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arkansasohv.orgThe Arkansas Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Association (AOCA) represents off-highway vehicle (OHV) interests in Arkansas and works on recreation issues in cooperation with land managers, legislators and educators to conserve, expand, enhance and protect responsible OHV recreation opportunities.
Over the past few months a group of people all with common interest in the off-highway community met at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville and also at Arkansas Tech University in Ozark. We met with senior members of the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council and American Motorcyclist Association
Both meetings went extremely well and through the hard work of a awesome core group of people from all kinds of off-highway backgrounds including members of the Arkansas Trail Voyagers, Arkansas Dirt Riders, Rockcrawlers 4wd Club of NWA, Razorback Riders, and River Valley Dirt Riders we have officially conceived and Incorporation of the Arkansas OHV Conservation Association (AOCA)! We are all working together as a statewide to...
· Improve communication and cooperation within the OHV community;
· Establish professional working relationships with land managers;
· Build understanding of management issues;
· Learn how to improve and protect OHV recreation opportunities;
· Establish a statewide program to improve OHV recreation ethics; and
· Enable the OHV community to influence the political process.
Guys this organization is not just for recreational users. I'm sure some of you have heard about the Forestry Service implementing their new OHV use maps. These maps have killed lots of trail(whether it be FS. Road or trails) or if they are open they do not link up to anything else. One killer at magazine is the Buzzard Rock overlook is closed actually every overlook for the magazine area is closed except for the small one east of Sorghum Hollow Camp. So for lots of hunters instead of taking off from deer camp on your ATV you will have to trailer out to an approved road just to get to your spot. You may be thinking to yourself "Why should I care they will not say anything". I hope you are right but now they are ticketing people for being off of the approved trails in the St. Francis forest(known $500 fines for crossing creeks at non-designated areas) and we have been told this.
1st offense - fine
2nd offense - fine and the ability to take your atv away from you
and since its federal offense the nearest federal court to appeal is in Georgia.
So far a lot of progress has been made with the Ouachita FS. They really seem to be willing to work with us and in a few days we will see if they approved miles of trail for their forest. The main closing date with the Ouachitas will be Sept. 08. St. Francis FS has not been as easy. They have not used the proper methods and because of this they are/possibly facing a legal battle with the Blue Ribbon Coalition. Sorry for bothering you but we need to stand together or lose the forest.:frown: