>Apr. 21, 2011
Senator George Edwards and Delegate Wendell Beitzel met Sunday with members of the Citizens Rights and Heritage Group (CRHG) and other interested parties, nearly all of whom oppose the plan by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to close off-road vehicle trails in Green Ridge and Savage River state forests this week. Both trails will be closed by April 24 to all four-wheeler, bike, and equestrian use. The closings reportedly come with little notification to the public.
Jeffery Conner, CRHG president, encouraged several actions in response to the closing of the Poplar Lick and Green Ridge state forests’ ORV trails.
Individuals are encouraged by Conner to send letters to Governor Martin O’Malley (State of Maryland Executive Department, State House, Annapolis, 21401) stressing the following points: 1) Investigate the ORV Impact Report and Sustainable Forest Initiative impacts to ORV trails and report the findings to Maryland residents; 2) Develop an ORV trail system for the state of Maryland; 3) Find and adopt responsible recreational use and environmental sustainability in our state forests; 4) Increase dialogue between interested parties and DNR prior to actions being taken on trails; and 5) Development of new ORV trails in western Maryland with active input from interested parties and user groups.
He also noted that DNR is still accepting input at its web site, www.dnr.mary-land.gov/forests/ovre-port.asp until April 30. Over 72 pages of comments about the ORV trail closings have been published so far.
Edwards also encourages persons to send letters to DNR Secretary John R. Griffin and provided the following address: DNR, Office of Secretary Executive Direction, Tawes State Office Building, C-4, Annapolis, 21401.
“We need your help,” Edwards said. He told the group to support his efforts in battling DNR’s and the legislature’s attempts to diminish use of state property in western Maryland. Edwards reminded those attending the meeting that he and Beitzel are just two of 188 votes. He noted that it’s unlikely that they can force change in favor of their district without vocal support from their constituency.
“We keep trying,” Edwards said. “We keep asking. We can’t twist their arms to get answers.”
Delegate Beitzel called the DNR’s actions part of “an assault on rural Maryland” and stated that delegates from Montgomery and Prince George’s counties and Baltimore City are “ganging up to take resources away from us.”
Senator Edwards said that he had met with Secretary Griffin and other DNR leaders recently, but that they weren’t told of DNR’s plans to close the trails. Edwards shared the various issues that he and Beitzel have been fighting for on behalf of western Maryland, including monitoring of stream pollution at state borders, increasing the amount of timber to be cut, and keeping state park revenues in the county, calling these issues his “battles with DNR.”
Conner said it’s likely that Poplar Lick Trail in Savage River State Forest won’t be reopened. He said advocates’ time would be better served in fighting for the ORV trail in Green Ridge State Forest.
In a meeting in Owings Mills late last month, the DNR presented a detailed argument on why Poplar Lick Trail should be closed. Its argument was based largely on environmental impact from ORVs and the impact on brook trout. Poplar Lick Trail crosses a waterway six times. When it came to the 16-mile loop at Green Ridge, the details were reportedly scarce.
Ken Kyler, a Middletown resident and a member of the Northern Virginia Trail Riders, attended both the Owings Mills meeting and Sunday’s meeting, and said that it seems DNR has already made up its collective mind. In DNR’s 90-page report, Kyler said there was little analysis done on the Green Ridge trail. There were also no alternate recommendations, he said, which are a typical part of the package when making such a presentation.
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