We have an Org in it's infantsy. The AOCA which is having it's corp meeting Dec 1st. Please see the following.
Arkansas Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Association
Set to Go!
December 1, 2007

9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Incorporation Meeting, Union Building, AR Tech Univ., Ozark

1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. OHV Scavenger Hunt, Byrd's Adventure Center

5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Awards, raffle and potluck dinner, Byrd's Adventure Center

December 1, 2007 culminates six months of work by four-wheel drive, ATV and off-highway motorcyclist enthusiasts to develop the Arkansas Off-Highway Vehicle Association (AOCA.)

The proposed mission for the new statewide association is: The Arkansas Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Association represents off-highway vehicle (OHV) interests in Arkansas and works to influence recreation issues in cooperation with land managers, legislators and educators to conserve, expand, enhance and protect responsible OHV recreation opportunities.

The Arkansas OHV Conservation Association begins December 1 at 8:30 a.m. at the Union Building, AR Tech University, Ozark. Following coffee and donuts participants will approve the proposed association name, mission, objectives and by-laws, elect officers and discuss year-one goals. The officers will include President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, 4-Wheel Drive Member-At-Large, All-Terrain Vehicle Member-At-Large, and Off-Highway Motorcycle Member-At-Large.

At noon participants will travel to Byrd's Adventure Center to begin celebrating their new state association. Byrd's will have a special lunch available from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.. From 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. all are invited to join in a fun-packed scavenger hunt for prizes. The scavenger trail will be drivable by 4WD, ATV and off-highway motorcycle.

The celebration will end with a magnificent potluck dinner. For the potluck:

ATV riders bring: salads (pasta, lettuce, potato, etc.)
4WD drivers bring: desserts (lots of yummy desserts!)
OHM riders bring: chips, dips, pickles, cheese and condiments
AOCA will provide: hamburgers, hotdogs and buns

If you would like to help with the incorporation meeting or scavenger hunt, or would like to be placed on the distribution list contact Andy Guschke by phone or email. If contacting Andy by email please indicate in the Subject box that the email is in regards to "AOCA Incorporation".

There is no charge to participate in the incorporation meeting or celebration. Regular fees will apply at Byrd's Adventure Center of the Ozarks. Please see www.byrdsadventurecenter.com or call 479-667-4066 for lunch

How did your organizational meeting go? I haven't heard any details.

I saw an article in the Hot Springs Newspaper this week stating the OHV stuff (MVUM) will be coming out in two to four weeks. I'd put my $ on January 15 or so. I'll let folks know unless somebody beats me to the draw. Been awfully quiet on the topic as of late, calm before the storm, I reckon.

We voted in our officers, set agenda, adopted by-laws, adopted mission statement, set membership fees and in general decided what direction we were heading. I think we will become a force to be reconed with over time. Just kidding, but I do beleive we will do a lot of good in the future.Here is the link to our site. http://arkansasohv.org/. We need all the people we can get to join the AOCA to help with Off Road Recreation Conservation in Arkansas. Click on the the information tag to access membership form. Hope to see a lot of you on the forum board. Please remember this is not a forum board in compition with any other board. It's sole purpose is as a gathering place for info and organization of Off Road Recreation Conservation in the National forest lands and private lands in Arkansas. You do not have to be from Arkansas to be a part of this organization, just interested in preserving and adding Off Roading opportunities in the State of Arkansas.

The reason I asked is on a local forum here there is an entry for ouachitaatv.com. A local club for OHV-ing and thought maybe ya'll were related....... If not, maybe a good connection.

They need to look us up.

I tried quachitatv.com and it does not seem to work.

SB, I was looking at some of the proposed maps on the FS web site. I saw some with routes in a thick yellow track. There is nothing like it on the legend. What are they? Also at times you cannot get the whole page to open up so you can click on the different areas, is there a problem with the site? It has done that to me on more then one computer.

I'd guess you are looking at outdated maps, the new ones don't supposed to be uploaded yet. Just my guess... ouachitaatv.com comes up for me, you typed a "q" on your reply.

The thicker yellow lines I'm seeing are non-motorized trails (Ouachita, Womble, etc.). The maps are in "quads" so that might have something to do with moving around in proximity locations. Once again, just my guess. These are the older maps, new ones ain't out yet.........

Smokey any news on the Maps yet?

Smokey, check your private messages.

Got it, thanks.....

I joined ATVfrontier today to get some info on an upcoming interview we will be doing with the local TV Friday. Will also join the one you mentioned. Should be a spread in the Democrat/Gazette sometimes this week, they were up last Thursday to WPG and talked OHV's.

Should be something January 28 on the maps last we heard, I'll know more by Thursday afternoon and will post if anything different.

So anyway we could get a sneak peek at the maps

Yes, come by my office and I can show you the Mena/Oden. I'd say it's 99% of what you'll see when it "hits the streets" next week........

Otherwise, you'll just have to wait. I don't even have access to other district's maps, one thing I tell folks is after it leaves ours (looking at my maps) there are no guarantees......

quote:

Originally posted by Smokey the Bear:
Yes, come by my office and I can show you the Mena/Oden. I'd say it's 99% of what you'll see when it "hits the streets" next week........

Otherwise, you'll just have to wait. I don't even have access to other district's maps, one thing I tell folks is after it leaves ours (looking at my maps) there are no guarantees......

Now that really just does not sound good.

quote:

Originally posted by Chris72941:
So anyway we could get a sneak peek at the maps

Thanks smokey but I am working in the Cold Springs district.(Poteau) I would work in the mena area but that is too much of a drive to really work it. Would you mind giving me a quick run-down on how Adopting a Trail system(for a club) works? Next week or the week after(depending on when the maps come out) I will be going to talk to John to see what we can do to work Poteau Mt. and bring it back up to par

You bet, let's wait until the maps come out and we can git er done...

My comment about "leaving my area" didn't come out right, I meant the roads on the map outside my district might not have the correct designation. It was a pull just getting ours done and correct, we didn't pay any attention to correcting adjacent districts on my map. When this thing comes out they will fit together like they should.

Thanks SB, looking forward to it. By the way, when are you going to come on a ride with us? It would be great to have you along, you would fit in well with the rest of us. We would leave the shop talk at the trucks and just have a good time out riding.

Smokey, might this decision help change things as far as what can be left open?
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59709

Well, it depends. What happened in that instance is; the district ranger made an error in that the EA did not match her Decision Notice. The Decision Notice said in the roadless area, it did not allow the trails or roads in the first place. The EA said really the opposite and the the ADO (Forest Supervisor) remanded that portion of +/- 14 miles of roads. The ranger incorrectly applied the motorized trails to motorized roads. That caused a flaw in finding of fact based on law, regulations or higher order, because the 2001 Roadless Rule does not speak to trails. There were ten Appeal points and only one remand based on an error of judgment in interpreting the Roadless Rule.

As far as far reaching effects - don't confuse a road vs a trail under the 2001 Roadless Rule. I really can't see any change except the 14 miles of additional roads are now open - a fact the EA analyzed, but the Decision Maker (for some reason)chose to interpret the Rule also covered trails, and it don't.

This is what happens when folks are looking though, the ADO corrected a mis-doings..