RIGHT GROUPS
- TRAINING:
- GET VOLUNTEER TRAINING
- LEAD:
- LEAD VOLUNTEERS
- JOBS:
- CHOOSE THE RIGHT JOB FOR YOU
