Back Country Horsemen of America
Synopsis of 2002 National Board Meeting Minutes - Santa Fe NW
April 25-28, 2002
Chair Al Sammons called the meeting to order on April 25, 2002. A quorum was declared with all but one state represented.
The following actions taken by the National Board of Directors:
Applications for State/Affiliate Organizations approved from the Back Country Horsemen of Illinois with two chapters (state organization); the Back Country Horsemen of East Tennessee (affiliate); the Southern Blue Ridge Back Country Horsemen, South Carolina (affiliate).
Recreational Horse Trails on Wildlands Book Proposal - accepted Gene Wood's proposal. It would be partially funded by the Federal Highway Administration (Recreational Trails Program). Other funding would have to be secured. The proposal must be in Washington DC in August. Clemson University would take the contract; Gene Wood would be the editor; BCHA would be the manager and control the purse strings; Gene Wood would help with finding funding. No moneys would be expended until the funding is secured.
Accepted the Audit Committee's report (Merlyn Huso, Chair) of the 2001 financial records of BCHA.
Accepted the Education Committee's recommendations (Betty Applebaker, Chair):To pursue a position on the LNT corporate board; the Executive Committee will screen applications and submit one applicant as a board member to LNT. Bruce Kartchner (UT) will scan Education Binder for CD.
Accepted the Policies Committee' recommendations (Jan Swarm, Chair): to create a temporary committee on Policy and Procedures and make a recommendation at 2003 NBM; to adopt the Policy Committee's recommended job descriptions for Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Public Liaison for the ensuing years and submit to the Policy and Procedures Committee for its consideration.
Accepted the Contract Review Committee's recommendations (Steve Didier, Chair): to renew the Executive Secretary's contract for one year at the current rate; and to renew the Newsletter Editor's contract with an increase of $40 per issue for a year.
Accept the Vision Committee's report (Val Johnson, Chair): to re-affirm the April 2001 "Vision of the Future" with some revisions and add the following: "BCHA shall appoint a Policies & Procedures Review Committee; "BCHA needs to develop a pool of people capable of representing BCHA; "BCHA feels that we need to establish some type of volunteer award program.
Accept Ways & Means Committee's recommendations (Mike McGlenn, Chair): Challenge the National Board members to contribute.
Short Term - Quick Start Up Objectives
1. Cultivate past member lists
2. Set up a membership/donor database; track: dues, renews, special donor gifts
3. Purge the lists
4. BCHA Special Member Program
5. Copy of "Raise More Money" book $28/ea
Long Term Objectives
1. Special Membership/Donors - $100 - $250 - $500 ?
2. Specific Selected Grants
3. Resolve BCHA's Dependence on State Dues
4. Solicitation of memorials, gifts, bequests
5. Sponsorship
Accept the Wilderness Committee recommendations (Ann Lange, Chair): the policy on "Categorical Exclusions"
Add the following to US Forest Service Categorical Exclusions for routine trail management activities in wilderness by adding to paragraph 31.1b, subparagraph 4 the same type of examples for trail activities that are included for roads as follows: Categorical Exclusions can be used for …"cleaning culverts along trails and grooming the surface of the trails;" removing downed or overhanging trees and brushy debris; clearing of soil and rock slides; cleaning, repair, or replacement of drainage structures; and reconstruction or resurfacing trail tread to its original condition when these activities can be accomplished on the existing alignment and location.
Recommended language to be added to proposed wilderness legislation:
"Traditional recreational saddle and pack stock use is recognized as an appropriate and historic use of wilderness."
BCHA further recommends that the following statements be included into the legislative records supporting final legislative language:
1. There shall be no curtailment in the amount and distribution of recreational saddle and pack stock use, and grazing incidental to that use, in wilderness solely because an area has been designated as wilderness. Nor should social values, norms and preferences of other wilderness users be used as a reason by administrators to restrict, phase out, or eliminate recreational stock use, grazing by recreational stock, or trails and associated trailhead facilities of a sufficient standard to accommodate that use.
2. It is anticipated that the numbers of recreational stock use days in wilderness will not be reduced below approximate levels existing at the time an area is designated as wilderness. If total use is allowed to increase beyond that which existed at the time of classification, recreational stock use will be allowed to increase at a rate proportionate to that which existed at the time of classification. If, through monitoring for a period of not less than five years, administrators determine that the capacity of the wilderness to meet the purposes intended in the Act has been exceeded, differing classes of uses will be reduced proportionately to that which existed at the time of classification.
3. It is recognized that "there may be limited areas where the terrain is so fragile that recreational stock use may have to be restricted". These will be the exception and will be determined by site specific analysis based on biological and physical criteria rather than subjective social preferences of other wilderness users.
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