ELCR Library of Resources:
Trails, Access and other Issues
Leave No Trace for Horse Use, Master Educator Course Offered in Indiana, Fall 2010This
5 day
course
is
designed
to
teach
participants
the
principles
of
Leave
No
Trace
as
it
applies
to...
read more...
BRIAN O'NEILL'S 21 PARTNERSHIP SUCCESS FACTORSAs the Superintendent of Golden Gate National Parks, Brian O'Neill and his staff earned a reputation as
a model partnership park where partnerships are a way of thinking about how best to accomplish the
park's mission and build a community of stewardship.
read more...
Michigan passed their Right to Ride legislation in March 2010The legislation consisted of two tie-barred bills, one passed in the House and the other in the Senate, in which one piece of legislation had to pass for the other to pass as well. The text of the MI House and Senate bills as enacted into law, are attached here:
ENROLLED HOUSE BILL No. 4610 - click here
ENROLLED SENATE BILL No. 578 - click here
Right to Ride Legislation Michigan is the second state (Missouri was first) to be successful in passing a Right to Ride legislation which provides for horseback riding on public lands as a recreation and tourism/economic development interest. The law also delineates that if horseback riding is to be excluded from public lands, it should be based on sound science and documentation. Several other states are working on similar bills.
Click here to listen to a short radio clip of the MI success story.
2009 Report on Equestrian Access on Federal Land2009 Survey Results on Equestrian Access on Federal Lands as conducted by the America Horse Council.
read more...
Garlic Mustard is an invasive plant species.Horses are often unjustly banned from trails because of their potential to spread the garlic mustard seed. In fact, wind, water, humans and a variety of animals, including dogs and deer, spread the garlic mustard seed. Trail riders should not be singled out when there are other seed carriers on the land/trail in question. Watch this video which is posted on the US Department of Agriculture website for more information.
read more...
How to Build a Trail System
read more...
Proceedings from the 2001 Southeastern Equestrian Trails Conference entitled:Equestrian Trails and Water Quality Protection
click here...
Research paper on recreational use and natural environments
read more...
Model multi-use trail plan and process; the New Jersey Trail plan
read more...
Trail Study commissioned by the South Carolina Department of Parks Recreation & Tourismto provide an description of the use of trails in South Carolina by walkers, hikers, runners/joggers, bikers; skateboarders, in-line skaters; horseback riders, off-highway vehicle riders; and canoeists, kayakers, or river rafters.
read more...
Pittman Robertson Funding and US Fish & Wildlife Service Southeast Division: Non Hunting Non Game Benefits Defined
Scroll down to the Non-Hunting Non-Game section for other recreational uses. While this does not specifically exclude horseback riding, it does suggest that non-hunting and non-game uses are allowed on lands purchased with P-R. Wildlife can and is regularly viewed by horseback riders.
read more...
Rick Potts, Chief of Conservation & Recreation for the National Park Service & ELCR Advisory Council Member
Rick shares some thoughts about the dangers of overprotecting natural spaces.
read more...
Negotiating with Residential Developers
Negotiating with Residential Developers to preserve equestrian trail access is an option. Read this article on Equisearch.com to learn some helpful tips from a developer.
read more...
Senate, House give country another month of SAFETEA-LU
To no one's satisfaction, Congress last week extended the current surface transportation law ...
read more...
Check out Tread Lightly!'s Tips for Responsible Horseback Riding
read more...
Language on non-hunting use and non-game benefits of wildlife management areas from the Southeast Region
(Click on "read more" and scroll down)
read more...
Check out the Tread Lightly! Play Nice campaign
Scenic vistas lay ahead ready to explore... read more...
ELCR & Back Country Horsemen of America Work Together; Sign Memorandum of Understanding
The missions and purposes of BCHA and ELCR are different but complimentary... read more...
MODELS FOR EQUINE-BASED USE OF STATE FISH & WILDLIFE LANDS
In June of 2009 the Equine Land Conservation Resource examined three models-New
Jersey, Pennsylvania and New Mexico-for equine-based use and enjoyment of state game lands
(commonly known as Wildlife Management Areas or WMAs) and formulated general
recommendations for horsemen in other states seeking access to the same. read more...(3.3MB .pdf)
Diseases of Humans and Horses (Zoonosis)
The authors become concerned about information being provided to the public
about the extent to which horses pose threats to human health from exposure to
manure deposited on public trails. read more...
Horses Are Not Hazardous to Conservation Land
read more...
SHARING OUR TRAILS - A GUIDE TO TRAIL SAFETY AND ENJOYMENT
A group of national and state trail advocacy organizations representing equestrian, OHV, and bicycle interests recently completed a collaborative effort...
read more...
Virginia Horse Council Conducts Trails & Tourism Study
Results available
read more...
American Trails Selects www.WeedFreeFeed.com as "Best Internet Education & Trails Training Site"
Each year American Trails seeks out the best websites in the cyberworld of
trails and greenways looking for sites that make trails...read more...
FHWA Department of Transportation's Recreational Trails Program (RTP), and the Coalition for Recreational Trail's Recommended Modifications for September 2009 Legislation & Funding
read more...
Environmental Aspects of Horses on Trails
Does equestrian use have an impact on stream and lake water quality?read more...
Recreational Horse Trails and Water Quality Protection
Water quality has become the basic indicator ecosystem health...read more...
Funding for Trails in Stimulus Bill
President Obama's approval of the American Recovery...read more...
Recreational Trail Riding Study in Kentucky as conducted by Katherine Auchter, University of Kentucky Agriculture Economics Department
This study examines recreational demand for equestrian trail riding in Kentucky. read more...
Trail System in Southwest Virginia Would Spearhead Growth
Legislation that took effect in July created... read more...
California Equestrians Position Paper - Trail Riders and Mountain Bikers in Folsom Lake State Recreation Area (2007)
The eight or so equestrians who participated in this public process... read more...
Saving Trails is What They Do - Back Country Horsemen of America
When the U.S. Forest Service began to make changes to the trail classification system... read more...
Horsemen and Equestrians: Important Notice and Comment Period
Regarding Trail Classification on US Forest Service Lands
US Forest Service Interim Final Directives National Trail Classification System Available for 60-day Public Comment read more...
Trail horse users: a perspective on progress
Hosted by American Trails, written by Dr. Gene Wood. Equestrian trail users are awakening to the fact that we are recreating largely on public lands... read more...
Equestrian Trail Building & Maintenance Resources
Would you or your organization benefit from trail maintanance and construction
training? read more...
US Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration's Equestrian Trails Policy
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) receives occasional inquiries about equestrian and other nonmotorized... read more...
How to Get a Trail Project Rolling and Built
What are the key steps to build momentum, stimulate public interest and
motivate people to get involved? read more...
How Trails Improve Communities
Trails and greenways are too often seen narrowly when it comes to their benefits. read more...
Trail Conservation License Agreement
Download this form... click here...
Safety Checklist for Trail Work Days
Download the checklist... click here...
Trails Reports and Web Sites
All of the USDA Forest Service's Technology & Development Program trails reports and web sites are now available electronically! read more...
The Role of Recreational Trail Horse Use In The Introduction and Spread of Invasive Species
Scientific evidence fails to demonstrate that recreational trail stock significantly contribute to the invasives problem at the landscape level. read more...
Building a Horse Trail: Donald Park
The cooperative effort of individuals, clubs, government agencies, and private groups make new horse trails available in the Madison, Wisconsin area. read more...
What Does It Mean to Have Trails on Pittman-Robertson Funded Land?
Many public lands use Pittman-Robertson funding. This article explains what that may mean to horseback riders. read more...
Fort Worth Skyline Ride
Horses can compete and be ridden in the city. Learn how horses, history and competition meet at a special urban endurance ride.
read more...
How We Do It: Volunteer Rangers in Maryland State Forests and Parks
ELCR's National Office routinely receives calls regarding volunteering at state facilities. The following article may offer guidance in setting up formal volunteer programs.
read more...
You Can Make a Difference
After reading the latest round of horse organization newsletters, I was infuriated with a FEW horse people who are acting in a manner that directly affects ALL trail riders. read more...
Saving Our Endangered Trails
One key issue facing horse owners today is the loss of open space for trail riding. In Massachusetts, 16,000 acres of open space are lost to residential and commercial development every year. New home construction blocks existing trail access because developers are either unaware of existing trail systems or because the new land owners prohibit anyone on their property for fear of liability issues. What can be done? Here are a few simple suggestions. read more...
Eventing in Suburbia? It's Not That Difficult
The biggest little event in Northern Virginia - the Difficult Run Pony Club Horse Trials at Frying Pan Park - proves it can be done. read more...
B.S.T.R.A., Inc. Rides - What Are They?
Bay State Trail Riders Association has a long history of organizing many trail rides each year to help them fulfill their mission. This article contains practical tips and etiquette for such rides. read more...
Shared Stewardship
A trail association and a county-wide greenway planning group partner to each group's advantage. read more...
Weed Free Feed
Nothing will have a greater impact on horse owners using public federal lands than the federal agencies fight on weeds. read more...
California Hiking and Riding Trail
The history of a threatened trail that is now hopefully being saved. read more...
Essex County Trail Association
The story of a local group's success in Massachusetts. read more...
Friends of the Ahnapee
Partnerships at work in northeastern Wisconsin. read more...
Riding in New Jersey's Great Swamp
Discover unexpectedly good riding near a metropolitan area. read more...
Multi-Use Trail Specifications
Construction drawings and text (PDF document). (click here to download free Adobe .pdf reader) read more...
Bikes and Horses: A Case for Sharing
National Symposium on Horse Trails in Forest Ecosystems. Posted with Permission from the International Mountain Biking Association (www.imba.org). read more...
Horses & Motorcycles Together
Dirt bikers and endurance riders successfully hold simultaneous events on the same trails. read more...

|
|
|
ELCR Newsflash Page
Visit ELCR on 
|
|