News Archive, January through February 2005

The club made a winter run on January 29, the first official club run of 2005.  Jeff McAllister, who acted as trail boss, wrote a could trip report.  Those on the run encountered icy stream crossings and large snow berms.

Full trip report here.

Next Tuesday at the Loussac Library there is an important meeting BLM in regard to the East Alaska Resource Management Plan.  It is important to show our support for all motorized access around the state, especially in areas that can directly affect our recreation.  Please see the following press release for more information:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AOAA sponsors a briefing meeting for BLM’s management plans including off-road vehicles and trail management in 7.6 million acres North and East of Anchorage .

ANCHORAGE , AK – January, 03 2005

The Alaska Outdoor Access Alliance (AOAA) is sponsoring a meeting Tuesday January 18^th in Anchorage to help inform the public of the BLM plan and to foster more public participation in the process.  The meeting will be held at 6:30 pm at the Wilda Marston Theater in the Loussac Library in Anchorage .  Please attend this meeting to help ensure your preferences are heard.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is drafting an East Alaska Resource Management Plan (EARMP) for managing and allocating uses of the public lands and resources.  The planning area includes approximately 7.6 million acres from the southern slopes of the Alaska Range to the Chugach Mountains , from the Talkeetna Mountains to the Wrangell Mountains , including portions accessible from the Glenn and Richardson Highways and the Denali Highway .

Lands that are currently accessible by Off-Road Vehicles (ORV’s) will be designated as either “open, limited, or closed” to ORVs.

The purpose of the Alliance is to provide a unified effort for all organizations attempting to protect, maximize, broaden, and reclaim motorized and non-motorized access to Alaska’s public lands and waters; to promote access to Alaska’s public lands and waters for recreational and commercial purposes; work for fair and equitable access laws; promote development and maintenance of trails, launching and docking facilities, and other access related improvements; and to provide education and promote good stewardship of the environment relating to access issues.

 For more information please call (907) 222-9983 or e-mail at aoaa@denalitek.com  

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TreadLightly will be presenting a Master Tread Trainer Course in Anchorage this summer.  Arctic Offroad has made arrangements for the course, which will be held June 10, 2005.  The date is immediately before this year's Four Wheel Drive Meet and Greet on Friday.  The course includes 8 hours of instruction and lots of other benefits.  The cost is $75 per person.  Register at www.treadlightly.org/trainer.mv  

For more detailed information please see the following from TreadLightly:

The nonprofit organization Tread Lightly! has just released its 2005 "Master Tread Trainer" schedule.  We hope you take advantage of a course in your area.  These are fantastic opportunities.  Scroll down for more information.

WHAT IS TREAD TRAINER?
The Tread Trainer program is designed to train participants in innovative, practical methods of spreading outdoor ethics (specifically regarding motorized and mechanized recreation) to the public. The training is provided through a one-day course and will qualify the participant to become a Tread Lightly! representative-- a "Master Tread Trainer."

Once a participant  becomes a  "Master Tread Trainer",  he or she is equipped  to train other educators, clubs, employees, visitors, scouts or community members to be "Tread Trainers"-- adding a whole new dimension to his/her organization's educational goals or personal volunteer activities. Each participant pays $75.  Scholarship
opportunities are available. 

TANGIBLE BENEFITS: 100 page manual, 2 Tread Lightly! PowerPoint presentations on CD, certificate of completion, button-down collared Master Tread Trainer shirt, 50 durable plastic Tread Lightly! hangtags,
set of guidebooks, set of PSAs, set of brochures, "On the Right Trail" video, 6 foot long Tread Lightly! outdoor banner, and an extra discount on all Tread Lightly! materials.

INTANGIBLE BENEFITS: Recognition as a Tread Lightly! member, expertise in Tread Lightly! ethics and ways to minimize outdoor impacts when recreating; methods of teaching ethics to club members, new 4-wheel owners, organization leaders, kids, etc; networking opportunities with other agencies/organizations at the course; ability to train others to become "Tread Trainers" and improvement in presentation skills.

2005 MASTER TREAD TRAINER COURSE SCHEDULE

Feb 12:  Windsor, Connecticut
March 16:  Ontario, California
March 18:  Wabeno, Wisconsin
April 2:  Erie, Pennsylvania
April 9:  Indianapolis, Indiana
April 18:  Boise, Idaho
May 21:  New Jersey
May 7:  Anniston, Alabama
June 10:  Anchorage, Alaska

Registration deadlines are one month before course dates.  Sign up today!

MORE INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION
www.treadlightly.org/trainer.mv
Dianne@treadlightly.org
(800) 966-9900

www.treadlightly.org
298 24th Street, Suite 325
Ogden, UT 84401

We had the last official meeting for 2004 on December 16.  Our secretary was not available so yours truly had to fill in on meeting minute duties.  Fortunately I do not have to fill in very often as the minutes taken were not of as good a quality.  But the pertinent information is there.

Full minutes from the meeting can be found here.