Leaders from national OHV organizations met in Indianapolis on February 15 to discuss a variety of land use issues affecting OHV recreation. The meeting was held in conjunction with the 2009 Dealer Expo.
This Forum was the fourth in a series of face-to-face meetings that began in January of 2008 to coordinate efforts and share strategies to address the myriad access-related issues facing the OHV community. This meeting focused on legislative advocacy priorities for the new 111th Congress, including support for Recreational Trails Program funding. Other topics included the on-going implementation of the U.S. Forest Service Travel Management Rule and how we can continue to positively influence the outcome as well maximize the benefits of funding received by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management in the Economic Stimulus package. The organizations represented find it productive to periodically discuss and explore areas where they share a common interest. Recognizing that each organization has a separate mission in representing its distinct membership, communicating with each other serves to strengthen advocacy efforts on behalf of all types of OHV recreation.
Stakeholder organizations participating in this on-going coordination to promote access for off-highway vehicle recreation across the U.S. include the American Council of Snowmobile Associations, the American Motorcyclist Association, Americans for Responsible Recreational Access, the BlueRibbon Coalition, the Motorcycle Industry Council, the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council, the Off-Road Business Association, the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association, the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, Tread Lightly! and United Four Wheel Drive Associations.