Forum, 6-4: Time is now for off-road trail system

By Greg Mumm, president of the South Dakota Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition and writing on behalf its directors. | Saturday, June 04, 2005

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In March 2001 several South Dakota off-highway vehicle (OHV) user groups, all now part of the much larger South Dakota Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition (SDOHVC), began a unique collaborative process. For years, the individual groups had been working independently on public land use issues while striving to better educate OHV users in proper use of public lands. The leaders of these independent OHV user groups collectively realized that with the increasing popularity of OHV recreation came the need for additional management on public lands, state and federal, in the state of South Dakota. What makes the efforts of these groups unique is that they have collectively agreed to work together toward something that OHV users have been historically portrayed as working against - regulations of OHV use on public lands.

One doesn't have to dig very deep to discover the concerns that led to this cooperative effort within the OHV community:

-- Increased popularity of the many facets of OHV recreation.

-- Lack of, and fragmented, management.

-- Road closures within the Black Hills National Forest.

-- User conflicts.

-- Misuse of vehicles and trails by users.

-- Highly publicized incidents of damage to the land we all love.

With these concerns as primary motivating factors, the challenge was to find viable, sustainable, long-term solutions. To this end, in January 2004 the founders of SDOHVC first presented an OHV Road and Trail System concept to the leaders of the Black Hills National Forest.

The concept presented to the Forest Service included, not only the development of a trail system, but also addressed public education, up-to-date-mapping practices, trail identification procedures as well as enforcement and administration of the proposed OHV Road and Trail System. The concept addressed funding through a self-imposed OHV fee program and U.S. Department of Transportation Recreational Trail Program (RTP) grants. Most important, knowing the effects the proposed trail system would have on all users, the OHV leaders encouraged the Forest Service to include all users of the forest in the development of the system.

In the summer of 2004, the Forest Service sought input on the challenge of OHV recreation management from the B.H National Forest Advisory Board (BHNFAB). The BHNFAB wisely held much needed public meetings and subsequently formed a subcommittee tasked with developing recommendations for the Forest Service.

As part of the subcommittee, SDOHVC representatives worked cooperatively with the other diverse organizations and together the subcommittee developed a recommended plan of action. The recommended plan of action included immediate, mid-term and long-term actions for working toward a Road and Trail System in the Black Hills National Forest. When presented to the BHNFAB as a whole, the package was unanimously adopted and passed on to the Forest Service leadership. Subsequently, the Forest Service has been diligent in implementing these recommendations.

SDOHVC also took the concept to the state level. In January 2005 SDOHVC met with both the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and S.D. Game, Fish & Parks Department to discuss state involvement in the development of an OHV Trail System. As a result of this January meeting and at the recommendation of both the Forest Service and the State GF&P, the BHNFAB expanded the original travel management committee and tasked it with further detailing the recommended plan of what the OHV road and trail system should look like for the Black Hills. The expanded committee represents a balanced cross-section of users from all aspects of the multiple use spectrum as well as state and federal agency representatives and promises to hold multiple public meetings to assure the very best recommendations based on the best information available.

There is still a great deal of work to do. To bring further attention to the need and to garner additional support for a defined road and trail system, SDOHVC has made many and will make many more presentations on the OHV trail system to many groups and individuals across the state. We all need to recognize that it will require patience and continued commitment to cooperative effort on everyone's part for this OHV trail system to come to fruition.

We are excited to finally see that many players from all sides of the issues are now cooperatively moving in a positive direction. Public awareness and involvement in the process increases daily. The media is engaged. As a result of the meetings held by the BHNFAB, many groups, including the newly formed Norbeck Society have come forward promising to help further the process in the public arena. Other seasoned groups and concerned individuals are coming to or already at the table as well.

SDOHVC welcomes the additional participation. From the SDOHVC perspective, there needs to be additional private sector input into making the SDOHV Trail System the best in the country.

Love of the sport, love of the freedom and, most importantly, love of the land are the reasons the South Dakota Off Highway Vehicle Coalition started down this common-sense approach of managing OHV recreation through a road and trail system. We encourage the public to become involved and join in the process.

We believe the more who come to the table, the better the results, and that all sides of the table need representation. We hold firmly that "sharing," not "seizing," the middle ground will produce lasting resolution of the issues.

There will be many opportunities for individuals to become involved in this process.Please consider the following invitation as among the first: Come help us do this right. Contact the South Dakota Off Highway Vehicle Coalition at info@SDOHVC.org or at PO Box 89526, Sioux Falls, SD 57109-9526. We'll be happy to help you get plugged in.