RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (Full Version)

All Forums >> [Dirt Bikes General] >> [Dirtbiking and the Law] >> Legislative Updates and Legal Issues



Message

Manray -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (12/28/2009 8:40:55 PM)

I'll make sure this topic gets a bump when the dates get close. Regardless if NETRA sends a representative we should at least try and get a decent number of people from our side to attend these meetings. Its time to be proactive and try and be the captains of our own destiny. We are ill represented on each and every one of these panels. As the only users group who pays an annual fee and does countless hours of work in the forests its time to be make our presence known. What we really need is to get the word out to our elected officials about not only who we are but how many of us are out here and that we and our families vote. We need to be taken seriously as a voting block rather than just dirtbikers (who don't vote.)



baron -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (12/28/2009 8:47:19 PM)

+2

thanks for following the DCR activities



gem -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (12/29/2009 7:34:20 AM)

" analyzing the issues", hmmm... so often that phrase means "doing nothing".



bZrPerfSpec -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (12/29/2009 7:45:00 AM)

I really think that "Dirtbiking and the Law" should be the top topic/heading on NEDB. Its buried in a section so many overlook. Make it more noticable so that all see. Just a thought.



Manray -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (12/29/2009 10:48:57 AM)

Good point but most people just click "Active Topics" (at the top of the page) and see what new posts have been written rather than look through each group of topics.



gem -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (12/29/2009 3:48:44 PM)

Bobby I have been saying that since day one, in fact I think there should be a picture of some half naked babe with a link to all the legal/land issues placed right over her...



mathdl -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (12/30/2009 10:23:11 AM)

I went to the one held in Amherst 15 years ago and found it hilarious.  Our club rep was so intimidated by all the bike hating bigots, he bailed without speaking. 
A couple of my favorite quotes:  "All you need to do is look at the color of the Connecticut River in the spring to know how much erosion is caused by ORV's."  and from the Audubon rep, "Orv's are destroying bird habitat."
That public forum was just a legal requirement.  The forest closings were already a done deal.  Facts meant nothing, it was all about votes and money.  If we show them we represent both, they might listen.
Dave
SMC



fastbandit -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (1/6/2010 8:19:24 PM)

Dave...who was our club rep?



fastbandit -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (1/6/2010 8:20:50 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: fastbandit

Dave...who was our club rep?

never mind...it was 15 years ago...my bad.



Suzuki4me -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (1/17/2010 10:16:23 AM)

Looks like there's a draft of their TSC document on the web here
http://groups.google.com/group/forest-futures-technical-steering-committee/browse_thread/thread/22e5f389411f26c2
Take a look at what they want to designate as forest reserves on page 86
then take a look at what activities would be allowed in forest reserves on page 100

They try to legitimize attempts to include forest users (stakeholders) in their process:
Advisory Group of Stakeholders: The Advisory Group of Stakeholders is composed of a
representative group of stakeholders who reflect the various interest categories related to the public benefits and values of forests. It includes 23 members drawn from the citizen stewardship, economic development, environmental, forestry, government/municipal, landowner, recreational, and wildlife/habitat stakeholder interest group communities. MODR worked with the various stakeholder communities to identify appropriate representatives who could represent geographic areas and groups, rather than individual interests, and be able to communicate effectively for their constituencies.
The members of the AGS are:
Whit Beals
Jay Belanger
Bill Boles
Mary S. Booth
Ted Cady
Dicken Crane
Alexandra Dawson
Nan Finkenaur
Timothy Fohl
David J. Gafney
Fred Heyes
Claudia Hurley
Becky Kalagher
Michael J. Kellett
Cathy Kristofferson
James McCaffrey
E. Heidi Ricci
Mike Ryan
Carrie Saldo*
Jim Sherman
Peggy Sloan
William R. Van Doren
Jane Winn
___________________________________
Bill Boles represents the mountain bikers
I don't think E. Heidi Ricci rides a dirtbike in her time away from the Mass Adubon

Call you elected official and state you're not represented in this one sided effort



Manray -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (1/17/2010 10:43:27 AM)

Any chance Jim Sherman is NETRA Jim Sherman. We have never been represented fairly on any of these panels.



Suzuki4me -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (1/17/2010 11:32:51 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Manray

Any chance Jim Sherman is NETRA Jim Sherman. We have never been represented fairly on any of these panels.


Not sure, We'll see if he mentions it in response to my email to him



breakdirt916 -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (1/20/2010 10:05:41 AM)

so if we have the opportunity to go and speak, what exactly should we say?

this is all I can think of:
-there are a lot of ORV owners in MA, we all pay taxes, we all vote, and we all pay for our registration (these #'s I can pull from the DCR website) so we would like to keep trails available, and old rail beds/fire roads open
-OHV riders are part of the public, so they should be able to use public land
-undoubtedly there a minority that abuse the right to operate an ATV, those few should not reflect everyone else that rides, and we should not be punished for their wrongdoings
-ownership #'s have grown over the years (is this true?)
-reduction in obesity by being active
-shared support with other outdoor organizations in opening trails for use
-way for people to enjoy the vast wilderness in beautiful Massachusetts (note: see NH as model)
-opening more trails to the public reduces the amount of illegal riding

in regards to trail damage
-we, as a group, encourage responsible riding and a "tread lightly"
-there are a group of individuals that manage the trails
-there are riding seasons for a reason

in regards to money:
-making more trails available could encourage more people to register their OHV, since they now have a place to ride
-by providing stricter penalties for existing rules (riding illegally on public streets, riding trails without a plate, riding on private property, riding without a helmet, riding without a spark arrestor) the state could both gather additional funds from offenders, and even more from repeat offenders



Manray -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (1/29/2010 12:00:52 PM)

The first meeting is coming up next week in Westborough!

Lets round up the horses and ride to the sound of the gunfire boys!



breakdirt916 -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (2/3/2010 4:17:34 PM)

yeah, I'm not going...grad school sucks, good luck guys



Manray -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (2/3/2010 7:57:53 PM)

Bump



Manray -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (2/4/2010 11:07:00 AM)

I'll be there but unfortunately I'll be a little late, I have a business meeting at WPI in worcester (at least its on the way home).



gem -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (2/4/2010 6:09:20 PM)

Good points breakdirt... something that I feel does not surface enough (and correct me if this is not an arrow in our quiver)is the fact that I think clubs could provide the needed labor the trails/forests need... FOR FREE!!

The state is always using lack of funds as a weapon but it seems to me that riders would gladly volunteer and do the necessary work and more to fill in the "financial gap"



GrimeyGrimes -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (2/5/2010 5:58:33 AM)

gem
Regular Member

Posts: 56
Joined: 12/5/2005
From: Litchfield County CT
Status: offline Bobby I have been saying that since day one, in fact I think there should be a picture of some half naked babe with a link to all the legal/land issues placed right over her...

If we can't put the picture of the babe up there to get their attention - let's remind some of the younger crowd that THEY are funding our current wars. All the money being spent to fund the wars that our service people are fighting, and all the money Obama is spending on Bail-outs and Bribes, has basically been borrowed from CHINA. The next generation(s) will be TAXED very heavily to repay China for all this stupid spending Obama is doing. So say "thanks" to all the young folks for for Bailing us out and paying for our Bail-outs and Pork.

Don't forget about the special treatment we'll have to show our Sugar Daddy China. We don't want to piss them off or they will start makng the collection calls...

Maybe that will make the younger riders wake-up an get them involved in protecting our right to ride?



Manray -> RE: Forums on state forest stewardship (Before this disappears from the web) (2/5/2010 12:18:24 PM)

Once again my uncanny resemblance to Smokey The Bear plus wearing all denim (including my trusty Natures Conservancy shirt) allowed me transparent access into the meeting. During the formal meeting I silently stayed, at the back of the room. Allow me to suggest it would have been dangerous to have a MX jersey on with this crowd. I’m sure I could of choked any of them out but I may not have survived the beatings from the LL Bean boots or Birkenstocks while I waited for my sleeper hold to subdue the raging environmentalist.
Its grim for us as we have absolutely no representation on the steering committee. No mention of ORVs while I was there (I did get there late) but I’m sure, as always we would be about as popular as an Asian Longhorn Beetle. It was obvious the whole tone of the effort was the health of the forests and only non destructive recreation will be acceptable. Man made trails seem to only be OK if it follows a natural path and is a foot path. Global warming is also still popular and anyone doubting it is of course just a primitive fool.
My guess is that these meetings have nothing to do with us as far as addressing our needs wants and desires but they could very likely be our doom. It looks like there is a meeting of just the Steering Committee in April and once again I will try and see if I can somehow barge in. If we continue to have no representation we will soon find riding in the state forests just a memory. As the “ONLY” user group that pays a fee as well as does thousands of hours of work in the forests we deserve to have representation. We keep being in the position of trying to halt a planned closing. We have be more proactive and be able to fend of losing anymore areas before they are done deals and trust me when I say its close to being a done deal already!



Page: <<   < prev  1 [2] 3   next >   >>



Forum Software © ASPPlayground.NET Advanced Edition 2.5.5 Unicode

0.172