Help me help us save our deserts! I need volunteers!!

[TauMau]

Hey all,

This one is long and winded, but if you have an interest in helping keep OHV land available stateside, please read it throughly.

I'm the director for the Center on Equal Justice at the UCSD chapter of the Roosevelt Institute. I'm really trying to rile up support within my organization and abroad to get a project going to save our deserts. I'm in a really good position to make ourselves heard by people from all political parties, and am hoping to take advantage of it. If you'd like, you can read the below passage. It's nothing we don't already know, but will be used as an introduction for people unfamiliar with our cause. Please skip to the bottom (after the quoted text) for ideas how YOU can help.

I would like to first say, that this isn't just some research paper I'll be writing. The Roosevelt Institute is a real lobbying force, and with the right execution can be a valuable resource. Feel free to disregard it if you please, but given my background I really want to make something good come from this. I've been involved in the sport too long to see it fall by the way side because of some solar panels. Before you comment about the name of our organization and any historical political affiliations because of it, please don't. If it makes you any happier - our org is dubbed after Franklin, not Teddy.

One big thing you all could do is repost this for me on any other forums you frequent! It would do wonders to get the word out.

For years OHV (Off-Highway Vehicle) enthusiasts, a grassroots group of families and friends of all ages and from all walks off life, have been enjoying responsible use of very small tracts of public lands. For as long as this has been taking place, special interest groups and private industries have been working to remove them in favor of alternative uses. Periodical "land grabs" have been occurring, isolating enthusiasts from more and more of their public lands. California alone has closed an estimated 90% of land available to OHV recreationalists over the last 40 years, and the trend shows no signs of stopping until our land is completely gone. Concurrently, the number of OHV users has gone from an estimated 5 million in 1972, to 36 million in 2002 nationwide. (http://www.treesfoundation.org/publications/article-309). This represents about 15% of the entire US population in 2002.

For anyone who isn't involved in OHV use, land closures may present only a minor inconvenience, though the economic impact of removing this high dollar industry would be great and likely immeasurable. For OHV recreationalists however, it means a life altering event. Many families have made their niche in OHV lands as their primary place of vacation, escape and digression from their busy and productive lives. Taking this away will literally shake the foundation of what many have grown up to rely on and enjoy most in life.

Finally, it's simply un-American to take away public property for some, beyond what is necessary (long since passed), simply for the advancement of others. The abysmal amount of land currently available to OHV users is entirely unobtrusive to the public and more specifically to the private industry at large, though it is still under constant fire. Keep in mind, the public has historically shown nothing but support for OHV areas, and thus it is predominately private industries and special interest groups looking to capitalize on what is currently OHV lands. They're able to do this because OHV users as a whole have little centralized representation in public policy and political agenda. The future of our OHV lands require that action be taken immediately and permanently to preserve the rights of OHV users, and the availability of land to them.

One thing I could really use help on is tracking down content. This includes facts about OHV users, land, the industry, effects on local industries, etc. I could really, really, really use help from people to get published and credible facts!

Also if you've got more time to allocate, I would surely be able to come up with specific jobs for people, please let me know if you would be willing to help on a more rolling and instrumental basis.

Any college students interested, please let me know. The Roosevelt Institute is a nation-wide organization with chapters on campuses from Harvard to Stanford, and if there isn't one on your campus, I'll help you get one started! But to be honest, it may be more helpful for you to simply work remotely with our chapter on this project!

As mentioned, reposting this message to get the word out would be helpful!!

Finally, any companies, non-profits, etc. who are willing to help us or could use our help, please let me know! The Roosevelt Institute is about supporting the community, and this project is no different. I want to do whatever I can to save the deserts and the industry!

Feel free to contact me by any means convenient to you.

Sincerely,
Jacob Wisdom
949-981-6567
[email protected]

[SPONSOR]

Membership in the largest desert racing community has its advantages - Participate in Forum Discussions - Send and Receive Private Messages - Maintain Public Photo Albums - Access to Groups - User Profile in our Social Network - Increased Access to more Sub Forums - Reduced Online Advertisements Join our community today

[Dirtracer 619]

Admin you should make this a sticky we are not going to have a desert to play in if we dont support guys like this

[retroblazer]

Good luck in your efforts and keep us posted on your progress.

[Wayne_Nosala]

One suggestion

Keep in mind, Sometimes "Multi Use" is a better driver than "OHV use"

Mulit use can drag in more support in your effort. If you think about it, There
is not much we can do outdoors without putting wheel to dirt,

OHV is not limited to how a lot of us view it.

Hunters, Miners, Fisherman, Equestrian Mountain biking, ....even some Hikers even if they dont want to admit it,
Need OHVs to get to their place of play.

If special interests are used against us, We can use some others to benefit.

CORVA has been partnering with ORGs like http://www.outdoorheritage.org/

Outdoorheritage are a rather successful lobby for hunting rights, Partnering with these types of ORGs
and be cohesive can benefit all of our interests

Wayne

[TauMau]

Thanks Wayne - points taken. I'm hoping to look further into partnerships in our efforts and multi-use is a productive suggestion.

I'm trying to convince the Director of "Energy & Environment" to partner up with my center in making this project happen. Wouldn't that be something?

[kwood]

One thing I could really use help on is tracking down content. This includes facts about OHV users, land, the industry, effects on local industries, etc. I could really, really, really use help from people to get published and credible facts!

Are you just looking for Facts on line about these various topics?

If so I am usually up late after work/studying/homework and would be willing to but some research in on these topics. If you have some specifics that would be helpful. You can PM me if necessary.

[Wayne_Nosala]

Energy issues are our next major challenge regarding public lands, You and your partner
should really research this web site http://drecp.org/

Renewable energy is on the fastrak, Enviros are salivating at the possible lands they
can trade(Close) for mitigation offsets for large scale solar and wind projects.

It will change & restructure our entire desert public lands in the very near future

If you are at the collage level at this point in your life, It may be a field of interest
that could hold a profitable employment

There are not many land use people who have balanced views regarding our public lands, Especially in the field of energy

There are energy mandates that are far reaching reality and qualified people will be needed to help reaching these goals using common sense are far and few between

Wayne

[TauMau]

Kevin - Pretty much. At this point, I can sit back all day and say "a bunch of land was re-allocated for other stuff by some group, which affected a hole lotta people in a bad way". I'd like to be able to make statements like that, but add real names, numbers, organizations, purposes, legislation, lobbyists, etc - with citations to back up the claims. As Wayne's getting at, there are many relevant events in the past and present (as well as future) surrounding our public lands, concerning many different groups of people. We need to consider all of these when proposing legislation and compromise.

You're free to pick an area you're interested in (economic impact for example) and start fact finding...or come up with an idea (exploring alternatives for land being allocated to energy for example) and start looking up specific and relevant facts to that cause. It's up to you, anything will be helpful.


Wayne - Have you heard about CGIU? It's being hosted at UCSD this year. Google it if not. If you've got any ideas, shoot me a note. I could try and get into a position to present any ideas concerning environment, energy, sustainability, etc. to a very select group of individuals at CGIU. It's a very good opportunity for us.

[kwood]

Alright that sounds good, I'll start getting facts together either tomorrow or Tuesday on different topics and send them your way.

[Wayne_Nosala]

Quick scan of that CGIU site

That stuff scares the hell out of me.

I could formulate a response, But I see this thread getting quickly moved to a political forum