|
With
the onslaught of anti-access propaganda, combined with some long
existing turf battles between some recreation and multiple-use
interests, it seems imperative to me that it's time for a change
in the way we do business. Today, like never before, we must find
a new cooperative spirit. The
world is too small and our opportunities are too limited to waste
our valuable time and energy.
I’d like to offer some ideas on where we should be headed
in the future as users of public lands.
In
my many columns of the past, I've written about some on-going
themes: changing our image as Recreationists/multiple-users;
getting involved in our public lands; getting along with each
other; educating and hopefully eliminating the motorized outlaws;
and several other topics. They all hold true today more so than
ever. If we're to make headway with our way of recreating and
using public lands, then we must continue these efforts in a new
spirit of cooperation.
No one group or
organization can stand alone under the pressure of the anti-access
crowd. No one group has enough resources to fight alone. We must
continue to work towards banding together at every opportunity.
Everyone
who recreates or uses public lands should join
their local club/group; their state/regional
organizations; and the BlueRibbon Coalition.
Each group has its purpose. Each group
compliments the others. All groups compliment
BRC and vice versa.
By
joining an organized version of multiple use
activities, and by banding together, we form a
unique, unified front that is impenetrable to
false anti-access propaganda. We find new allies
in our localized struggles for access. And we
grow in our impact by combining the limited
resources that we have.
There
are so many opportunities for us to band
together and fight to keep our trails open. We
must take advantage of them. Personalities
should not dictate our club's involvement in
organizations that are doing good things.
Club/group leaders should routinely come
together to a common table to discuss common
problems and solutions.
NAMRC
is a good example of this on a national level.
Org leaders coming together twice a year to
communicate cooperate and develop national
strategies for making our sport stronger.
On
a statewide basis, clubs and different sports
should come together and have round table
discussions about how we can all work more
closely together. Multiple use is the wave of
the future, as is sharing and taking care of
trails. We should all find ways to make this
happen. Collaborate with your fellow trail
users. Find cooperative solutions to trail
problems. Find that spirit of cooperation in you
and your club.
Now
is the time to become the sum total of our
parts; a stronger whole. Now is the time to find
that new spirit of cooperation.
I urge you to continue to do your part in
finding that new spirit.
Visit
www.sharetrails.org
for more on BRC. Visit www.delalbright.com
for more on land use and access.
Del
Albright,
Ambassador for the Blue Ribbon Coalition, is a
California resident; long time multiple-user;
and an advocate for access to our public lands.
|