Trolls, DNR & quarterly meeting

[Zookeeper]

After reading the posts on the Trolls Spring Opener issue, I decided to start a topic for discussion here and at the quarterly meeting.

I've mentioned this to Pat, but the latest Trolls thread is another great reason why we need to have GLFWDA get involved with serious lobbying efforts in Lansing.

It's a rather common consensus that the DNR is one of the "thugs" of state departments. If people are wheeling irresponsibly, then they should be nailed to the closest tree to be made an example. Unfortunately, the DNR has decided that the best way to handle this situation is to punish everyone who ever thinks of driving in the woods.

The ATV riders and the snowmobile riders have just as many jerks in their ranks, but you don't see them being manhandled by the DNR as much. Why? Because they have a huge lobbying effort in which a lot of money is spent to influence policymakers in Lansing.

I have to agree with Roll-bar Bob that it is frustrating being told when and where I can and can't visit parts of my state to do some 4-wheeling.

I also understand T-Way's plight and his plea. I'll respect his wishes and I don't think an organized group should show up on that weekend and stir up more trouble with the Green Gestapo. Nevertheless, this type of "please don't make the DNR mad at us" post is EXACTLY the reason we need to lobby Lansing and remind the politicians and the bureaucrats who they work for and that they have a responsibility to represent all of us. Ironically, that means raising enough money to get enough clout to get special treatment in order to push our cause of being treated equally. :blink: It's an imperfect system, but it's what we have to work with.

I'm posting this now so folks can give it some thought and bring your ideas to the quarterly meeting.

See you in West Branch!!

:hello:

[timbercruiser]

You bring up a good point-the DNR works for us. The political reality is that we have to make some concessions in the short term to reach our long term goals. Those who were with us on the color tour remember the trail being closed. I have a name and number to see if that can be changed. My club will be working with the DNR on this issue. We also have a grant writer in Michigan, and we are going to use that to aid our cause. Basically, we're looking to show them that we are professionals.

As for the DNR being the green gestapo: not really. They're just doing the easiest thing-close it off-as compared to administering/managing an area.

[kb8ymf]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(timbercruiser @ Jan 3 2006, 04:27 PM) 7560</div>
My club will be working with the DNR on this issue. We also have a grant writer in Michigan, and we are going to use that to aid our cause.
[/b]

OK, a few questions here...who is this 'grant writer' you speak of? What program would you be requesting the funds to come from? Grants are not new. Writing a grant is actually the easiest part of the whole project. You have to decide just what it is that you want the money for. Getting money just to keep a trail open won't work. I say this because the DNR closes trails for a reason. Sometimes it's environmental. Sometimes it's to align itself with the master plan for the area. Sometimes it's just 'cause.
Great Lakes has been writing grant requests for the past 10+ years. Recently (last two years) we've been requesting a grant for rocks for a rock course @ St Helen of which Pat Kinne has sat in on the Master Plan for this area. The request has been turned down both times. The latest reason is that there needs to be a study on the environmental concerns over a punctured oil pan and the hazardous waste ground water contamination problems.
Even more recently I have been conversing with the Legislative Advocate of United Carla Boucher on a potential opportunity for a grant from the RTF. Again writing it is the easy part. Believe it or not, if STILL has to be approved by the DNR. That means, even if we get the Federal Grant, the DNR has to 'administer it' which means they still get the ultimate say on how and where the money get's used.
Bottom line is that there is small group in the Assn that has been active behind the scenes trying like hell to make Michigan a better place for full size recreational fourwheeling. Here's the 10 million dollar question, are you, or do you know of anyone in the Assn who can at a moments notice run to Lansing for a last minute hearing in the recreation sub-committee on the newest changes to the ORV law? Or better yet, can you wander the hall of the State capital talking to the Legislative aids lobbying to get a Senator or Rep to sponsor a bill which will benefit the full size users. In the Environmental climate that there is in Michigan, recreational use of noisy, polluting, environmental damaging vehicles doesn't play well in the media. Or should I say plays very well to us being the bad guys!
What we need to do is to start educating our legislators, those who will listen that is, to who we are. Some of the ways to do this is invite them along on a trail ride. We've tried that many times. Seems that the trail ride needs to be during the week so it's work related. Most don't have time and would rather be doing their own personal activities outside of work.
Don't get me wrong, It can be done, but we just haven't done it. Another thing we need to do is get positive press for who we are and what we do. The Mounds clean-up was a great PR event, be we couldn't get anyone from the press to come and at least take a few pictures and maybe get a plug in the local new or paper. We also needed a short story for all the pictures.

I apologize to rambling but this whole dilemena is not new. G.L. has been wrestling with it since it was formed in '69. What we've been lacking enough effort to make a difference, 2 or 3 or so can't do it all. Especially when it seems like all I hear is when are we going to have another trail ride. Unless we start becoming active in keeping what we got open, I sure we'll all be spending more gas money going out of state to find anything worth a dam.

Here's an ironic side note: We still have yet to get a volunteer to step up to Recording Secretary for G.L. So, can we at least start there. Will somebody PLEASE step forward this weekend and start to make a difference?

(OK, I'll step down off my soap box and go back to the basement!)

Jim - kb8ymf

[Zookeeper]

Jim, you are right on when you are talking about the need to get legislators involved. There are a couple of senators from up north that have been taking snowmobiling trips the past few winters. And, voila, they also ended up sponsoring snowmobile-friendly legislation!

When I went to a Jeep Jamboree in Wisconsin this past fall, they had an environmentalist on hand that said good things about the sport because the local club had gotten him out on a ride and he learned a lot about them -- all positive. Ditto on a chamber of commerce representative, who was then instrumental in getting the local chamber to help sponsor the Jeep Jamboree!

For the club to be effective, we need to focus on a few things besides quarterly meetings, trail rides and a web site. (Not meant as a slam, because all of these things are incredibly important, too.)

We need a lobbyist in Lansing to represent us or a team of members willing to lobby on behalf of the group. (Or both).

We need money to be able to show that we are a strong membership with clout that can help politicians get re-elected.

We need an outreach team that can help to ensure we get lobbyists, business people, yes even envriomentalists, invited to and participating in our runs to see what a family friendly, business-friendly and, yes, even environmentally friendly sport this can be.

We need a media relations/public relations team that can help by taking pictures and writing stories that will be published in local newspapers. (Getting them to send reporters is asking a lot -- but many smaller news outlets will accept submissions of pictures and articles.)

We need to discuss a lot of this at the quarterly meeting. Given what I've seen posted so far, this meeting could last for days!! :(

But that's ok...I say we get everything on the table and chip away at what we can do. And maybe a few more people step up and take on more than they should at first, but once something is started then others might be more willing to help.

I've been a little hesitant to jump in too much due to not wanting to step on toes. But if people are willing to listen to new ideas, then I'm game.

As with others, I also have time constraints to worry about and because of my day job I have to be a little careful about conflict of interest type things. But I'm willing to help either directly or indirectly.

I think it's going to be a lively but productive meeting! :bigemo_harabe_net-64:

[kb8ymf]

Funny thing is, if you pick up Uniteds Voice, there are all kinds of rides....March of Dimes, American Cancer Society, MADD just to name a few. The groups get tons of publicity. Are they the most challenging...not really, but they do set the ground work for 'friendly' legislation.
My concern for this meeting is that the group will try to take TOO BIG of a bite. What happens when you do that??? :bigemo_harabe_net-91: We need to break down the topics into managable tasks. Decide what needs to be done first, than work our way back to the meat of the issues facing the Association, Getting Active!
jim - kb8ymf

[timbercruiser]

Well I may have bitten off more than I can chew!!

But it's great to see so many who recognize what needs to be done.



T-Way reported on a grant writer at our last Troll meeting that lives in the U.P.

I still plan on calling the DNR about the trail situation. Maybe I should go to the meeting.

[kb8ymf]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(timbercruiser @ Jan 4 2006, 10:31 PM) 7628</div>

T-Way reported on a grant writer at our last Troll meeting that lives in the U.P.

I still plan on calling the DNR about the trail situation. Maybe I should go to the meeting.
[/b]

I still have yet to hear who this person is?

And as far as the trail closures go, I would request the reason the trail was closed. You'll need to put the request in writing so you can get a reply back. One additinal thing we, 'especially the folks in the northern counties' need to start doing is to attend the Compartment Reviews. Each District has a review to give perodic updates to what's going on in the forest. This is where the reports come in from the C/O's and where decision are made as to what trail gets closed. These reviews are announced in the local papers. They can't just close the trail 'cause! If it's temporary ok, but long term managemetn closures must have a public review. These are the times we can get closures reversed. If they don't follow the rules we can file a complaint and potentially get it reversed. I have not heard of anyone getting on a notification list. That, coupled with the fact these meeting are during the day like almost everything else, makes it almost impossible for the majority of the users to know what's going on in the woods up north.
I would say that 90+% of the users live in the southern regions and don't have access to this information. So, this is where we in the south depend on the users in the north to help us out!
jim - kb8ymf

jim - kb8ymf

[timbercruiser]

T-Way has the name. I believe he will be at the meeting.

I will get on the review board when I call the DNR.

[Roadhouse]

Jim, problem with some of us northern folk is I don't get the paper.....so I don't know when these reviews are. I knew about 1 Gladwin County one, about 3 years ago. I would love to attend one of these in Gladwin, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Oscoda, and Crawford counties.

Plus the size of those articles are only about 2"x4"......You know they want everyone to miss it, so they can do what they want. :<img src=:" border="0" alt="mad.gif" />

[T-way]

This grant writer that Timbercruiser speaks of was mentioned in the Adopt-A-Forest newsletter that I receive from the DNR. I believe that the grant writer was involved with that program specifically, but when I get home later tonight I will try (fingers crossed) to remember to look for the information so that I have it for the meeting tomorrow.