The IL govenor is closing so many trails.  http://daily-journal.com/archives/dj/display.php?id=426480

Jubilee is close to my home, you can ride forever on those trails.  The campground is always packed.  What can I do?  I guess I just have to leave Illinois to a state that doesn't steal away people's recreational getaways.  Moraine View in Leroy is a lovely park.  All the slots in the horse camp have electricity and are level, have picket line posts...it costs $20/night to stay there.  Clearly the money doesn't go back to the park.   Anyone fought to save parks?  What can the average joe do?  Is it pointless to try?  From another article, it sounds like they're still going to pay ONE poor individual to guard the each of the parks that have been closed.  So basically there will be a troll at the gate to make you leave.  What a shame.  What a waste.  I'm practically in tears. There is NOWHERE left to ride that's within an hour of my house.  I guess I'll ride with the semis and cars down the road.  Perhaps I can ride my horse to the dairy queen.  Heaven knows they don't want me on the trails.  I'll have my horse go take a dump on the govenor's porch.  I hope he steps in it.

Amanda

Sorry to hear that.Unfortunatly it's not unique to your state.

http://www.americantrails.org/2008/index.html

See the thread in Camp/Trail about Trail Legislation in Arkansas.The active voices have made a difference.

He in Utah, I support Back Country Horseman.  And while I'm not a fan of attending their monthly meetings, I do pay the annual dues and when I do ANY trail maintenance work, I submit my hours to them so they can include them in the hours they present to state or federal land holders to justify horses on the trails.

Advice to you is to make some noise. Just don't roll over and go away. The squeeky wheel gets the attention. The enviromentalist and others who don't want horses on the trails have become very proficient at making sure their point of view is heard.

Were headed to Jubilee tomorrow, guess it will be one of our last campouts there?? 

I can't believe they are closing entire parks?? 

I would think we need to form a group (very large) to work against the closure, but it's tough to fight the Government. 

Keep us posted.

It didn't sound like it in my message, but count me in, I'd help in anyway possible.  We live about 1 hour from Brimfield (Andover IL). 

get a hold of a local newspaper reporter and tell the story to them.  Contact you local television station as well.  Politicians HATE negative press, and bringing this issue out into the public forum will go a long way.  It is not impossible to fight city hall!  Just make enough noise and keep making noise until you get the results you want.

Marla

I read this over again, and if you notice it says "shuttered' sites Oct. 1. (that's where Jubilee is listed), does that mean the entire park then?  If you'll look, the first group is like historic sites, and the second one (closing Nov 1) is State Parks.  It's still terrible, but I wonder if our beloved riding land is safe for now??? 

Someone with a better understanding, please enlighten me!

Amanda:  Thanks for calling!!  I feel like you do, relieved for now, but what about those people losing their jobs.  I work for the State too, the cuts are killing us too.  My friend works for Public Health, I haven't heard if she's losing her job or not. 

I realize that they make cuts to save $$, but just speaking about the parks, I'd surely be willing to pay more to use what I love.  I wish they'd have given us that chance first. 

Again, thanks and I feel for those people now becoming un-employed. 

We are going in the morning, I will enjoy every minute of my weekend!! 

You headed that way??  We'll probably be at the 100 mile meadow, since the regular park fills up!  (hey govenor, we use our park!!!)

Edited to add:  Check this link out, maybe something we need closer to here?

http://www.backcountryhorse.com/

We had some of those issues come up here. One voice can make a difference. Find out who the head person is and how to contact that person...email a well written letter to as many horse clubs and people that you can detailing the issues at hand. Tell them who to contact.....When enough voices get heard, they tend to change a few things. Getting your local club(s) together to do volunteer work would also help your cause. These times stink and we can't afford to lose the places that we have.

The Back Country Horseman helped my husband and me work to get trails opened on water management land that they had already pushed us out of. The newspaper was also a great tool. If you can locate one of these nice folks, they will be happy to help you with your campaign.

Good Luck!!!

Oh, if you ONLY knew... several groups in Michigan - one of the Michigan Trail Riders Association (MTRA) are fighting, fighting, fighting, to preserve areas for recreational riding and camping. 

mtra.org go to the forums - you'll have to dig through about 2 months of posts to get back to where the groups were chatting.

Write to every rep; get riding groups involved. EVERYTIME you pay for a campsite, pay with a check and write in the memo area, in BIG letters - HORSE CAMPING - or something similar so that they know where the money is coming from.

I can't say enough good about the work the groups have done. I write as many political people and groups as I can. I tell them about how family outings are so beneficial to land use. I tell them that for many people, riding a horse is the only way they can get into the woods and fields due to physical limitations. Horses do NOT scare away natural wildlife and there are multiple studies that show VERY little weed contamination by horse manure.

Here is a link for anyone in Illinois wanting to write something to the Governor.  Never hurts to try!!

Diane

http://www.illinois.gov:80/gov/contactthegovernor.cfm

Our local park was threatened because one "Ranger" thought the horses were "doing too much damage".  We (The Missouri Back Country Horsemen) were politically active, participated in any and all meetings, adopted the park, volunteered EVERY time we were there to wear vests and report problems on the trails...especially in-duh-viduals who were purposefully going "off trail" and tearing up pristine vegatation.

The Ranger had taken to stringing up high-tensile wire across these "off trail" paths...very dangerous to a horse and rider that might be balking, runaway, or spooking...and we were able to get all that foolishness brought down.

Best method...fight hard for what you rightfully deserve.  The horsemen use the park 20 times more than the hikers and regular campers.  We do cleanup on the trails and around the Equestrian area, make recommendations for improvements, and when there is a lost horse or rider, we mobilize our 70+ members and get the job done.  We've had one horse/rider rescue in the last 2 weeks where our team found them and got them back safely...all the Ranger had to do was babysit his radio in his Air Conditioned SUV.

Talk to any and all local saddle clubs.

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-blagojevich-closing-our-st...

We had people a long time ago thinking of kicking horses off the DuPage County trails because they did so much more damage then anyone else. Yup, took pictures of all the bike ruts in a section I rode through. Couldn't see any horses hoof prints, but man the damage them bikes did wanting to go mudding. Those pictures helped some really good horse people keep the horses where they belong. On the horse trails that have been there for over a century.edited to make easier reading.

Edited by Yvette 2008-09-12 8:48 AM

I've heard only good things about the MO Backcountry Horsemen,they are really a dedicated group that works together.That's why Missouri has some of the best horseback riding around.It is good for us here in my section of Arkansas because it is so much closer than NW AR trails and to the Buffalo to run up for a day ride.

I knew Mr.Bob Burns,and his wife Nancy,met them at Big Creek where they helped me with a saddle fit problem on my mare,else,I would not have been able to ride that trip.ALso referred me to a saddlemaker and I was able to get a saddle for her (like riding a big oil drum.) They were terrific people.

You guys know how to work to get things done,and are a good example of what can be accomplished.Yeah, I heard about "Mr.Ranger" there.Geeze.I guess he thought it would be OK if a rider got their neck broken from his little "fix" on the trails.He should have lost his job over that stunt.