Dear HCN,
I think Todd Wilkinson
should check his facts a bit more thoroughly next time he writes an
article such as “Forest Service sets off into uncharted territory”
(HCN, 11/8/99). He states that the BlueRibbon Coalition “receives
significant funding from OHV manufacturers and timber companies.” I
suppose this depends on your definition of “significant.” Most
readers would not consider the 1 percent of our overall support
from timber and forestry associations to be significant, nor would
they consider the less than 5 percent of our overall support from
industry in general to be significant.
The
BlueRibbon Coalition is a grassroots organization, and always has
been. Our ongoing efforts to preserve recreational access have been
supported by our individual and organizational members, ordinary
people like you and me.
Second, the 30-40-30
split for the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is not theoretical
at all, as Wilkinson claimed. These breakdowns are mandated.
Perhaps Wilkinson is lamenting the fact that motorized
recreationists have been more involved with the program than
non-motorized recreationists. The RTP money must be matched by
money or labor on the part of the organization involved. If no one
is willing to put in the time and/or money, no trails are going to
be built or restored.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization, our financial records are open to everyone. As to
RTP, there is plenty of literature on how the money must be spent,
and we could have given him a lot more accurate information to use.
I fear Wilkinson has let his leanings against motorized recreation
cloud his judgment.
Michael
Patty
Pocatello,
Idaho
The writer is editor of BlueRibbon Magazine.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Check your facts on ORVs.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
