Friday, February 26, 2016

Western GOP Congressmen Promote Transfer Of Federal Forests To States

NWPR.org - Full Article

By Tom Banse
February 25, 2016

Republican Congressmen from several Western states are running with a theme that emerged during the recent armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon.

A panel of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources Thursday discussed two measures that would let states take over management of large swaths of federal land. The Subcommittee on Federal Lands heard Alaska GOP Congressman Don Young pitch his idea to let states buy national forest land from the federal government to increase timber production.

The panel also listened to Idaho Republican Raul Labrador pitch an alternative. It would let interested states take over management of at least 200,000 acres of national forest within their borders...

Read more or listen in here:
http://nwpr.org/post/western-gop-congressmen-promote-transfer-federal-forests-states

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Receive National Recognition For Your Trail Project!

Americantrails.org

Has your trail received funding through the Recreational Trails Program (RTP)?

Here is a great opportunity for national recognition that also advocates continued funding for trails! Learn more about the Coalition for Recreational Trails Annual Achievement Awards and download the nomination form… 

DEADLINE: MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2016 

Coalition for Recreational Trails Annual Achievement Awards


Awards for projects funded through the Federal Recreational Trails Program of the Federal Highway Administration
The Coalition for Recreational Trails, a federation of national and regional trail-related organizations, presents the Annual Achievement Awards to recognize outstanding trail projects funded by the national Recreational Trails Program (RTP).

The awards are presented in Washington, D.C. during Great Outdoors Month™ in June each year as part of the Coalition’s ongoing effort to build awareness and appreciation of this highly successful program, which has greatly enhanced the quantity and quality of trail experiences available to the public. We will be holding the awards ceremony on Capitol Hill and will encourage Members of Congress to join us in honoring the outstanding achievements of their constituents.

As an additional benefit, American Trails makes a web page for each winning project. See the over 100 award pages we have created since 2003. We hope you will join us in this important effort to recognize the significant contributions to our nationwide system of trails and greenways that the Recreational Trails Program is supporting all across the country.
 
Awards are given in several categories:
• Maintenance and Rehabilitation – maintaining, repairing damage to, or upgrading the quality of a trail to improve the trail experience, increase user safety, and/or enhance protection of the environment, including wildlife
• Construction and Design – planning and building a trail, portions of a trail (e.g., a bridge), or trail-related facilities (e.g., a trailhead, shelter, etc.)
• Public-Private Partnerships and Access to/Use of Public Lands – facilitating and/or encouraging cost-effective partnerships between public and private entities, especially to increase access to and use of federal, state and local public lands, including parks, forests and wildlife refuges
• Community Linkage – providing and/or enhancing opportunities for trail-based recreation and transportation within or near local communities
• Education and Communication – using a variety of established and/or technologically innovative communications tools (e.g., web sites, social media and peer-to-peer information sharing) to increase environmental awareness, promote trail-related safety, encourage trail-related outdoor recreation and, overall, enhance trail use and enjoyment
• Multiple-Use Management & Corridor Sharing – facilitating and/or encouraging the use of a trail corridor by more than one type of trail enthusiast, particularly those enthusiasts that do not ordinarily share trails or trail-related facilities
• Accessibility Enhancement – facilitating and/or encouraging increased access to trail-related recreation opportunities for people with disabilities
• Youth Conservation/Service Corps and Community Outreach – making effective use of the services and skills of qualified youth conservation or service corps and other community organizations as project partners and supporters
• Engaging Public-Sector Partners – engaging and garnering the support of public-sector officials including local, state and federal elected officials or agency personnel for RTP-funded projects or the overall continuation/advancement of the RTP


NOMINATING A PROJECT

Award winners will be selected from projects nominated by public agencies, trail administrators or other project sponsors. Projects must be completed in order to receive an award. In addition, projects completed after 2007 are eligible.

APPLICATION DEADLINE for 2016 is April 4, 2016.
Chair of the Coalition’s Awards Committee: Duane Taylor, Director of Federal Affairs, Motorcycle Industry Council, at coalitionforrectrails@gmail.com. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call Duane at (703) 416-0444 or send him an e-mail.
 
Nomination materials are available around the first of each year. Then in the spring, award winners will be selected from projects nominated by public agencies, trail administrators or other project sponsors.  Projects must be completed in order to receive an award. See State by State listing of all RTP Awards.

You can check the online Recreational Trails Program Database to find projects and to be sure your project included RTP funding. Please note: Data collection is an ongoing effort and data is regularly being entered into the database as it is received from the States, District of Columbia, and other sources. Should you need assistance with the RTP Database, please contact support@recreationaltrailsinfo.org. 

We invite you to nominate an outstanding project and to encourage the sponsor(s) of an excellent project in your state to submit a nomination as well.  We are also again encouraging those making nominations to solicit support from their Members of Congress— both U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators— to build awareness of excellent RTP-funded projects and the RTP program itself.

For more information and to download the nominations forms, see
http://www.americantrails.org/awards/CRTawards.html

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Featured Recreational Trails Program-funded project: Blue Tree Trail System, Nevada

Americantrails.org - Full Article

The Blue Tree Trail System is a 50-mile nonmotorized trail network used by hikers, equestrians, mountain bicyclists, and trail runners. In 2005, the Forest Service received the necessary funding to perform an analysis of the eroding trails that were harming plants and wildlife, eventually leading to funding provided by the Federal Highway Administration's Recreational Trails Program. Approximately 17 miles of the new trail and construction were accomplished through the gr  ant, with the majority of the work completed by youth corps workers.

Education and Communication

• Sponsor/Partners: Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest; Great Basin Institute; Bristlecone Chapter of The Back Country Horsemen of Nevada; Spring Mountains Youth Camp; Clark County
• Congressional District: Dina Titus (D-1-NV)
• Senators: Harry Reid (D-NV) and Dean Heller (R-NV)

Introduction

The Blue Tree Trail System was first brought to the attention of the Forest Service in the late 1990s. It was brought forward by local equestrians and mountain bikers with the request to formally designate and maintain a grouping of game and user-worn paths. The majority of designated trails at that time were off limits to mountain bikes because the trails entered designated wilderness and were all of an out-and-back, uphill-downhill nature.

Early in 2005 the Forest Service obtained the necessary funding to perform an environmental assessment through the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act (SNPLMA). The analysis revealed cultural sites, sensitive endemic plants, wildlife concerns and many sections of trail that were poorly aligned and eroding as well as causing impacts to plants, wildlife and cultural sites.

No money had been provided for implementation however once the analysis was complete and the decision was signed; and this is where the Recreational Trail Program (RTP) made our planning and the dreams of trail users a reality. This is a 50-mile nonmotorized trail system used by hikers, equestrians, mountain bikers and trail runners...

Read more here:
http://www.americantrails.org/awards/CRT15awards/Blue-Tree-Trail-System-NV-CRT-2015.html

February 25 webinar: "Building Capacity with Volunteers - Essential Building Blocks of a Successful Program"

Americantrails.orgAmerican Trails invites you to join us on February 25 as we welcome Kim Frederick with Chinook Associates and Jana Johns with Jefferson County Open Space as they present "Building Capacity with Volunteers - Essential Building Blocks of a Successful Program." You will benefit from this webinar if you have an existing volunteer program and are looking for ways to enhance it. Alternatively, if you are considering development of a volunteer program and are looking for information on how to get started, there will be lots of ideas for you to consider.

Learn more and REGISTER for this webinar at:

http://americantrails.org/resources/volunteer/Webinar-Volunteers-Frederick-Johns.html

Monday, February 22, 2016

Comments Needed on Mount Rainier Wilderness Plan

February 17 2016

Did you know that in 2002 the National Park Service all but eliminated horseback use at Mount Rainier National Park, with the sole exceptions being the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and one feeder trail to the PCT? That decision represents an enormous bur under the saddle of horsemen, who have endured the near prohibition of pack and saddle stock in that park for nearly 14 years.

Yet today there is a golden opportunity to work with the Park Service in an effort to regain some of those trails. Mount Rainier National Park recently launched a public scoping process to support the development of a Wilderness Stewardship Plan. Importantly, the park's Superintendent appears open to revisiting the appropriate role of recreational stock use in Mount Rainier Wilderness. 
 
Please consider submitting public scoping comments for the park's Wilderness Stewardship Plan by February 22nd, 2016 (details below). Your voice is needed to ensure that Mount Rainier Wilderness is again managed to be enjoyed by,and benefit from, recreational stock users like Back Country Horsemen who are committed to protecting and enhancing the park's wilderness character.

Background
The National Park Service is in the early phases of developing a 10- to 15-year management plan for Wilderness in Mount Rainier National Park. Located in Washington state's Cascades, 
97% of Mount Rainier National Park was designated as Wilderness in 1988 in recognition of its outstanding resources and values. 

The Mount Rainier Wilderness contains ancient forests, subalpine meadows, and the largest single-mountain glacial system in the contiguous 48 states. Mount Rainier provides visitors with diverse opportunities to experience the challenge and natural beauty of wilderness. A key objective of the plan is to "Develop an approach to managing visitor use such that wilderness character is preserved and public use and enjoyment are provided." We think that horsemen fit nicely into that vision. 

Take Action

You can submit scoping comments by February 22nd via either U.S. Mail or through the Park Service's online planning portal, which is here, then by clicking on the green "Comment Now" button. Mail can be sent to:

Randy King, Superintendent
Attn: Wilderness Stewardship Plan
Mount Rainier National Park
55210 238th Avenue East
Ashford, Washington 98304-9751

The park's online planning portal is easy to use. BCHA has included at the end of this Action Alert recommended talking points that you might consider adding among your personal comments. It's important to use your own words and add your own personal story among BCHA's suggested talking points. 

Thank you for taking action to ensure renewed access and enjoyment of Mount Rainier Wilderness by pack and saddle stock users! 
 
Donald Saner, Chairman
Back Country Horsemen of America

Recommended Talking Points

Feel free to enter your comments any way you choose. Remember, comments that are courteous and include examples and recommendations for improving wilderness management increase the chance that your comments will be greeted with receptivity.

• I am a stock owner and trail rider. I look forward to the day I can explore Mount Rainier Wilderness in the time-honored tradition of traveling with pack and saddle stock.

• I value the long-established tradition of use of pack and saddle stock in Mount Rainier National Park and throughout the West, and I wish to see this important historical use carried on into the future.

• I am dismayed by the Park Service's decision in 2002 to largely eliminate horse and pack stock use on nearly 100 miles of trail in the Mount Rainier Wilderness, as that decision did not appear to be supported by the necessary science.

• The current exclusion of horseback use on most of the park's Wilderness trails means that only the able-bodied are capable of immersing themselves in a Wilderness experience. For visitors that are either aged, mobility impaired, or otherwise unable to venture into park Wilderness on their own, the only opportunity to visit the park's Wilderness may be via horseback or mule.

• I place great value in the use of pack stock as a management tool that enables federal land management agencies to maintain and enhance wilderness character. For example, use of pack stock, a primitive mode of travel, in lieu of the use of helicopters for routine maintenance in Wilderness is one means by which the Park Service can maintain historic uses and achieve greater alignment with the agency's recently-adopted "Keeping it Wild" management philosophy.

• In order to reduce the potential for visitor conflict, the WSP should include proactive methods of visitor education, including the use of interpretive materials available at Wilderness trailheads, to convey to hikers and backpackers to expect encounters with persons using pack and saddle stock. The WSP also should detail methods by which visitors traveling via foot and with pack stock could enhance communication and work toward minimizing "conflict" between user groups. Changing the expectations of individuals prior to their embarking from the trailhead appears to represent a first step in doing so.

• Regulations proposed for use of pack stock should meet scientific rigor and necessity. The WSP must cite current peer-reviewed studies, and those studies must be made readily accessible for public review, if science is to be used to justify wide-range prohibitions or restrictions upon trail use or overnight camping.

• Science applied in the WSP must discern between the effects of pack stock use by private users versus the effects of the park's own administrative use of pack stock. In the absence of such science, the WSP should not seek to disproportionately burden private stock users, who would comprise only a small percentage of overnight Wilderness visitation.

• The WSP should include documentation of the preferences and desired experiences of recreational stock users, whose views might or might not align with views expressed by other Wilderness visitors as documented in existing social science literature.

• The WSP should consider, and make efforts to accommodate, the logistical needs of pack stock users who do not enter park Wilderness via adjacent national forests or private land. For example, the WSP should address the need for adequate trailer parking at park trailheads and designate specific front country camping areas for persons who haul their own horses and mules.

• Park personnel should work in partnership with Backcountry Horsemen of Washington (BCHW) to develop a park-wide equine Leave No Trace® (LNT) program that is included in the WSP. Park personnel and the WSP should consider entering into a formal partnership with BCHW for the development of a visitor education and LNT program for equine visitors to Mount Rainier National Park.

• The Park Service may soon find that it has insufficient resources to maintain trails in Mount Rainier Wilderness to standards that are necessary to maintain visitor safety and resource protection. Given that the WSP represents a long-range (10- to 15-year) plan, it would be prudent to consider in the WSP options for enlisting additional qualified partners in routine trail maintenance. For example, establishing formal agreements with qualified non-profit organizations, such as BCHW and its partner, the Pacific Crest Trail Association, would serve to augment the agency's beleaguered trail maintenance budget and could preclude the need to either close trails or reclassify some trails as either "unmaintained" or minimally maintained.

• Thank you for this opportunity to provide public scoping comments on the Mount Rainier Wilderness Stewardship Plan. 


Back Country Horsemen of America | peg@bcha.org |
P.O. Box 1367
Graham, WA 98338

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

June 4 is National Trails Day

June 4, 2016 is American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day®, the country’s largest celebration of trails.  National Trails Day events will take place in every state across the country and will include hikes, biking and horseback rides, paddling trips, birdwatching, geocaching, gear demonstrations, stewardship projects and more.

American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day® (NTD) is a celebration of America’s magnificent Trail System, occurring annually on the first Saturday in June. NTD features a series of outdoor activities, designed to promote and celebrate the importance of trails in the United States. Individuals, clubs and organizations from around the country host National Trails Day® events to share their love of trails with friends, family, and their communities. NTD introduces thousands of Americans to a wide array of trail activities: hiking, biking, paddling, horseback riding, trail running, and bird watching and more. For public and private land managers alike, National Trails Day® is a great time to showcase beautiful landscapes and special or threatened locales as thousands of people will be outside looking to participate in NTD events.

National Trails Day® evolved during the late ‘80s and ‘90s from a popular ethos among trail advocates, outdoor industry leaders and political bodies who wanted to unlock the vast potential in America’s National Trails System, transforming it from a collection of local paths into a true network of interconnected trails and vested trail organizations. This collective mindset hatched the idea of a singular day where the greater trail community could band together behind the NTD moniker to show their pride and dedication to the National Trails System.

To find an event, or host an event, see
http://nationaltrailsday.americanhiking.org/.

Time to Ride Challenge to Return with New Incentives in 2016

Fevruary 16 2016

The grassroots competition grew by more than 60% in 2015.

Washington, D.C., February 16, 2016 - The Time to Ride Challenge, a contest offering $100,000 in cash and prizes, will take place again in 2016 by incentivizing stables, clubs, and businesses to focus on outreach to new riders. Participants win cash and prizes by introducing new, “non-riders” to riding and other horse activities, and simultaneously benefit by growing their businesses and organizations. Time to Ride is an initiative of the American Horse Council Marketing Alliance, a group of industry leading companies and organizations collaborating to grow the horse industry.

Since its launch in 2014, the Challenge has introduced over 60,000 new people to horses through fun, beginner-friendly horse experiences. The 2015 contest saw more than a 60% increase in the number of newcomers reached compared to 2014 due to the hard work and enthusiasm of event hosts eager to share the joy of horses with new people. Hundreds of stables nationwide have opened their doors to their communities and focused on holding these public horse events designed to connect horse-interested families with local opportunities. “We brought horses to host an event at our local rodeo, and we were amazed at how many rodeo fans had never actually touched a horse! After meeting us and our horses, these families then knew exactly where to go for riding lessons,” said Christine Yeasel of Diamond P Equestrian Center.

“The Challenge puts real rewards behind a cause that’s critical to our industry,” stated Patti Colbert, Time to Ride spokesperson. “These new horse enthusiasts are becoming the next generation of riding students, clients, and customers; who will eventually be owning horses, competing in shows, using the services of veterinarians, and growing our entire industry.”

Grand prize winners in small, medium and large divisions will take home $10,000 cash each. A total of over $75,000 cash will be paid out to the top ten “hosts” in each division who introduce the greatest number of newcomers to horses throughout the summer. Approximately $25,000 in product and in-kind prizes will also be awarded.

The Challenge will take place June 1 through September 30, 2016 and will be open for registration April 1, 2016. Please visit http://www.timetoridechallenge.com/ and sign up for the newsletter to receive further updates and a notification as soon as registration is available.

The American Horse Council’s Marketing Alliance


Time to Ride is an initiative of the American Horse Council’s Marketing Alliance, formed to connect people with horses. It is designed to encourage horse-interested consumers to enjoy the benefits of horse activities. The AHC Marketing Alliance is made up of the following organizations: the American Association of Equine Practitioners, Active Interest Media, the American Quarter Horse Association, Dover Saddlery, Farnam, Merck, Merial, Morris Media Network Equine Group, Purina Animal Nutrition LLC, Platinum Performance, United States Equestrian Federation, and Zoetis. Program Partners are Absorbine, the American Paint Horse Association, Equibrand the National Cutting Horse Association, the National Reining Horse Association, Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, and the Texas A&M University Equine Initiative; and new for 2016 I-5 Publishing, Pyranha, the America’s Mustang Campaign, and Colorado State University Equine Sciences Program.

About the American Horse Council

The American Horse Council is a non-profit organization that includes all segments of the horse industry. While its primary mission is to represent the industry before Congress and the federal regulatory agencies in Washington, DC, it also undertakes national initiatives for the horse industry. Time to Ride, the AHC’s Marketing Alliance to connect horses and people, is such an effort. The American Horse Council hopes that Time to Ride will encourage people and businesses to participate in the industry, enjoy our horses, and support our equine activities and events. The AHC believes a healthy horse industry contributes to the health of Americans and America in many ways.

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Federal lands will be fee-free for Presidents Day weekend

Oregonlive.com - Full Article

By Jamie Hale | The Oregonian/OregonLive
on February 11, 2016

Get out your hiking shoes and prepare to tackle the great outdoors in honor of the American presidents who helped make our most scenic lands a public preserve (I'm looking at you, Teddy).

Federal agencies – the National Park Service not included – are waiving day-use fees on public lands this Presidents Day weekend, giving access to the forests, beaches, wetlands and mountains that define our great American landscape.

It will be a chance to "delight in the hardy life of the open," as Theodore Roosevelt said.

Fees will be waived by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service all weekend, from Feb. 13 to 15, while the U.S. Forest Service will only offer one fee-free day on Feb. 15 – Presidents Day proper...

Read more here:
http://www.oregonlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2016/02/federal_lands_will_be_fee-free.html

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Horsemen: Nominate Your Favorite BLM Trail

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is looking to highlight some of the top trails that it manages for hiker and equestrian use. It recently did this for mountain biking and climbing access (view this link). 

The BLM's goal in reaching out to hikers and horsemen is to elevate the profile of non-motorized recreation on BLM-managed lands, both internally and with the public.

If you have a favorite trail on BLM land, please tell us about it. The deadline for your response is February 19, 2016.

Back Country Horsemen of America has been asked for input. Please:

1. Review the criteria below for the kinds of trails we are looking to highlight;
2. Fill in the list titled "Info Needed about the Trail" below; and 
3. Send the info back to me.
You are free to submit as many trails as you'd like, as long as they meet the criteria listed below. We will then work with BLM to create a diverse list of trails to post on the BLM and partner group websites.

Criteria for nominating a trail:

• Authorized trail (includes signage or shown on a BLM map);
• Allows for both hiking and equestrian use;
• Ease of access from major population centers;
• Includes unique attractions (e.g., vistas, water features, canyons, open plains, wildlife, historic/archaeological sites); and
• Its "soundscape" is dominated by nature (i.e., largely free from noises from civilization).

Info needed about the trail:

1. Name of nominee (group or individual);
2. Trail ID (name/number);
3. State and BLM Field Office name or unit;
4. Designation (if known, like Wilderness, National Monument, Wilderness Study Area, National Recreation Area, Area of Critical Environmental Concern, etc.);
5. Predominate Activities (e.g. hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, etc.);
6. Approximate length of trail (in miles);
7. Location of trailhead (GPS if you have it); and
8. 2-4 pictures of the trail or views from the trail.

This is an exciting opportunity to highlight our favorite trails on BLM lands. BCHA is honored that the BLM wants to receive input from our members and volunteers. Please consider nominating your favorite trail on BLM-managed lands and send along the necessary information to support your nomination.

Thank you,

Randy Rasmussen
Director, Public Lands & Recreation
Back Country Horsemen of America

Back Country Horsemen of America | | peg@backcountryhorse.com | 
P.O. Box 1367
Graham, WA 98338

Monday, February 8, 2016

Free Park Days on Federal Land This Weekend

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is having fee free days February 13-15, 2016.

The United States Forest Service (USFS) is having a fee free day on Feb. 15, 2016.

Get out and ride, hike, bike, or clean trails, this weekend.

Saturday, February 6, 2016

National Trails System Partners Head to Washington to "Hike the Hill"

February 6 2016

AERC's Trails and Land Management Committee's Chair, Monica Chapman, will be heading to Washington, D.C., next week alongside the American Hiking Society (AHS) and fellow trail partners to Hike the Hill.

This week of advocacy aims to increase congressional and federal agency leader awareness of funding and other needs that sustain the National Trails System

Follow them on social media and by using the hashtag #hikethehill to stay up-to-date on their D.C. journey.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Nominate a Recreational Trails Program-funded project for a CRT Award

http://www.americantrails.org/awards/CRTawards.html

The Coalition for Recreational Trails, a federation of national and regional trail-related organizations, presents the Annual Achievement Awards to recognize outstanding trail projects funded by the national Recreational Trails Program (RTP).

The awards are presented in Washington, D.C. during Great Outdoors Month™ in June each year as part of the Coalition’s ongoing effort to build awareness and appreciation of this highly successful program, which has greatly enhanced the quantity and quality of trail experiences available to the public. We will be holding the awards ceremony on Capitol Hill and will encourage Members of Congress to join us in honoring the outstanding achievements of their constituents.
As an additional benefit, American Trails makes a web page for each winning project. See the over 100 award pages we have created since 2003. We hope you will join us in this important effort to recognize the significant contributions to our nationwide system of trails and greenways that the Recreational Trails Program is supporting all across the country.

Awards are given in several categories:

• Maintenance and Rehabilitation – maintaining, repairing damage to, or upgrading the quality of a trail to improve the trail experience, increase user safety, and/or enhance protection of the environment, including wildlife

• Construction and Design – planning and building a trail, portions of a trail (e.g., a bridge), or trail-related facilities (e.g., a trailhead, shelter, etc.)

• Public-Private Partnerships and Access to/Use of Public Lands – facilitating and/or encouraging cost-effective partnerships between public and private entities, especially to increase access to and use of federal, state and local public lands, including parks, forests and wildlife refuges

• Community Linkage – providing and/or enhancing opportunities for trail-based recreation and transportation within or near local communities

• Education and Communication – using a variety of established and/or technologically innovative communications tools (e.g., web sites, social media and peer-to-peer information sharing) to increase environmental awareness, promote trail-related safety, encourage trail-related outdoor recreation and, overall, enhance trail use and enjoyment

• Multiple-Use Management & Corridor Sharing – facilitating and/or encouraging the use of a trail corridor by more than one type of trail enthusiast, particularly those enthusiasts that do not ordinarily share trails or trail-related facilities

• Accessibility Enhancement – facilitating and/or encouraging increased access to trail-related recreation opportunities for people with disabilities

• Youth Conservation/Service Corps and Community Outreach – making effective use of the services and skills of qualified youth conservation or service corps and other community organizations as project partners and supporters

• Engaging Public-Sector Partners – engaging and garnering the support of public-sector officials including local, state and federal elected officials or agency personnel for RTP-funded projects or the overall continuation/advancement of the RTP


NOMINATING A PROJECT

Award winners will be selected from projects nominated by public agencies, trail administrators or other project sponsors. Projects must be completed in order to receive an award. In addition, projects completed before 2008 are ineligible.


APPLICATION DEADLINE for 2016 is April 4, 2016.

For more information, and to download the 2016 Nomination Form, see
http://www.americantrails.org/awards/CRTawards.html

Support the National Forest Service Trail Stewardship Act Today 

February 2, 2016

A June, 2013 study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the Forest Service has a deferred trail maintenance backlog that exceeds $500,000,000, and only one-quarter of the agency's 158,000 miles of trails meet the agency's standard for maintenance. This maintenance backlog is causing access and safety issues for equestrians and all trail users on National Forests.  

The National Forest Service Trail Stewardship Act of 2015 (S.1110) would direct the Forest Service to take several key actions to help address the trail maintenance backlog. These actions include development of a national strategy to expand the use of volunteers and partners in National Forest trail maintenance and creation of a priority trail maintenance program to identify and direct resources to areas with the greatest need for trail maintenance. This bill is strongly supported by the American Horse Council.

The AHC urges all recreational riders and trail users to contact their Senators and ask them to support the National Forest Service Trail Stewardship Act of 2015 (S.1110) and to please co-sponsor this legislation. 

To contact your Senators please visit the AHC Action Center here and fill in your contact information. 

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

An Update on the Land and Water Conservation Fund


Colored states will receive funding along national trails in 2016

PNTS.org

In December, thanks to great work by a group of persistent Republican and Democrat Senators and Representatives, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was reauthorized by the Omnibus FY 2016 Appropriations Bill through September 30th, 2018.

Currently, a bipartisan Energy Bill is up for debate in the Senate, which calls for permanent reauthorization of the LWCF. It is predicted, however, that over the next few days moves will be made to strike down permanent reauthorization. Once again, we need your help to ensure the future of this crucial source of funding for our National Trails System and public lands.

Click here to learn how you can make a difference.