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NOHVCC FLORIDA
OHV MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP COMPLETED IN OCALA
78 land managers and
agency officials participate in Sunshine State off-highway
vehicle pow wow
The National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation
Council in cooperation with the Florida Division of
Forestry, Florida Department of Environmental Protection,
Office of Greenways and Trails, Lee County Parks and
Recreation Department, USDA Forest Service recently
completed a four-day NOHVCC OHV Management Workshop in
Ocala.
The first day was an optional
training day with three different training courses offered.
 Approximately
two dozen people attended the Tread Lightly! Master Tread
Trainer certification course with instructor Dianne Olson.
Approximately twenty people attended the ATV Rider Course
offered by the ATV Safety Institute and the Dirt Bike School
offered by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. For many of the
participants it was their first hands-on experience with
ATVs and dirt bikes.
MANY AGENCIES AND OFFICIALS IN ATTENDANCE
On day two the workshop
brought together seventy-eight land managers, recreation
planners and managers and law enforcement personnel from
numerous federal, state, water management districts, county
and city agencies and departments, plus representatives of
enthusiasts, volunteers and environmental groups.
The morning featured presentations of national,
state and county OHV sales and demographic information, and
rider training opportunities. This was followed by a preview
of the new University of Florida OHV Economic and
Demographic Survey. Russ Ehnes, NOHVCC Executive Director,
provided data on the needs and desires of the OHV recreation
public. A comprehensive review of current Florida and
federal OHV grant programs, policies, regulations and
planning efforts was provided by Chris Reed, Florida
Division of Forestry, Christopher Douwes, Federal Highway
Administration, Alexandra Weiss, Florida Department of
Environmental Protection, Office of Greenways and Trails,
and Jim Schmid, USDA Forest Service.
THE FOUR "E"s OF OHV RECREATION MANAGEMENT
Tom Crimmins, Trail
Consultant, began the afternoon session discussing the
critical components of Engineering, Education, Enforcement
and Evaluation in OHV recreation management. This led into a
discussion of multiple-use trail construction and
maintenance techniques to achieve sustainable OHV trails
that meet the needs and desires of the public. Dick Dufourd,
RecConnect, led a discussion of inter-agency cooperation in
the operation of an OHV recreation program, followed by
presentations by Dana Bell (NOHVCC) and John Waldron
(Florida Division of Forestry) on the collaborative efforts
that resulted in the OHV trail systems at Minooka Park
(Alabama) and Tate’s Hell State Forest (Florida).
FIELD TRIP TO THE TRAILS
The third day was spent on a 15-mile loop on
trails in the Ocala National Forest. Most workshop
participants rode the loop on ATVs and dirt bikes to get a
first-hand introduction to OHV recreation. The USDA Forest
Service provided trucks for those not on ATVs and dirt
bikes. This provided an on-the-ground opportunity to observe
field conditions and apply many of the principles learned in
the previous day’s classroom sessions. Numerous field stops
were included to discuss specific site issues, management
options and monitoring methods. Issues included: trailhead
planning and services, camping, trail design and
maintenance, mixed traffic trails, signs and education
programs, sound and spark arrester testing, enforcement
issues and volunteer programs.
NUMEROUS ISSUES DISCUSSED ON FINAL DAY
On the fourth and final day participants met again at
the Ocala Hilton to review lessons learned during the field
day in the Ocala National Forest and to discuss OHV
recreation’s impact on rural community development,
volunteer programs in other states, volunteer programs in
the Apalachicola National Forest and the Ocala National
Forest, partnership opportunities, and outreach and
education programs in California and in USDA Forest Service
Region 8. Development and management experiences at several
city, county and private OHV parks was presented.
Enforcement issues and challenges were also discussed as
well as sustainable funding options for OHV parks and riding
areas. After lunch subjects included education resources and
liability and risk management. The discussions about
legislation to address liability concerns coincided with the
Florida Legislature’s passage of new liability limitations
for public agencies that offer OHV recreation opportunities.
The final session of the workshop was a comprehensive
discussion of the practical steps needed to meet Florida’s
identified funding, education, enforcement, partnership,
local opportunity and general management needs.
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