MD DNR ORV impact meeting

[Grady]

Just got back from the meeting....Lots of info to process. Basically the GR issue boils down to a few facts.
This is just a basic rundown of the GR ORV issue.
1) The MD Governor is mandating that all State Forests be certified Sustainable by two third party groups. (This certification is related to the logging industry)
2) To be certified there can be nothing that has an impact on sensitive areas within the forest
3) Parts of the GR ORV trail goes through areas labeled as sensitive.
3) The GR ORV is currently closed until further notice.

There was lots of talk of trying to find areas to reroute the trail or open new trail, but we'll have to see what happens.
Stay positive my friends No matter how gloomy things look

There is undoubted strength in numbers, however creating new trail to please all users will be difficult. Although opening a existing hiking or biking trail (that doesn't go through sensitive areas) to 2 wheeled motorized use would be simple and at least show they're making an effort.

Way too much to process, and way too many ideas running through my head.

[Laoch]

Greenridge is closed. DAMN.

[Rut Row]

don't give up - we may have a chance yet. It all depends on whether or not we got lip service last night or if they truly wanted a partnership.

I'll try to get my notes together tonight and post them. Didn't get into be last night till near midnight.

[frogman1981]

don't give up - we may have a chance yet. It all depends on whether or not we got lip service last night or if they truly wanted a partnership.

I'll try to get my notes together tonight and post them. Didn't get into be last night till near midnight.

It was very clear to me, the decisions have already been made.
They just didn't have the balls to say it's closed.
Greenridge will not reopen. We should find a new place for the reunion.

[RadioRyder]

Green Ridge Forest is not closed, just the ORV loop. Sounds like the increased revenue from logging a "certified" forest trumps taxpayer recreation. I did not get a warm and fuzzy regarding them re-opening the loop, but we'll see. One gentlemen said if we wanted to camp on the trail we could, but we'd have to hike in with our camping gear from the parking lot.

I hope we can work with them to re-route the trail system and make it better than the current "jeep trail" and include some technical single track. We should not give up on GR as it has all the "stuff" we like to ride on.

The situation, however, is not good at present time. We'll have to keep in touch with DNR and see what happens.

[ReardenSteel]

DAMN.

So very disappointing.

I thought this was supposed to be the beginning of the public comment period for considering what the disposition of the ORV trails were to be... I had no idea that they would close it during the comment period.

Being a natural cynic, I feel certain that decisions have already been made behind closed doors and you're simply seeing bureaucrats going through the motions of fulfilling the public comment period.

Thanks to you DAMN guys who went to speak up for all of us.

[zamobro9]

sensitive parts of the forest. is that where the pixie nests are that hatch liberal democrats?

[Laoch]

My experience has been once an area is closed it almost never reopens.

I dealt with a lot of this in the military. Closing training areas because of woopeckers or gopher tortoises, etc.

Mountain Ridge is open Well, early May I think.

[mdubya]

I thought the ORV was also a public road. Would tagged vehicles still be able to drive on the public road?

[Rut Row]

I thought the ORV was also a public road. Would tagged vehicles still be able to drive on the public road?

I got the impression that not all of it was a public road.