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Save our trails!

For all those Missouri trail users (and I don't just mean people that live in the state), there is a bill trying to move it's way through the Missouri House that will be detrimental to our trails. So I encourage you to read the following and act by contacting your representative about this bill.

Firstly, the bill HB 250 changes the manner in which trail usage is determined and arguably how trails are built in our state. The bill says:

8.890. No individual shall be denied access to any public land owned, managed, or funded by the state of Missouri for the purpose of riding horses or mules, when such individual has the lawful authority to use the public land. Such access also shall not be denied to trails and roads that are currently in use by the state as land upon which horses or mules are ridden, except that access can be denied where conditions are not suitable because of public safety concerns or necessary maintenance. Nothing in this section shall cause horses or mules to be excluded from inclusion in the development of new trails on Missouri public lands.

The first issue with this bill is that equestrians will gain unquestioned and unrestricted access to trails on public lands. This creates a special case for a single user group. No other trail user group (including hikers and bikers) can claim such access. Public lands should not benefit a single group more than others -- if equine groups are not currently equal with other groups, this is not how to achieve it! The only restriction here amounts to the no access if the trail is closed.

The second issue deals with the creation of new trails. This bill takes the control out of the land owner or manager's hands. Typically (in my understanding of the situation) a land manager is able to determine if a trail or area is accessible to different user groups. Some considerations may include trail construction (safety, width, materials, possibility of trail damage and erosion), the areas the trail travels through (taking into account fragile ecosystems or wildlife considerations), and convenience to other users. Some trails are placed in areas that may not be safely accessed by all groups or in regions where it would be difficult to built maintainable trail for all groups.

For example, a section of the Ozark Trail passes through Barton Fen (a type of wetland) so the multi-use trail (hikers, bikers, and equines) spilts allowing hikers to access the fen while horses and bikes are taken around the fen.

This amendment may endanger decisions like this. My argument is not a matter of denying rights to equine users, it is a matter of maintaining equity and protecting the trails. I am a member of Gateway Off-Road Cyclists (GORC) and have built -- as a volunteer -- trails with GORC and the Ozark Trail Association (OTA), including multi-use trails. As a hiker, trail runner, and mountain biker I don't see how this bill will make it better for anyone.

Further Reading

Posted: April 08, 2009 @ 16:17
Tagged: missouri, trails

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