California Trail Users Coalition (CTUC)

PLEASE approve 2016 - 2017 California State Parks OHV Green Sticker Grant funds to California Trail Users Coalitions so they can continue to keep our public trails open in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. To date, 5 years of drought followed by an infestation of bark beetles has killed over 600 million trees in our state. Said funds are necessary to keep our trails open to the public. As Vice President of the Mariposa Mountain Riders Equestrian Club (affiliate of CA State Horsemen's Assoc.), and a member of the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC: A national long distance equestrian riding club) and a former Ride Manager of the AERC sanctioned "Run for the Gold Endurance Ride" event that requires future Department of Forestry Public Usage Permits, I realize our trails will remain closed due to fallen trees without the above-referenced grant funding. Thank you for your kind consideration in this matter. Sincerely, Jane Smith on behalf of the Mariposa Mountain Riders and AERC "Run for the Gold" Endurance Ride - 3/9/17

Please grant their application. The California Trail Users Coalition operates a great program. The community is lucky to have this group working to clear trails and keep access open to all types of uses. A key part of their effort is the fact that work is done by volunteers. This an efficient use of taxpayer dollars. No other organization is organized to clear these trails. There is a crises in the forest with all the dead trees. Without the CTUC the forest would be closed as no one would be able to navigate past blocked trails. Keeping the trails open also aids the forest officials to monitor the forest and provides firefighters critical access in their effort to fight fires. Marc Sobel - 3/9/17

They have a great map and it could be better and needs to be updated so I ask you to approve their funding request. I use the map and Smartphone app all the time, It provides me with my location and helps me go where I need to go. I also see this a safety of life issue. Getting lost can cause serious harm in the forest. Marc Sobel - 3/9/17

In an effort to keep the Sierra National Forest safe to travel and free of litter and hazardous waste, please continue to fund the trail maintenance program. I have seen the work done with this grant money such as route markers being replaced where there were none, signs being repaired, brush being removed so the trail can be safely seen and traveled, etc. There also is much work being done removing hazardous waste, trash, and litter while clearing the trails of dangerous debris such as falling trees. The safety and health benefits of this program to the general public are invaluable. It is in the public interest and good to continue to fund this grant. Suzanne Rice - 3/9/17

I support this project. These guys do wonderful work and really care about responsible recreation in the forest. Robert Winn - 3/10/17

The Stewards of the Sierra have made a positive difference in OHV use in the Sierra National Forest. Without their countless hours of volunteer labor and resources the road and trial system would not as it does today. I highly recommend that this grant be funded in full. Mike Wubbels - 3/14/17

The Responsible Riders have made a positive difference in OHV use in the Inyo National Forest. Without their countless hours of volunteer labor and resources the road and trial system would not look as it does today. I highly recommend that this grant be funded in full. Mike Wubbels - 3/14/17

The Stewards of the Stanislaus have made a positive difference in OHV use in the Stanislaus National Forest. Without their countless hours of volunteer labor and resources the road and trial system would not look as it does today. I highly recommend that this grant be funded in full. Mike Wubbels - 3/14/17

CTUC has been hard at work to produce high quality user friendly maps for the public to use in our National Forest. This is a service that is badly needed to keep the OHV public informed as to where they are and what time of the year it is legal to be there. Without their countless hours of volunteer labor and resources the information provided to the public would not be what it is today. I highly recommend that this grant be funded in full. Mike Wubbels - 3/14/17

CTUC and their divisions have been hard at work to help keep the roads and trails in Californias National Forests open and accessible to the public. Without groups like this the road and trail system here in California would not look as it does today. The forest service with their loss of budget dollars depend on volunteer resources to do the burden of the work required to keep the roads and trails open for the OHV publics enjoyment. Without the countless hours of volunteer labor and resources and the information they provide to the public there would be a lot less OHV opportunity here in California. I highly recommend that this grant be funded in full. Mike Wubbels - 3/14/17

To whom it may concern, I would like to express my feelings regarding green sticker funds being used for other purposes. I feel that the way the system currently works is the best and should stay as is. I like the fact that the money I have to pay for green sticker goes back into funds directly related to maintain trails and safety. Thank you for your time, Stephen D. Hanchett - 3/14/17

As this application points out the Sierra National Forest trail system is in need of repair and clearing of fallen trees that present a danger to the recreating public. This type of application serves the OHV community with their OHV fees that they have paid over the years. This application is an example of utilizing OHV fees in a responsible way to further the continued recreation of OHV in our National Forests for years to come. The OHV community brings families out to the surrounding areas of the National Forests which benefits the economics of the these areas. Joseph Harvey - 3/14/17

This application is another wonderful example of OHV community doing their part for the benefit of the state. This application utilizes OHV fees in a responsible way. Joseph Harvey - 3/14/17

The Stanislaus National Forest is in need of this type of activity to enhance OHV recreating in the area. Without this responsible use of OHV funds the National Forest would be off limits to a large segment of the taxpaying public. It also brings in recreation dollars to the economic benefit of the communities near the Stanislaus National Forest. Joseph Harvey - 3/14/17

Maps are a great resource for the OHV community to responsibly use the off-roads in California. Joseph Harvey - 3/14/17

The collaboration between the stewards and the forest service is truly in the spirit and intent of president Rosevelt,s original plan to create a best use practice to both promote conservation and public use for recreation and enjoyment. I think the Stewards fulfill this mission with tireless labor, energy, passion and resources. Likewise, I feel the work being performed in Miami Trails is a good example of peaple working together to create a community That sets a benchmark for OHV enthusiasts and families to enjoy the great outdoors together. It is my hope that this partnership continues for future generations to benefit and enjoy. Marty Mitts - 3/14/17

I’m writing this letter of support of the Stewards of the Sierra members’ wish to provide volunteer work with for Sierra National Forest (SNF) to improve OHV opportunities for the greater public. The Stewards of the Sierra have been continuously growing in membership and I support their request for grant funding to provide tools, supplies, road and trail directional signs, route markers, safety gear and equipment to support their volunteer efforts up in the Sierra National Forest. The Sierra National Forest need as much help as possible for road and trail maintenance. Much work is needed to insure that legal OHV trails and forest roads are kept open for public OHV use and to reduce potential adverse conditions. The continued reduction of the Forest Service road and trail maintenance budget has caused roads and trails to deteriorate to an unacceptable condition. Lack of proper maintenance has led to drainage structure failure and water quality degradation. Brush encroachment and downed trees on some roads and trails has begun to restrict motorized access and use. Many of these roads and trails provide access to and from developed campgrounds, dispersed camping areas, and recreational destination points. This work activity will be focused on roads and trails that provide a variety of motorized uses. Trails provide varied levels of difficulty from easy, to difficult, to more difficult. This project will improve motorized access, water quality, signage, and enhance the overall OHV experience within the SNF. Over the past 10 years, the Stewards of the Sierra have performed several hundred volunteer hours of invaluable time each year toward maintenance activities on roads and trails that have contributed to increased water quality, decreased soil erosion and improved OHV recreational access. They have installed or repaired many trail signs and removed innumerable bags of trash from the forest. We have also repaired vandalism and removed graffiti from natural and manmade objects within the forest. With approval of this grant request they are hoping to take our commitment to the next level by providing a long term product of work to support the SNF and the OHV community. Mike McGarity - 3/15/17

I’m writing this letter of support of the Stewards of the Stanislaus members’ wish to provide volunteer work with for Stanislaus National Forest (SNF) to improve OHV opportunities for the greater public. The Stewards of the Stanislaus have been continuously growing in membership and I support their request for grant funding to provide tools, supplies, road and trail directional signs, route markers, safety gear and equipment to support their volunteer efforts up in the Stanislaus National Forest. The Stanislaus National Forest need as much help as possible for road and trail maintenance. Much work is needed to insure that legal OHV trails and forest roads are kept open for public OHV use and to reduce potential adverse conditions. The continued reduction of the Forest Service road and trail maintenance budget has caused roads and trails to deteriorate to an unacceptable condition. Lack of proper maintenance has led to drainage structure failure and water quality degradation. Brush encroachment and downed trees on some roads and trails has begun to restrict motorized access and use. Many of these roads and trails provide access to and from developed campgrounds, dispersed camping areas, and recreational destination points. This work activity will be focused on roads and trails that provide a variety of motorized uses. Trails provide varied levels of difficulty from easy, to difficult, to more difficult. This project will improve motorized access, water quality, signage, and enhance the overall OHV experience within the SNF. The Stewards of the Stanislaus have performed several hundred volunteer hours of invaluable time each year toward maintenance activities on roads and trails that have contributed to increased water quality, decreased soil erosion and improved OHV recreational access. They have installed or repaired many trail signs and removed innumerable bags of trash from the forest. We have also repaired vandalism and removed graffiti from natural and manmade objects within the forest. With approval of this grant request they are hoping to take our commitment to the next level by providing a long term product of work to support the SNF and the OHV community. Michael McGarity - 3/15/17

The Responsible Riders have demonstrated their ability to get the job done and their ability to partner with the Inyo National Forest. It is important that their work continue to help improve the motorized routes. There is much work to be done on the Inyo National Forest to update and make corrections to the Travel Management Decisions. Mike Johnston - 3/28/17

The CTUC maps are the most useful tool the OHV user can have. I recommend them to everybody because they are easy to read and a very reliable source for legal trails and roads. The OHV community is rapidly moving forward with digital devices suitable apps will make these maps even more important for the users. These maps are the best pro-active effort we can make to keep people on the legal trails! Mike Johnston - 3/28/17

This grant proposal should be approved and fully funded. Our area is a playground for Los Angeles and OHV activities are a significant part of the tourism that supports the economy in the Eastern Sierra. This grant will help with the management of the OHV resources in our area by providing accurate information to the public and is a good use of our "green sticker" funds. Thank You. Patrick Woods - 3/28/17

This project should be funded. The INF is severely underfunded for road maintenance and repair, to the point that even paved roads and level 1 roads (graded dirt suitable for normal passengers cars) are in need of work. Level 3 roads (4x4's recommended) are getting very little attention. This project will help keep at least come of the roads used by OHV's open and available for recreation. John Shepherd - 3/28/17

This effort should be funded. One of the keys to safe responsible OHV recreation is the availability and ease of access to maps. This proposal will provide OHV trail users with accurate maps of what trails/roads are available to use and which are not. John Shepherd - 3/28/17

The Responsible Riders have been doing a great job to help keep trails and public access open for all to enjoy. Please fund this grant to help ensure public access today and into the future. Mike Wubbels - 3/30/17

The Stewards of the Stanislaus are great start up group doing fantastic work in the Stanislaus NF. their had been no groups working there and they have filled a huge void and provided a great public service to help maintain and keep trails open. Please fund this grant. Mike Wubbels - 3/30/17

Ctuc has been hard at work to produce the best and most accurate maps for Ca NF systems of roads and trails. The work they provide for the map project is huge benefit for public access. Please fund this grant. Mike Wubbels - 3/30/17

The Stewards of the Sierra National Forest have done wonderful things and I strongly support them with there Grant Request. They do so much for all of the Sierra National Forest Recreation. Thank You Brian Hansen - 3/30/17

I believe the CTUC should be fully funded as they are a well organized group that work tirelessly to see the OHV funds are used as they were originally intended for which is to maintain and keep trails open for the public to use. Edward Mann - 3/30/17

I would like to comment on the Sierra Road & Trail, Responsible Riders, Stanislaus Maintenance and CTUC Map Apps Unification grant request on behalf of the California Off-Road Vehicle Association. This application is amazing in the scope it's trying to accomplish. All that work with so many volunteer hours really has to be fully funded. I need to come up and ride the trails to really see what this is about. Best of luck in these projects. Ed Stovin - 3/30/17

I would like to comment on the Friends of Jawbone grant requests on behalf of the California Off-Road Vehicle Association. These grants are important to maintain this much loved OHV area. In the education grant, it looks similar to the CTUC education grant. Is there any overlap between these two grants? Ed Stovin - 3/30/17

I support all of the grant requests by the California Trail Users Coalition (CTUC). Michael Damaso - 4/3/17

The Merced Dirt Riders support all of the grant requests by the California Trail Users Coalition (CTUC). Merced Dirt Riders - 4/3/17