A Thank You to Buffalo River Back Country Horsemen Building
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Volume 27, Issue 2 www.bcha.org Spring 2016 A Thank You to Buffalo River Back Country Horsemen By Pam Floyd Last year a small group of dedicated horsemen in northwest Arkansas spent a record amount of time working to keep the trails of the Buffalo National River open and accessible for all. While this thank you is directed to them and their many acts of service, the gratitude expressed can be extended to each of you BCH members who work tirelessly to protect and maintain the wild places that have been entrusted to you. READ THE STORY ON PAGE 3 Building Stronger Chapters and a Stronger BCHA: Trails Forever Fund A Message from Executive Director Jim McGarvey By this spring, BCHA will have equipment, training and more. Our Mountain Elk Foundation, and The Fully 30% of the net proceeds from grown to more than 32 state organi- chapters and our national organization Wilderness Society. Founded near- any planned gift will go to the BCHA zations, with well over 180 chapters, must meet and overcome not only the ly 30 years ago, Crescendo provides Education Foundation’s Grants Pro- from Alaska to Florida and from Cali- challenge of Keeping the Trails Open many opportunities to inform and ed- gram. fornia to New York. We are becoming for All, but also the challenges of in- ucate our members about providing for Jerry Bentz, president of BCH Ore- more of a national presence and hav- teractions with the land managers and and protecting their families and loved gon will be the national chairman of the ing greater impact with our federal and legislators. ones through comprehensive, flexible Trails Forever $5 a Month Club. state agency partners and other recre- In response, BCHA put together solutions. Their products will provide ational user organizations. the Trails Forever Fund. The fund pro- an opportunity for BCH members and Consider Participating in the One might say we are starting vides two paths for our members and supporters to consider a planned gift Trails Forever Fund to make it into the “Outdoors Big fellow equestrians to do their part. to BCHA. Similar to our successful Former National Chair and BCHA League.” crowdfunding grants program 30% of Education Foundation Chairman My- To play in the Big League requires Trails Forever Estate Giving the net proceeds from any planned lon Filkins DVM said, “The Foun- Commitment – of which we have Program gift will go to the BCHA Education dation Grant Committee members are plenty; and it requires Time – we have In mid-March, the BCHA entered Foundation’s Grants Program. very much looking forward to award- plenty of that, too, last year we gave into an agreement with Crescendo In- I have committed to stay on as pro ing grants from funds raised by Trails 410,000 volunteer hours; and finally it teractive of Camarillo, CA to provide bono Executive Director through April Forever.” requires Money – we never have had Gift Legacy Services to our members 2019 to manage the Estate Giving Pro- The Trails Forever Fund, which much of that. and supporters. Crescendo’s hundreds gram’s success. includes both estate planning and the Going into the future, we want to of clients include the four U.S. Mili- $5-a-month campaign, will be rolled strengthen our ability to Keep the Trails tary Academy foundations, American Trails Forever $5 a Month Club out at our National Board meeting in Open for All through empowering our Cancer Society, American Heart Asso- For over six months, several BCH Las Vegas, April 20–23. You can join chapters with grant funding for tools, ciation, colleges and universities, the members including Ginny Grulke, the $5-a-month club right now by go- Grand Canyon Association, The Rocky KY; Mike McGlenn, WA; Mary K ing to www.bcha.org and clicking on Church, MO; Jerry Bentz, OR; Fred- the Donate button or by completing the dy Dunn, UT; and me organized the donation form on page 5. NON-PROFIT ORG. Trails Forever $5 a Month Club. To- Thank you! Please direct comments Back Country Horsemen of America U.S. POSTAGE 342 North Main Street, Suite 301 gether, we members, with only a small or suggestions to Jim McGarvey: West Hartford, CT 06117 PAID monthly donation, can make a large im- [email protected] PERMIT NO. 178 pact on Keeping the Trails Open for All. or cell: 706-669-1015 SALEM, OR Inside... Letter to the Editor ......................................................................................... 2 From the Chairman’s Saddle ......................................................................... 3 From the Executive Secretary’s Desk ........................................................... 5 The Catch Pen............................................................................................6-8 Public Lands Report ...................................................................................... 8 NextGen ...................................................................................................... 10 Back Country Horsemen of America www.bcha.org 1 Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, that Wilderness areas are. Wilderness are again clear. Did it take a while? I read the article “A Study of is not simply a place to recreate out of Yes. Was it worthwhile and a satisfy- Crosscut Saws or Power Saws for Trail sight and sound of the modern world, ing effort to do it only with crosscuts 342 North Main Street, Suite 301 Clearing” in last fall’s issue, and feel but something much greater. in keeping with the Wilderness Act? West Hartford, CT 06117 I simply cannot permit it to pass with- Any time we compromise the defi- Absolutely! (888) 893-5161 out comment. Mr. Applebaker went nition of Wilderness as set forth in Sometimes there are compromises to great lengths to prove the obvious, Section 2(c) of the Wilderness Act, we for the sake of Wilderness. Without al- Interested in Joining? that chainsaws cut faster than crosscut have degraded what Wilderness was lowing prior grazing rights to continue, Contact BCHA or the organization nearest saws, but totally misses the point of intended to be. To use chainsaws for the Wilderness Act probably could not you for more information. why we use crosscuts in Wilderness. the sake of speed, efficiency, and con- have been passed. It can be argued that National: BCH of Mississippi BCH of America PO Box 641 Many arguments can be made for venience compromises Wilderness and trails themselves are a compromise to Erica Fearn Nesbit MS 38651 crosscuts over chainsaws from a tech- demonstrates a significant lack of com- the “primeval character” of Wilderness 342 North Main Street 901-485-2982 nical standpoint, such as complexity, mitment to it. but, particularly near large population Suite 301 [email protected] weight, reliability, and transportability A local Wilderness experienced centers, trails exist to concentrate use West Hartford, CT 06117 www.bchms.org (888) 893-5161 of the equipment required, and many a significant wind event at the end of and protect the Wilderness environ- Show-Me Missouri BCH FAX (360) 832-1564 of Mr. Applebaker’s assertions regard- 2011, which flattened 500-600 acres ment. 519 Good Hope Road [email protected] Marshfield, MO 65706 ing safety, fatigue, and technique can of forest and affected a much larger Compromises made for the conve- www.bcha.org (417) 425-9969 be readily challenged. Still, these ar- area. Approximately four and a half nience of visitors without benefit to the State Organizations: www.showmebch.org guments do not address the fundamen- miles of trail were literally buried be- Wilderness should be considered with BCH of Alabama BCH of Montana tal question of why the use of crosscut neath fallen trees and many more miles only the greatest reluctance and skep- 1404 Arkadelphia Road PO Box 4864 saws is important in Wilderness. required major clearing. Because the ticism. Each compromise, small as it Warrior, AL 35180 Butte MT 59701 Under the Wilderness Act, these ar- blowdown was within Wilderness and, may seem, whittles away at the idea (205) 936-9043 [email protected] [email protected] www.bchmt.org eas are “designated for preservation and furthermore, was a natural event, a de- of leaving Wilderness as a place “un- backcountryhorsemenal.com protection in their natural condition” cision was made to cut it out only with impaired for future use and enjoyment BCH of Nevada Buffalo River BCH, PO Box 19324 and “shall be administered for the use crosscut saws. No MRA was prepared, as wilderness” and sets a precedent for Arkansas Reno NV 89511 and enjoyment of the American people no request for chainsaws was made. more compromise, e.g., helicopters or 18210 Simpson Lane (775) 843-2569 in such manner as will leave them un- Furthermore, the area was not closed, mountain bikes with trailers to haul in Little Rock AR 72223 [email protected] impaired for future use and enjoyment but those who desired the challenge of chainsaws, fuel, etc. next? Eventually, (719) 337-4474 www.bchnv.com Jacque.alexander as wilderness.” Mr. Applebaker con- finding a way through or finding a way death by a thousand cuts to something @arkansas.gov BCH of New Mexico veniently quotes the phrase “for future around were allowed to do so. important to us all. Wilderness is worth PO Box 37005 use and enjoyment as wilderness”, but Many hours of volunteer time going that extra mile for. BCH of Arizona Albuquerque NM 87176 PO Box 4486 [email protected] emphasizes “use and enjoyment” while by members of a number of different “The idea of wilderness needs no Chino Valley AZ 86323 www.bchnm.org ignoring the most important part, “as groups, including the local chapter of defense, it only needs more defenders.” (928) 445-3809 BCH of North Carolina wilderness.” Non-Wilderness areas Back Country Horsemen, went into ― Edward Abbey www.bchaz.org 110 Hobbit Lane of public land are frequently managed cutting out affected trails, and grant BCH of California Pisgah Forest NC 28768 for recreational use and enjoyment, but money was procured for a youth corps Sincerely, 13061 Rosedale Highway (828) 577-3462 [email protected] they are not designated for preservation crew for five weeks of cutting.