State of Florida is trying to help us.

[Bigscrb15]

Just got this e-mail from the Department of Forestry. It seems that the State is actually trying to help us out. He attached a document that shows the Grants that have already been Awarded.

The Director of the Division of Forestry, Mr. Mike Long, has asked that I respond to your email.  We appreciate you taking the time to express your concerns.  I assure you that the Division of Forestry (DOF) is doing everything in its power to increase the number of legal riding opportunities for OHVs on public lands in a sustainable and responsible manner.  Additionally, the Governor and Legislature are well aware that OHV operation has become increasingly popular as an outdoor recreational activity and is in fact, one of the fastest growing recreational activities in the country.  They also realize that there are limited sites available on public lands here in the state of Florida.  This need was the basis for the T. Mark Schmidt OHV Safety and Recreation Act being passed in 2002 (Chapter 261, Florida Statutes). 
 

            We understand your concerns about the lack of legal riding areas in Florida.  DOF is working diligently to provide further OHV opportunities in the state.  Our agency has been working with federal, state, county, and other municipal entities to try and provide these opportunities.  We feel the key in getting new public land opened for OHV riding is going to have to be a grassroots effort starting with local governments.  In fact we have been fortunate in establishing a new OHV riding area in Franklin County which probably would not have occurred without the support of both the local people and governments.   

 

            To assist in promoting this program to local, as well as other governmental agencies in Florida, the DOF is cosponsoring a workshop through the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council this May in Ocala.  The goal of this workshop is to conduct an educational forum on off-highway vehicle recreation management for local, county, state and federal land management decision makers, recreation planners, resource specialists, and leadership representatives from OHV recreation and other stakeholder communities.  We anticipate that this workshop will help to break down barriers and ultimately result in increased opportunities.

 

            To assist in increasing the quality and quantity of OHV recreational areas and trails, the DOF is also administering the OHV Safety and Recreation Grant Program.  This program, paid for by your titling fees, recently completed its first two rounds of grant awards.  In all, over $1,000,000 has been allocated to OHV projects.  These projects are intended to: improve existing trails, provide new facilities, provide education and outreach to OHV users, provide equipment and staffing, and further the opportunities for OHV recreation in the state.  I am pleased to say that our staff has been in contact with many governmental entities throughout the state and several land managers are beginning to express interest in this funding opportunity.  To better demonstrate the types of projects being funded, I have attached a summary of the 2005 grant awards.  Contracts are in the process of being finalized and on-the-ground work should begin in the coming months. 

 

            In addition to recent developments in Lee and Miami-Dade Counties, initial discussions have taken place with Polk County Leisure Services staff.  Unfortunately these are progressing slowly, but I feel this will lead to up to three additional OHV recreational opportunities in the state.  The DOF is also working with stakeholders and other agencies to possibly open a system of managed trails on Picayune Strand State Forest in Collier County.     

 

            I realize that things are not happening as fast as you and many other enthusiasts feel to be reasonable, but it is important that things are happening.  In order to keep the public informed of changes in the OHV program and possible new recreation areas, we have a link on the Division of Forestry webpage, www.fl-dof.com.

[Bigscrb15]

These are Grants that have ALREADY been awarded.


OHV Safety and Recreation Grant Awards – 2005

The following is a brief summary of each of the proposals recommended for funding by the OHV Advisory Committee at its November quarterly meeting in Stuart. 

Lee County BOCC, Department of Parks and Recreation
o   Request of funds ($75,000) to plan and design a new OHV recreation area in SW Florida.  Proposed site is located in Hendry County near the borders of Lee and Collier counties.  This site is adjacent to the Lee-Hendry landfill owned and operated by Lee County.  The county owns ~ 2,000 acres at this site with 640 acres permitted as landfill.  Remaining adjacent lands are primarily agriculture and mining operations.  Staff time required to manage the contractor will be used as match.

Withlacoochee Forestry Center (WFC), Florida Division of Forestry
o   Request of funds ($71,000) to determine a location for a new modern campground followed by a conceptual design.  Additional products will include boundary and topographical surveys, geo-technical survey, and presentation of plans through public meetings and brochures.  Staff time required to manage the contractor and time associated with presenting plans to OHV public will be used as match. 

Apalachicola National Forest, USFS
o   Request of funds ($38,000) to purchase equipment to be used for OHV trail marking, signing, reconstruction, and maintenance.  The desired equipment includes one utility vehicle and one 4-wd farm tractor and associated implements.  Match will consist of staff time associated with trail marking, signing, reconstruction, and maintenance of OHV trails. 

Ocala National Forest, USFS
o   Request of funds ($168,100) to provide toilet facilities at up to eight OHV trailheads on the forest.  These facilities are to be pre-cast concrete vault toilets.  The Forest Service proposes to purchase these products through an existing CSA contract and have these in place at their new OHV trailheads.  Forest staff and volunteers will maintain these facilities as match. 

Miami-Dade County – Parks and Recreation Department
o   Request of funds ($75,000) to hire a consultant to perform a study to assist in identifying areas throughout the county suitable for possible OHV recreation.  Approximately 24% of all title sales since the inception of the OHV Titling Act have been in south Florida with essentially no legal riding opportunities on public lands.  The project will be considered a success if at least one site is located, costs to acquire and develop the area are estimated, and potential funding sources are identified.  Staff will manage the contractor as match.

Osceola National Forest – Maintenance and Monitoring
o   Request of funds ($42,000) for the purchase of one utility vehicle and maintenance contract for the hardening of OHV trail surfaces and low-water crossings.  Staff will monitor trail use, perform light maintenance, and enforce trail regulations as match. 

Osceola National Forest – Public Information
o   Request of funds ($5,000) to cover the costs of printing public information brochures covering OHV regulations and trail map of designated OHV trails.  Match will consist of staff time needed to develop brochures, writing press releases, and distribution of information to local clubs and forest users.

Tate’s Hell State Forest (THSF) – Florida Division of Forestry
o   Request of funds ($92,969) for the purchase of fencing, signs and posts, barbeque grills, picnic pavilions, and vault toilet.  Match will consist of staff time performing maintenance of facilities, placing signs, building fence, and performing monitoring and outreach of OHV use.

Friends Florida State Forests – non-profit support organization of DOF
o   Request of funds ($82,400) for the purchase of a SWECO 480 trail maintenance machine and associated implements.  This machine once received will be donated to Withlacoochee State Forest’s Croom Motorcycle Area.  Match will consist of staff time associated with trail maintenance activities on the Croom Motorcycle Area.

[bigscrub79]

Well we have this info now lets all make sure something is being done with the money. Contact your local commisioners and let them know how bad we need this. If we keep plucking away at it we will eventually have parks for us to ride all over the state.

[lswjth2]

Ok. I have been working on this for a while. So i will translate for you. The state said...bla bla bla bla bla, bla bla bla, bla bla bla, improve existing trails, bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla. Folks, do not be let down astray by this. The forestry dept did propose an ORV plan for the picayune. The army corp od engineers said no, us fish said no, so no ORV trails in the picayune. They all hide behind each other and point fingers at each other, meanwhile we are left with no riding area. DO NOT FOR A MOMENT LET YOUR GUARD DOWN.WE HAVE TO ATTACK THE FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE EVERGLADES DESTRUCTION PROJECTS. The only reason we are NOW going to get something here in Collier, is because the entire project in the picayune is in jeopardy once the county take the roads back.Trust me when i tell you it's a bunch of lip service to get us to stay quiet....You can make up your own minds, but the land that the state is now looking to give collier county, didn't just happen to arrive yesterday, it has been there all along, all this years, and not a peep until now, when the heat is getting to them...

[Ida_Mann]

Friends Florida State Forests – non-profit support organization of DOF
o   Request of funds ($82,400) for the purchase of a SWECO 480 trail maintenance machine and associated implements.  This machine once received will be donated to Withlacoochee State Forest’s Croom Motorcycle Area.  Match will consist of staff time associated with trail maintenance activities on the Croom Motorcycle Area.[/i]

interesting, I found this on the piece of equipment mentioned there.

if they groom the trails at Croom, I may just have to buy a sticker again and visit the place.

http://www.paatving.com/trailconditions.htm#

Id@

[Bigscrb15]

Yea, I looked at that same website IDA, looks like a neat little machine that will help out.

[Ida_Mann]

didjya see that it's only 48" wide?

NB

[Bigscrb15]

didjya see that it's only 48" wide?

NB

No, but from what people say about croom they don't have any trails that wide anyway, lol. If they would pay some highschool dropout $7/hr to drive that around all day every day he could groom all the trails every week I think.

[needforspeed]

First I would like to thank you for working so hard on this. You have done a great job, thanks for being there for us lswjth2.

Second a SWECO is 42 or 48 inches wide, it is used to groom trails, and I believe there is a back log on them, so Croom probably won't get groomed for a while.

Third sometimes to get people to back down they will tell you anything.

Why is it that we have to dig for any information regarding what is going on with the trails, why doesn't the state or state reps tell us what is going on and what they are doing?

[renmus]

BigS, sounds like you have put a lot of work into this.  I seem to recall the pits being mentioned as possible use areas.  This mention was at the Martin Co OHV meeting that was held a couple months back.  I cut and pasted this from IndJoe's remarks about the meeting.

On the mining land issue they are in initial  talks with Mosaic, (I think that is how it's spelled, formally Cargill) they are looking at what could be done with utilizing former mine areas and converting them into OHV areas. This is a very exciting possibility when you think about the huge amount of land owned by mining companies. They are going to move forward with this but it is complicated as they have to get several state offices involved but with luck as Jack Terrell put it, "This could be the future of OHV Recreation in Florida". the committe is very aware there is hardly anywhere south of the I-4 corridor to legally ride, yet 70%+ of the new ATV's being titled are sold in that area. those of you who live in the south Florida area know how hard it is to find land, and especially a large piece suitable for something like this.

[needforspeed]

BugS, sounds like you have put a lot of work into this.  I seem to recall the pits being mentioned as possible use areas.  This mention was at the Martin Co OHV meeting that was held a couple months back.  I cut and pasted this from IndJoe's remarks about the meeting.

On the mining land issue they are in initial  talks with Mosaic, (I think that is how it's spelled, formally Cargill) they are looking at what could be done with utilizing former mine areas and converting them into OHV areas. This is a very exciting possibility when you think about the huge amount of land owned by mining companies. They are going to move forward with this but it is complicated as they have to get several state offices involved but with luck as Jack Terrell put it, "This could be the future of OHV Recreation in Florida". the committe is very aware there is hardly anywhere south of the I-4 corridor to legally ride, yet 70%+ of the new ATV's being titled are sold in that area. those of you who live in the south Florida area know how hard it is to find land, and especially a large piece suitable for something like this.

Has anyone heard anything else about this?

[indianjoe]

I was at the meeting back in January when this was discussed. HEre is link under atv activist:

http://www.atvflorida.com/forum/index.php/topic,8607.0.html

I don't know what stage they are at now, but I know there was alot to work out between Mosaic and the State but I feel with folks like Jack Terrell and the rest of the comm. if it can be done they will get it done. I will be attending the next meeting and post an update.

I agree there is alot of politics at play here. But I will say the folks who are on the OHV Comm. are dedicated at finding places to ride or enhancing existing places. There isn't enough money from the titling fees to buy a large chunk of land at this point. We all know what the price of land has risen to. Folks like us in south Florida are being swallowed by developments and there is no end in sight.

The rallys that have been done and are being done today in Miami are a good way to bring attention to the problem with the media etc.

One of our, biggest problems is that we do not have a state wide organization to represent recreational atv riders. I have submitted this proposal to the Florida Trail Riders Board of directors for consideration. They are a state wide organization that represents the racing end of it and started a quad scrambles only series this year. They have been in existence in this state for many years and are well known in Tallahassee. It woiuld make since for such an established organization to hopefully branch out and represent all atv riders. Then with the power of thousands, (and money from membership) combined things like lobbyist and other political things can be put into place.

[indianjoe]

Here is another chance to learn what is going on: See you there!!!!!

Off-Highway Vehicle Advisory Committee
Quarterly Meeting

The Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Advisory Committee would like to announce its upcoming quarterly meeting.  This meeting will be held on May 1st in Ocala in conjunction with the OHV Recreation Management Workshop at the Ocala Hilton.  The Ocala Hilton is located at 3600 Southwest 36th Avenue, just southeast of the interchange of I-75 and SR-200, exit number 350.  This meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:00 pm and will conclude by 9:00 pm or upon completion of business.  This and all OHV Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public and public participation is encouraged.
 
The OHV Advisory Committee is created within the Division of Forestry and consists of nine members, all of whom are appointed by the Commissioner of Agriculture.  The appointees include one representative from of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, one representative of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, one representative of the Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Greenways & Trails, one representative of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, one citizen with scientific expertise in disciplines relating to ecology, biology, or other environmental sciences, one representative of a licensed off-highway vehicle dealer, and three representatives of off-highway vehicle recreation groups.  The duties and responsibilities of the advisory committee are as follows:

1)   establish policies to guide the Department of Agriculture (department) regarding the OHV Recreation Program and the system of OHV recreation areas and trails;
2)   make recommendations to the department regarding OHV safety, training, and education programs in the operation of such vehicles;
3)   must be informed regarding all governmental activities affecting the program;
4)   must be informed regarding OHV impacts and effects on the environment, wildlife habitats, and native flora and fauna and shall make recommendations to avoid or minimize adverse environmental impacts and promote sustained long-term use;
5)   must be fully informed regarding the inventory of OHV access and opportunities
6)   meet at various times and locations throughout the state to receive public comments on the implementation of the program and shall take these public comments into consideration when making its recommendations;
7)   review and make recommendations annually regarding proposed budget and expenditures from the designated OHV funds in the trust fund;
   make recommendations regarding all capital outlay expenditures from the trust fund proposed for inclusion in the budget and shall identify additional funding sources for management, enforcement, education, rehabilitation, and other duties of the land management agencies related to the system; and
9)   review grant applications submitted by any governmental agency or entity or nongovernmental entity requesting moneys from the trust fund to create, operate, manage, or improve OHV recreation areas or trails within the state, protect and restore affected natural areas in the system, or provide OHV rider education.  The advisory committee shall recommend to the department approval or denial of such grant applications based upon criteria established by the advisory committee. 

[mudnuri]

This is definitely something good. I wish ATVA would help us. They are the ATV part of AMA. I know AMA went to the meetings in Riverside, CA to help them. I will send them an email and ask them to come and help. Here is a link so you can ask them for help, too.
Florida law says the state must provide these parks. Maybe if it got national attention, we would have a fighting chance. There sure are MANY more ATV'ers out there than are in my club. Recreational riders should have places to ride as Florida law states. I don't like that the powers that may be are dragging their feet at our expense. You attend the meetings thinking something will get done and it winds up only being a talked about issue with no resolve and no riding.
Rights@ATVonline.com
They are "supposed" to help stop bad laws, unfair regulations, and land closures nationwide.
I guess it can't hurt if we scream at them for help!

[mudnuri]

This was my letter

Please help us here in Florida. We have very little to no place to ride anymore. I belong to Florida Trail Riders and also to ATVA. I was at the last meeting concerning the re-opening of a recently closed park in South Florida. I saw FTR there but did not see you. What exactly did my membership dues include. I have promoted your organization as a voice for us, but am finding that I NEVER see you at ANYTHING to do with helping us retain what we have and to help ensure the state follows the new Mark T. Schmitt law. They are dragging their feet for too long and keep throwing up senseless red tape and smoke to avoid upholding this law.
I for one would really like to know why I joined your organization if you do nothing for my state? I appreciate the discounts on the car rental and hotels but... that's not why I joined your organization.
Please help us!
There is another meeting coming up:

Off-Highway Vehicle Advisory Committee
Quarterly Meeting

The Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Advisory Committee would like to announce its upcoming quarterly meeting.  This meeting will be held on May 1st in Ocala in conjunction with the OHV Recreation Management Workshop at the Ocala Hilton.  The Ocala Hilton is located at 3600 Southwest 36th Avenue, just southeast of the interchange of I-75 and SR-200, exit number 350.  This meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:00 pm and will conclude by 9:00 pm or upon completion of business.  This and all OHV Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public and public participation is encouraged.

I will be there. Will you?

Respectfully,
Brian Morris

[Bigscrb15]

If we don't do anything soon this will be us. Taken from Toy Hauler Magazine. This is the Publishers comments.

"THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND?

You know the song, sing it with me... This land is my land, this land is your land, from California, Oh wait... Not in California, even if you bought YOUR land fifty years ago. The alarming trend of public land closures has taken a frightening new turn in Riverside County California where the Board of Supervisors has voted 5-1 to NOT allow OHV use on private land. This unbelievable turn of events has brought the fight for your right to ride literally into the back yards of the residents of Southern California.

Now, it’s bad enough when a bunch of people who don’t ride lobby to keep other people from doing what they enjoy on wide-open public land, but this really crosses the line. And we’re not talking about riding on lots smashed into master planned communities or tearing up schoolyards. We’re talking about the people who own acreage in Riverside County. People who have purchased that land in good faith, with their hard-earned money, because of the flexibility it offered, only too have lawmakers pull the rug from under them.

The really scary part about this is where does it end? Trends like this seem to start in the west and spread east like wild fire. It doesn’t matter what state you live in, as off-roaders we must do something now! A recent ruling by a judge in California has prompted notice of lawsuits that will be filed by many pseudo environmental groups who want nothing less than complete closure of the deserts and other OHV recreation areas. These environmental “posers” will stop at nothing to close us out!

They are well funded, well organized and completely oblivious to any way of life that doesn’t fit into their narrow scope of thinking. Below there are listed several different organizations you can join to help in the fight. Yes, they need your donations and yes, they will fight for our rights. If you choose not to join, you may as well sell your sand paddles now, while they’re still worth something. RIDE SAFE!"