Backbrief - DNR Meetings 5 March
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 9:14 pm
Team - we are on a roll! What a great day in Maryland of OHV enthusiasts.
My day started out with a 2-hour meeting with Donnelle Keech of The Nature Conservancy (TNC). My goal was to establish a positive working relationship and common vision for public riding areas using reclaimed mines. It was a very successful meeting in that regard. We discussed how our goals are not mutually exclusive and how we both can achieve our goals together. We will be meeting again soon to continue those discussions. I'm very confident that TNC will be a willing partner in OHV riding areas.
Next was the DNR's ORV Stakeholders' meeting -- a seismic event! First, DNR is moving to the next phase leading to the opening of Savage River State Forest and the Sideling Hill Wildlife Management Area for OHV riding. Yes, you heard that correctly! It isn't a done deal yet. The next step is in April DNR will conduct a 2-day field review which will included selected OHV participants to evaluate the proposed trails (read that to ride them), then a public comment period. If that goes well, then the State will award a contract for construction of parking, primitive camping, some trail extension, etc. Volunteers will be a large part of trail construction. This all could lead to public riding starting in 2014.
Side note: The NOVHCC trails planning guides that the Dealers' Assoc funded have been distributed to the State and DNR is ecstatic. The comments I got back was this was exactly what they have been looking for.
The public recreation and trails meeting was once again dominated by OHV people. I thought it went very well and our needs are getting documented.
Last good news is the State received the letter from Allegany County inquiring about the State leasing recreational rights to reclaimed mines and then opening that land for public riding - think Hatfield-McCoy. The unofficial word I got was the State thinks this is workable.
My day started out with a 2-hour meeting with Donnelle Keech of The Nature Conservancy (TNC). My goal was to establish a positive working relationship and common vision for public riding areas using reclaimed mines. It was a very successful meeting in that regard. We discussed how our goals are not mutually exclusive and how we both can achieve our goals together. We will be meeting again soon to continue those discussions. I'm very confident that TNC will be a willing partner in OHV riding areas.
Next was the DNR's ORV Stakeholders' meeting -- a seismic event! First, DNR is moving to the next phase leading to the opening of Savage River State Forest and the Sideling Hill Wildlife Management Area for OHV riding. Yes, you heard that correctly! It isn't a done deal yet. The next step is in April DNR will conduct a 2-day field review which will included selected OHV participants to evaluate the proposed trails (read that to ride them), then a public comment period. If that goes well, then the State will award a contract for construction of parking, primitive camping, some trail extension, etc. Volunteers will be a large part of trail construction. This all could lead to public riding starting in 2014.
Side note: The NOVHCC trails planning guides that the Dealers' Assoc funded have been distributed to the State and DNR is ecstatic. The comments I got back was this was exactly what they have been looking for.
The public recreation and trails meeting was once again dominated by OHV people. I thought it went very well and our needs are getting documented.
Last good news is the State received the letter from Allegany County inquiring about the State leasing recreational rights to reclaimed mines and then opening that land for public riding - think Hatfield-McCoy. The unofficial word I got was the State thinks this is workable.