Adventurer, outdoorsman, four-wheeler, author, and defender of sustainable outdoor motorized recreational access.
Getting Skin in the Game for the Future of Public Lands
April is National Volunteer Month. Missed the month? You didn't miss the mission! Here's the deal.
Proven Formula to Protect Access and Save Trails
By Del Albright
Saving
(and sustaining) a trail system, protecting access, and keeping our
off-pavement motorsports alive and well boils down to a proven formula:
Engineering, Education, Enlisting, and Enforcement. In the simplest of terms,
this means 1) design it right; 2) let people know the rules and how to help; 3)
get involvement from as many and varied users as you can; and 4) use trail
patrols and if needed, law enforcement officers to ensure the rules are
followed.
I am borrowing from my career in the fire service with their fire prevention programs that rely on the “three E's” -- Engineering, Education, and Enforcement. In fire prevention, the object is to design (engineer) a building, house, or sub-division in such a way as to minimize the chances of fire. You then educate folks about preventing fires with signs, letters, commercials, school programs, and whatever it takes. Then, if that doesn't work, you bust people with tickets for not complying and thereby jeopardizing not only themselves but their neighbors as well.
With protecting trail access, we have to add in the fourth E, Enlisting – getting involvement from as many volunteers, agencies, users, and businesses as you can. It is through volunteerism that we add a workforce to an always diminishing “staff” in land management agencies. When agencies or land owners say, “We don’t have the staff to maintain the trails,” volunteers step up, adopt the trail and become that staff. This kind of dedication and involvement has to be enlisted; it doesn’t happen by itself.
Here are many of the formula's components for you to add to your efforts to protect sustainable motorized access.
Engineering:
Risk
Management Assessment
Water
control and runoff
Water
crossings (hardening)
Soil
stability
Rolling
dips, waterbars, and other erosion/sediment control devices
Gabions
and other rock structures to strengthen and harden trail surfaces
Vegetation
(as a soil stabilizing factor)
Grade,
or slope; out slope/in slope
Rider
conflicts and user needs
Good
inventory of all routes and trails
Loop
trails/roads where possible
Monitoring,
with data collection to meet agency needs and trail future
Education:
Signage
to ensure rules are known and "stay the trail" is in effect
Brochures
and handouts (tap into TreadLightly! RIDE ON, and other programs out there)
Check-in, kiosks, permits
Web
page/forums and user meetings as needed
Develop and share trail “code of ethics.”
Hold volunteer meetings or training sessions for trail education
Enlisting:
Getting
volunteers (users, agencies, businesses) involved
Volunteer
training to ensure leadership and efficiency
Leadership
development and ongoing training
Adopt-a-trail programs with agencies and landowners
Organized
segmented layout for easy adoption/maintenance
Publication
of volunteer efforts
Application
for grants using volunteer hours
Developing
advocacy talents within the volunteer ranks
Enforcement:
Grant
for LEO or security/cops
Rules are well posted.
Warning
system
Well-advertised
Volunteer
trail patrol
Published
activities and successes of enforcement as needed
As always, I suggest you belong to and check with past successes of your national, regional, and state associations to see how this formula might have already been applied to your area.
If you apply the elements of this formula to protecting access, my 40+ years of landuse (and fire service) tell me we will all have a better and more sustainable trail future!
Del
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:
As authors,
we’ve struggled for some time trying to “label” the passion, devotion, and
commitment many of us have to our motorized conveyances. We know now that was
the wrong approach; it’s not the machine; it’s what it gives us. It’s about
freedom.
Undoubtedly,
the good old U.S. of A has some marvelous and spectacular scenery, coupled with
a vast array of cool historical stuff to see. But the freedom we have to
explore gives us the opportunity to enjoy all these things. Our machines take
us to places that give each of us a sense of our own heritage and freedom.
We recently
cruised in our Jeep, sharing some trails in a southwest desert with ATVs, dirt
bikes, side-by-sides, and dune buggies. We were all breathing the same dust,
admiring the same blue skies, loving the volcanic tableland of the high desert,
and just plain relishing the camaraderie that accompanies users of the great
outdoors. It mattered not what someone was driving/riding; it was that we were
all out to treasure our heritage and righteously enjoy the freedom we have
fought for and earned.
Patriotism
is best described as having a “devotion” to one’s country and supporting the cause
of independence. Well, there you have it. That’s us. We are patriots.
Yes, we do
all these things responsibly. That goes without saying. But no matter how you
cut it, it’s still about getting out there and doing it – the way you like it!
It’s about access, and it is about freedom.
An essential
part of the outdoor passion for freedom is having the ability to share these
things with our friends and family. Passing on the heritage and history of our
country and responsible outdoor recreation is a big part of what we do and why
we do it. There is nothing like seeing a kid’s eyes light up after a gnarly
hill climb or seeing a child give a big thumbs up while safely strapped in the
back of a bouncing rig. It is also why we fight so hard to help keep what is
left of our public land and trails open so that we can all get out there and
enjoy ourselves.
We are about
access, and we must never forget the freedom and liberty that have been fought for by so many when we are out there sharing the trails; sharing the dust, the scenery, and the off-pavement lifestyle. Just remember, it is all about independence. Just
picture John Wayne riding off into the sunset. It is a passion, our American
way of life; it is how we express our off-pavement patriotism.
We are
freedom fighters and by God, let no one stand in the way of our access to our
heritage. So stay in the game with us, and keep up the fight. Join those groups and clubs that make sense to you. Make sure your voice is heard.
At your
service, Del & Stacie Albright
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:
By Del Albright
The "nibblers" are after your freedoms the same
way you eat an elephant – one bite at a time. "They" want to nibble
away at everything you hold precious if it doesn't fit in with their radical
liberal agenda. They have many names, but more importantly, they have influence
and are instituting daily changes in your life – that you may not like at all.
Check it out.
Let's take landuse and access to our motorized trails as an
example. If "they" don't like a trail we're doing, they will find an
endangered species, an invasive species, or some archeological site to use
against us. And they nibble. One bite
at a time is all it takes.
It's easy to succumb to the one-bite approach. It doesn't
seem like much if we give up a section of trail or re-route a trail over just
one itty bitty endangered frog. Right? Nibble. Then comes the arch site—another
nibble.
Anyway, you get the picture. There is always some nibbling
going on around our sports that include motors. So what do organizations and
groups do? Well, let's form a committee and study it. For sure, that is
government. But let's get into what happens with committees.
In this day and age, most resource-oriented efforts strive
to attain long-lasting results. Currently, "sustainable" is America's
most significant buzzword (especially with government and anti-access groups).
And who can argue with that – if we can't sustain it, we'll for sure lose it.
And the nibblers love that word. It's easy to throw up a
roadblock to show that something may not be sustainable. Then we have to study
it in committees – more.
Now to complicate things more, let's bring in organizational
turf battles and who's boots are filling with liquid. Sure, we can form a
committee and study it, but we go into it "walls up" and are ready to
fight to defend our turf, sometimes to the detriment of getting something
positive done. Personalities and egos set in.
Ok, no worries. Let's find cool names that sound very
important and problem-solving-like and keep studying them. But doesn't it look
like we're doing something if it's "in committee?"
California came to land use life on October 31, 1994, with
the loss of 8 million acres to the Desert Protection Act. Immediately we
started to form committees and groups to fix stuff.
1994: Land Use Network (LUN), the first significant land use
email and internet group.
1996: North American Motorized Recreation Council (NAMRC), a
national multiple-use motorized group.
1997: Resource Education Network (REN), CA's first multiple-use
group.
1997: Multiple Use Shared Trails Workshop (MUST), CA's first
hands-on multiple-use land use workshop.
1997: BLITZ 1997, a massive marketing effort to engage
motorized users nationwide under the umbrella of the LUN.
1999: Sierra Nevada Framework, CA forest plan amendment
efforts (stemmed from same folks in REN).
2003: Multiple Use Summit, CA's first organized gathering of
all aspects of recreational leaders in backcountry uses.
And I'm sure I left out a few. But my involvement started in
1981 when I completed a Master's Thesis in Coordinated Resource Management and
Planning (CRMP), trying to bring diverse interests together for a common goal.
CRMP was part of the founding principles for the start of the REN and NAMRC.
Now we have names like Cross-Jurisdictional Collaboration to Advance
Sustainable Recreation, Sustainable & Accessible Recreation, Responsible
Recreation, and so on. For example, in California, we implemented the
California Motorized Recreation Council (CMRC), a direct and state-specific
spin-off of NAMRC. But, while always hopeful, it never ends.
We
keep finding new names for the same idea with similar
slants/missions. SO WHAT??? Follow-ups and actions that accomplish
something are more important than having more meetings (and committees).
Committees produce reports. Reports get passed around and filed. But not enough
gets done to save trails or keep our sports alive. We MUST change that and ensure
whatever committees and groups we have working for us have the ability to get something done!
The
nibblers are winning, bite by bite. And it's all because we aren't doing enough
– we aren't engaged enough. We don't insist on more actions and less talk.
Further, we don't support our organized recreation groups enough to fight
back. Worse, we don't feel the gate closing on our butt – yet.
It is my humble opinion that, yes, we have more than enough
committees, and yes, we need to be part of them – to ensure we get ACTION out
of these cool-named entities that leave open doors for the nibblers. But we
need to bolster our organized recreation groups (who make up the committees) to
the point that our fight-back is strong, solid, and sustainable.
Allow me to say that again; we need to ensure our
fight-back is sustainable.
Join, donate, and volunteer your time to those organizations and groups you believe in to help keep the nibblers away from our dinner table.
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)
Do not just volunteer, but
rather up-purpose your volunteerism! In today's world, we must
stop wasting our precious volunteer time when we are all torn in many
directions by multiple jobs, kids' school games, community involvement, paying
bills, family commitments, and more. Too many of us have become trapped in the
status quo of losing ground in the long run. Herein, I will explain purposeful
volunteerism and how we need to push beyond just holding our ground regarding
access to responsible motorized recreation.
TIP 1: Embrace
the concept of "think globally; act locally." If
you want to up-purpose your volunteer time, consider the big picture before
investing your time. Ask yourself, "In the big scheme of things, will this
project I'm about to undertake make a difference worth my time invested?"
If it will, then do it. If it won't, then don't do it – find something better
to do with your volunteer time. But it must start with a serious and purposeful
consideration of the global picture – the overall future of sustainable motorized
recreation in America.
TIP 2: Volunteer
to help Association Events:
I believe that working (volunteering) at state associations or club
events does make a difference in the long run to the big picture. When the
event is geared towards raising funds to help the association/club accomplish
its mission, you are helping the global cause by being involved. The extent of your involvement is not as significant
as the purpose of your commitment. If all you can do is run the sign-in table
at a convention, which frees up other people to do more complicated jobs, then
smile proudly and do your job! You are helping the global cause.
TIP 3: Improve
our image and help cure Toenail Fungus: No, I don't think investing my discretionary
off-road time and money into curing "fungus among us" is the right
way to be a purposeful volunteer for motorized recreation. Even if you cure the
toenail fungus, you'll be lucky to get a 1/16-page blurb in the local newspaper
and a fleeting thank you in some newsletter/website that people might remember
for a week.
With this supposed image-enhancing effort, you will not cure our loss of lands and access. The trick here is to invest your time in events and causes that MOSTLY support off-road recreation and, to a smaller extent, support a feel-good cause.
TIP 4: Become
a club or organization leader: Taking on a leadership role in a club or
association is crucial to being purposeful in your volunteer efforts. The
entire motorized world does not have enough people with the time to invest in
being a leader. So if that is you, jump all over it and do it with gusto – but
also keep the global (big) picture always in your mind.
Ask yourself, for example, if being part of an ego
squabble is the right way to protect our access future. Play your own "devil's
advocate" and challenge the actions you are taking or about to take. Will
your next step really help the big picture – are you being purposeful in your
volunteerism? As a leader, this is crucial to inspiring others to do the same.
When you can influence several other volunteers' actions, beliefs, and
productivity, you have become an unstoppable force in the future of sustainable
motorized access.
TIP 5: Take
it to court: We will win the battles for access only by
escalating to more offensive strategies. This means we need a war chest that
will allow us to take it to court when required –to go legal and go strong!
Those who oppose our way of life have the funds and legal teams to file
lawsuits at the drop of a hat. They tie up land management agencies in fearful
legal engagements and threats that tie up our access in the meantime and many
times in the long run.
We must get ahead of this curve and be preemptive where
needed. Donating to the legal efforts of your favorite motorsports group is the
primary thing we can all do to take it to the next level – or at least be
willing, prepared, and able to go on the offensive. But do NOT waste your money
on dead-end legal battles. Pick the right legal battle to support.
TIP 6: Join
and Donate: Nothing is more fundamental to up-purposing
your involvement than joining, renewing, and donating to everything you can
afford that helps protect recreational motorized access. If you do nothing
else, an ongoing donation program or an annual contribution on top of your
renewing memberships is globally significant! We must unite our voices and
build our access forces and war chests to win these battles.
Summary:
Ask
yourself if your volunteer efforts are progressing towards the global picture of
saving trails or just staying trapped in the status quo of losing ground.
Remember to be purposeful in your volunteer efforts by investing your time
where the payback is worth it to the big picture of keeping our access to
responsible, sustainable motorized recreation. And let's go beyond just holding
our ground!
Learn more about volunteering, leading volunteers, land use,
and more in this easy-to-follow book here.
(Note: originally published on ModernJeeper.com, 12/9/22)
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:
Happy Veterans Day, you old (and young) warriors! We're still here, still standing, and still proud to have served. To my fellow...
