Ms. Glendenning
Acting Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Coordinator
New Mexico Department of Transportation
P.O. Box 1149
Santa Fe, NM 87504-1149
SUBJECT: Letter of Support for the Carson National Forest, Camino Real Ranger District – OHV Stacked Loop System RTP Grant application.
Dear Ms. Glendenning:
Please accept this letter from the Colorado Trails Preservation Alliance (TPA) and the Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition (COHVCO) as an official letter of support for the Carson National Forest, Camino Real Ranger District – OHV Stacked Loop System RTP Grant application. The collaborative group consisting of the Enchanted Circle Trails Alliance (ECTA), Taos County, the New Mexico Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition (NMOHVA) and the United States Forest Service (USFS) is proposing this grant. The TPA is a volunteer organization created to be a viable partner to public lands managers, working with the United States Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to preserve the sport of motorized trail riding and multiple-use recreation. The TPA acts as an advocate for the sport and takes the necessary action to insure that the USFS, BLM and others allocate a fair and equitable percentage of public lands access to diverse multiple use trail recreational opportunities. COHVCO is a grassroots advocacy organization comprising over 230,000 registered off-highway vehicle users in Colorado seeking to represent, assist, educate, and empower all OHV recreationists in the protection and promotion of multiple-use and off-highway motorized recreation throughout Colorado. COHVCO is also an environmental organization that advocates and promotes the responsible use and conservation of our public lands and natural resources to preserve their aesthetic and recreational qualities for future generations.
Both the TPA and COHVCO represent thousands of off-highway motorcyclists and OHV enthusiast that travel to New Mexico and particularly the Carson National Forest, Camino Real Ranger District to enjoy the diverse and scenic back roads and trail opportunities that this area has to offer.
The RTP grant proposal from this collaborative group seeks to enhance and improve the recreational opportunities and experiences while striving to improve route sustainability and protection of the forest’s unique and natural resources. In Colorado, OHV recreation has documented contributions of well over $1.6 billion to the State’s economy. Northern New Mexico has an opportunity to directly share in similar economic benefits from OHV recreation through the enhancements proposed by this grant application to the trail and route systems and supporting work within the Camino Real Ranger District of the Carson National Forest.
The TPA and COHVCO both contend that route and trail systems that adequately meet the needs and demands of the users/customers, and provide satisfactory recreational experiences, are much more likely to be embraced by the users and results in improved compliance, better user behaviors, requires less enforcement, and experience improved protection of the natural resources through enriched user ethics and enhanced public stewardship.
The TPA and COHVCO both support the Carson National Forest, Camino Real Ranger District – OHV Stacked Loop System RTP Grant application as it specifically seeks to improve the recreational opportunities and experiences available for OHV users and visitors to the Carson National Forest and Northern New Mexico.
Sincerely,
Don Riggle
Director of Operations
Trails Preservation Alliance
Scott Jones, esq.
COHVCO Co-Chairman
Trails Preservation Alliance