Environmental Affairs/Land Use Update

First, let me thank the CA4WDC Board of Directors for awarding me and the Friends of the Rubicon the Project of the Year award for 2001 for the Rubicon trail work. I, as well as FOTR, am honored. Thank you.

This is shaping up to be a very significant year in land use, access and environmental affairs. Thanks to Jeri, Don and our many land use activists in CA4WDC, we are seeing a huge increase in involvement (and even in letter writing). I know we still have problems getting volunteers to work on our committees. But I am encouraged by the noticeable increase in folks showing up to land use events and meetings. We have a ways to go and we must not let our guard down; but I am optimistic that we will continue to see folks stepping up to the land use plate.

Here are some of the recent highlights I’d like to report to you. 

I spend most all my time doing the following:

RUBICON: I continue to lead the Friends of the Rubicon fight to keep this trail maintained, improved and open. FOTR has grown a lot this year and I’ve seen volunteers donating time and money like never before to fight for this trail. Any organized wheeling group should not ignore its importance in the overall scheme of things. With the lawsuit/cross claim that we’re involved in with BlueRibbon and others, CA4WDC has shown their commitment to this trail. It truly is one of our crown jewels and we must keep up the fight and help lead the way. I answer emails and deal with the Rubicon every working day. I appreciate Don Klusman’s help and guidance in this effort.

IMPERIAL SAND DUNES RECREATION AREA (GLAMIS): Along with Jeri, I have been helping an organized, informal coalition of sand enthusiasts prepare a strategic response to the draft EIS and Recreation Area Management Plan for the ISDRA. This gathering of folks is historical because in my 21 years of land use experience, I’ve never seen anything like it. Nine different organized recreation groups lead by the American Sand Association, have set aside any differences, and are working cohesively to orchestrate a unified single letter to the BLM detailing our one voice opinion about the future of the Glamis/ISDRA.

BOXER BILL PROTEST/RALLY: I have helped organize a protest/rally of the Boxer Wilderness bill that Jon Crowley of Crowley Offroad is leading for the Friends of the Rubicon. It is scheduled for July 11^th in several locations throughout the state. CA4WDC (Jeri and Don) are actively involved. I will be one of the speakers at the rally.

MOAB: I continue to attend the annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, especially for the FIGHT BACK FORUM that we started a few years ago. This year’s event was fun as usual; but the fact that the FORUM continues to draw interest is heartening. I also staffed a booth for BlueRibbon, along with USA-ALL, United FWDA, and the Utah Four Wheel Drive Association. Many CA4WDC members stopped by to say howdy. Daphne Green, CA OHV Commissioner also stopped by for an extended visit. I ran the computer slide show I developed called "Saving the Rubicon" for a day and a half in the booth.

BLUERIBBON: Although I no longer represent CA4WDC on the BlueRibbon Board, I serve BRC as a contractor to them as a BlueRibbon Ambassador. Many CA4WDC members write me about land use, conservation and general BRC issues that I help with daily.

REN: The California based Resource Education Network (REN) is another email alert/coordination list that I continue to serve as moderator. Currently REN is focused on the Sierra Nevada Framework; and some emphasis on the Endangered Species Act. Although I am not able to make many of their meetings, I still stay involved through email. Don Klusman sits on REN for CA4WDC, while I sit as Moderator of the network.

WRITING: The CA4WDC web site has about 30 of my articles posted. I am now an internationally published columnist. I continue to produce my columns and stories, helping others get involved in the land use/access battles, and providing insights into the politics that drive our recreation today. I still write professionally (get paid for it). I write for volunteer newsletters all over the nation. I write for Internet magazines. Most everything I write has land use and public land access as the message. I have written for over 70 publications and newsletters across the nation, including the American Hunter; 4Wheel Drive and SUV Magazine; Fins and Feathers Magazine; Western Outdoors Magazine; California Game and Fish Magazine; Fur-Fish-Game Magazine.

ADVISOR: I help people daily get involved in land use and public land access. I get emails from all over the world asking me more about getting involved and making a difference in keeping our public lands open to the public. This is a fun part of my job. I’ve helped clubs start up, in many different states. It’s very encouraging. It also spreads the credibility of CA4WDC.

WEB SITE: I have a new and improved extensive web site on land use, access and environmental affairs. I spend quite a bit of time building and updating the site; but it has proven to be a huge time-saver for me as I refer folks to my web site several times a day. When you get a chance, please visit: http://www.delalbright.com/

ALL EXPERTS.COM: Daily I answer emails from all over the world on the free Internet Question and Answer service, All Experts.Com, about land use, four wheeling, and vehicle modifications. I signed up as a volunteer on this service to help folks get into organized recreation, and to keep them from making mistakes in the use of their four wheel drive.

WORKSHOPS: I still conduct and participate in workshops on land use and public involvement as time allows. Currently through my work with BRC, I am helping over a dozen different state organizations across the nation get involved in land use and the Recreational Trails Program.

NAMRC: I still facilitate the NAMRC group, and moderate the email list. We meet twice a year and this is well worth our efforts. NAMRC is the only national group of its kind. It’s important for CA4WDC to continue it’s involvement in this group and I appreciate the fact that the Board still sponsors my trips to NAMRC.

MEMBERSHIPS/ORGANIZATIONS: I continue to serve in the following organizations/positions:

Member: Tread Lightly

Member: High Desert Multiple Use Coalition

Founder/ (Past) Moderator: Land Use Network

Co-Founder/Moderator: Resource Education Network

Board of Directors (Past): CA4WDC

State Environmental Affairs Coordinator: CA4WDC

President (Past): Motherlode Rockcrawlers Four Wheel Drive Club

Secretary: (Past) Motherlode Rockcrawlers Four Wheel Drive Club

Board of Directors (Past): Blue Ribbon Coalition

Facilitator: NAMRC

Facilitator: REN

Facilitator: Blue Ribbon Coalition Strategic Plan.

Chair, BRC Long-Range Planning Committee

Founder/member: Partners In Recreation (PIR)

Trail Boss, Friends of the Rubicon

Significant events/activities so far this year included:

January: Tucker Rocky convention, Ft. Worth, TX.

January: Started as full time contractor, BlueRibbon Coalition.

February: Keynote speaker, Pacific Northwest 4WDA annual convention.

March: Easter Jeep Safari, Moab, UT.

April: Spring Board meeting, BlueRibbon, Salt Lake City, UT.

April: Death Valley Four wheeling adventure/vacation.

Monthly club meetings (Motherlode Rockcrawlers), Jackson, CA.

 

CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS

It has started out to be a great year for me, for land use, and for many of us who care about our public lands. It’s even a brighter future. Membership is still the key to many of our problems. We can reduce some of our image problems by having more folks join organized sports and learn the Tread Lightly principles as well as the Code of Ethics most of us operate under. We can increase our influence by adding membership money to our coffers, and adding to our legal efforts. Membership is the key. I continue to be a recruiter for us with every effort I undertake. I feel we all need to do that. It is also important that we have an active membership retention program. Without retention, it does little good to recruit new members. I feel this is one area we should add Board and Executive Director emphasis – retention of members. I would be happy to help with this in any way I can.

I am pleased to be serving CA4WDC, and wearing our colors at NAMRC. I feel honored that you have continued to support me over these many years and I look forward to many more. Again, thank you for the Project of the Year award. I display it proudly in my office.

Sincerely,

 Del Albright
del@delalbright.com
State Environmental Affairs Coordinator, CA4WDC

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