MD OHV Mtg Wed, 9/25

OHV Meeting Opportunity! Wed, 9/25

There will be a second meeting in regards to the potential trails at St John’s Rock (Savage River) and Sideling Hill WMA.
The meeting will be Wednesday September 25th 2013 at 7 PM in the Hancock Town Hall 126 W. High St, Hancock, MD.

Spread the word and show up if you can!

http://mdohvalliance.org/?p=190

Please continue to send email comments or mail a letter template to MD DNR:

http://mdohvalliance.org/?p=187

Deadline for comments is October 4, 2013

Jack Perdue
Maryland DNR
Tawes State Office Building, E-1
580 Taylor Avenue
Annapolis, MD 21401

Or by email to: jperdue@dnr.state.md.us

The entire trail plan can be viewed here:
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/orv_Projects.asp

Of course we know most folks aren’t writers. This isn’t a poetry contest; the most important thing is that you send a note/email to DNR expressing your continued interest in Maryland’s ORV trails. Even if all you have time to say is “I support the proposed ORV trails”.

Alternatively if you prefer, here is a template response which we welcome you to personalize (change OHV to motorcycle, ATV, Jeep ) and submit to DNR:

Mr. Purdue,
As an off-highway vehicle user and a resident of Maryland, I strongly support opening the Savage River State Forest and Sideling Hill areas to responsible, sustainable OHV use. The previous closure of Green Ridge State Forest to OHV users was most unfortunate, resulting in my family spending our OHV time in neighboring states and supporting their economies.
The trail proposal provides a sound beginning. However, just a like a ski resort can’t serve their entire clientele with a single slope, we encourage DNR to consider broadening the ORV system to include more technically challenging jeep, ATV, and bike trails.

I recognize that labor to create and maintain any trail system becomes a driving financial factor. To help defray the burden to DNR, I would like to offer to volunteer to support such a great venture between ORVers and the
State of Maryland.

Lastly, I would like to encourage DNR to establish sound metrics to objectively quantify condition of the trail. This will allow a consistent method to monitor the trails, and predict when the trail will need remediation work. Nobody wants to see trails closed abruptly, in a repeat of Green Ridge State Forest. As responsible OHV users, we are all conservationists and want to protect the resources we use.

{signed}
{include city & State}