RIGHT to RIDE - Preserving historical recreational livestock access to public lands

Right-to-Ride

Preserving historical recreational livestock access to public lands.

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BLM Section 6 - Trail Closures

We don't know how or by what authority it happen, but in late 2007, the County of San Bernardino, through the Joshua Tree County Service Area (aka CSA-20), began notifying local equestrian groups that they were no longer allowed to ride on the trails of BLM Section 6. This notification involved personal visits by staff to local ranches. This policy was confirm by the County of San Bernardino Special District Office in a e-mail communication dated December 20, 2007. The following is an except from that e-mail communication:

"concerns from the public that were called into the district office ................causing damage to vegetation and endangering observed tortoise burrows.................. To summarize: 1) We are not trying stop horse back riding in Section 6 only control it. 2) We are asking that riding be kept to established roadbeds not on trails or through vegetation. "

It is hard to imagine that such a important decision that effect so many, could be made by so few, based on hearsay. We further believe that forcing equestrian users off the trails and asking us to share the roads with motorist, pedestrians and other vehicle traffic is not only dangerous, it is just plain stupid!

We are outraged by the county's lack of consideration of equestrian interest and we believe CSA-20 has little legal basis (an perhaps none) for closing the trail in the manner they did. Since this land is governed by agreement with the federal government, their closure might even violate federal law.

We believe that when the CSA-20 changes existing equestrian land use in "BLM Section 6", they need to conduct "real "Public Meetings" outside the MAC process so that the legitimate concerns of equestrians (and other legitimate users of the public lands) can be addressed in a manner consistent with law governing such rule making.

Please help See Goals and Action Plan.

Right-to-Ride

Preserving historical recreation livestock access to public lands.

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