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Volunteer off-road program needs fuel
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| Volunteers exame a restoration site in Holcomb Valley. The Off-Highway Volunteers program includes restoring national forest land used by off-roaders. (Photo courtesy of SBNFA) |
By KATHY PORTIE
Budget cuts and other monetary woes affect everyone from major companies to the average Joe. Now those same worries are hitting close to home at the San Bernardino National Forest Association, a nonprofit organization that assists the United States Forest Service in maintaining and patrolling the San Bernardino National Forest.
Funding cuts have put the association’s Off-Highway Vehicle Volunteer Patrol program in jeopardy. Without a booster shot of $50,000, the nationally-recognized program may fold.
More than 300 volunteers donate their time to the program, which began in 1992. Volunteers are skilled off-road vehicle users who are dedicated to protecting the sport they love—off-road riding. Since its inception, volunteers have worked more than 25,000 hours patrolling more than 92,450 miles of trails and picked up more than 6,000 pounds of trash. Looking for illegal campfires, cleaning drainage structures, removing hazardous rocks and downed trees, maintaining OHV roads and trails and promoting responsible OHV use are just a few of the tasks these volunteers perform to assist the Forest Service.
Without the assistance of the OHV patrol, the San Bernardino National Forest may have to close some off-road trails, according to Benjamin vonDielingen, senior OHV program coordinator. “We are the extra eyes and ears of the Forest Service,” vonDielingen said. The San Bernardino National Forest is the most heavily used forest for recreation in the lower 48 states, he said. “We help supplement the Forest Service by doing patrols. We are a non-confrontational presence.”
Gina Thompson, mountaintop district recreation officer, said the program is vital to assist San Bernardino National Forest field officers. “A lot of people who come into the forest don’t know where the roads are or where to go,” Thompson said. “These folks with the OHV program can do outreach.” Volunteers are especially helpful on busy weekends, Thompson said.
“They also help us with trail maintenance,” Thompson said about the OHV volunteer program. “There are miles of trails out there.”
To keep the program going, $50,000 needs to be raised by April 15. Those interested in helping the San Bernardino National Forest Association can call 909-382-2872 for more information. Donations are accepted through the mail at P.O. Box 350, Skyforest, CA 92385, Attn: OH-V. Make checks payable to San Bernardino National Forest Association. The SBNFA accepts MasterCard, Discover, American Express and Visa.
Funding cuts have put the association’s Off-Highway Vehicle Volunteer Patrol program in jeopardy. Without a booster shot of $50,000, the nationally-recognized program may fold.
More than 300 volunteers donate their time to the program, which began in 1992. Volunteers are skilled off-road vehicle users who are dedicated to protecting the sport they love—off-road riding. Since its inception, volunteers have worked more than 25,000 hours patrolling more than 92,450 miles of trails and picked up more than 6,000 pounds of trash. Looking for illegal campfires, cleaning drainage structures, removing hazardous rocks and downed trees, maintaining OHV roads and trails and promoting responsible OHV use are just a few of the tasks these volunteers perform to assist the Forest Service.
Without the assistance of the OHV patrol, the San Bernardino National Forest may have to close some off-road trails, according to Benjamin vonDielingen, senior OHV program coordinator. “We are the extra eyes and ears of the Forest Service,” vonDielingen said. The San Bernardino National Forest is the most heavily used forest for recreation in the lower 48 states, he said. “We help supplement the Forest Service by doing patrols. We are a non-confrontational presence.”
Gina Thompson, mountaintop district recreation officer, said the program is vital to assist San Bernardino National Forest field officers. “A lot of people who come into the forest don’t know where the roads are or where to go,” Thompson said. “These folks with the OHV program can do outreach.” Volunteers are especially helpful on busy weekends, Thompson said.
“They also help us with trail maintenance,” Thompson said about the OHV volunteer program. “There are miles of trails out there.”
To keep the program going, $50,000 needs to be raised by April 15. Those interested in helping the San Bernardino National Forest Association can call 909-382-2872 for more information. Donations are accepted through the mail at P.O. Box 350, Skyforest, CA 92385, Attn: OH-V. Make checks payable to San Bernardino National Forest Association. The SBNFA accepts MasterCard, Discover, American Express and Visa.
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