Author: admin

We had a phenomenal first year, thanks to your help and a strong Board of Directors.  We achieved what many long-time Maryland riders said was impossible; DNR is opening an OHV trail in Savage River State Forest, the Maryland Legislature unanimously passed legislation modifying Maryland’s Recreational Land Use statute to apply to the entire State and to cover OHVs, for the first time ever OHVs are included in the State’s 5-year Land Preservation & Recreation Plan; and Senator Edwards had a meeting with us and three western counties including State Legislators, county commissioners and county planners to discuss the economic benefits of OHVs to the counties.  It was quite a year and you made it happen with your generous support!  As Paul Harvey would have said, now for the rest of the story!

Savage River State Forest OHV Trail & new areas

It has been many years in the making and members of your Alliance Board have been working on this long before the Alliance was formed.  The State has officially started the process to create an OHV trail system within Savage River State Forest.  The initial engineering assessment should be done this spring and the Alliance has been invited to participate with the engineering firm on trail layout and user expectations.  This is a slow process and we continue to push DNR on our issues; this needs to be done right the first time.  This will be a model for future OHV areas on public land.

Speaking of public land, we also are pushing DNR to acquire more land either through outright purchase or via a public/private partnership to create new OHV areas.  This is gaining momentum and DNR is actively looking at one parcel in western Maryland of nearly 3,000 acres.

Recreational Use Landowner Liability legislation

This legislation was introduced by the Maryland Motorcycle Dealer’s Association with support and assistance by the Alliance.  It extends the same liability relief to landowners throughout the State that previously were only granted to landowners in Garrett County.  It also extends the relief previously restricted to cross-country skiing and snowmobiling to include OHV recreation.  Veterans of Maryland legislation initiatives will tell you it is rare to get a statute change on the first effort.  This took a lot of action by you calling your representatives and sending emails.  This is truly a huge win for us.

5-year Land Preservation & Recreation Plan

For the first time in Maryland’s history, OHVs are in the Land Preservation and Recreation Plan (LPRP)!  Every 5-years the State must update the LPRP to identify essential and contemporary issues impacting outdoor recreation and natural resource protection in Maryland.  “The Land Preservation and Recreation Plan will help guide land conservation and development of outdoor recreation opportunities over the next five years and builds upon the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative to include proactive approaches to address critical issues identified in the planning process. The Plan aims to: provide Maryland’s citizens and visitors with safe and easily accessible amenities; encourage the enjoyment and stewardship of Maryland’s natural world; and balance outdoor recreation land use with natural and cultural resource protection. It also serves as Maryland’s Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan and qualifies the state to receive funding through the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.”

In a nutshell, the State has said it will include the need for OHV trails in their planning!  This is huge for our cause.  Monitoring how well the State delivers is one of the Alliance’s primary functions.

Economic benefit Meeting with Western Counties

Members of the board met with Senator Edwards, and representatives of the three western counties including State Legislators, county commissioners and county planners, to discuss the economic benefits of OHVs to the counties.  We discussed the DNR’s efforts to open new OHV trails, the concept of Public/Private Partnerships for recreational use of land (similar to the Hatfield/McCoy model), the potential for trails in Washington County specifically near the old Ft Ritchie site, and other challenges and opportunities for OHV recreational tourism.  There was a lot of interest and support from those in attendance and that support was evident in getting the landowner liability statue amended as stated above.

Future Initiatives

Your Alliance will continue to push forward on the issues above.  To date, we have been creating the foundation necessary to facilitate OHV riding and driving areas on both public and private property.  In that regard we are supporting a landowner in Garrett County who is trying to open a small ATV park.  We will continue our education mission by facilitating a 2-day workshop between the DNR and the National Off-Highway vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) on trail design, maintenance and enforcement.  We will also be focusing on building support in the counties for economic development through OHV recreation as well as opening new OHV areas across the State.

I apologize for the late post on this important issue.  Both the House and the Senate unanimously approved passage of the liability legislation.  We are waiting for the Governor to sign the bill.  Thanks for all your support! We’ll post more information here soon.

The Maryland Motorcycle Dealers Association (MMDA), with the support of the MD OHV Alliance, submitted a technical amendment to Maryland’s Recreational Use Statute that extends landowner liability to cover OHV use.

Why is this good for OHVs?  The first obstacle to private landowners opening their property for OHV use is liability.

Maryland’s OHV Trails May Be Gone…But Not For Long Thanks To New OHV Alliance
by Dave Halsey, NOHVCC Contributing Writer

Across the country, many OHV success stories can be traced back to the actions of a very few people. In Maryland, Ken Kyler stepped up to the plate along with some additional riders. And while his success cannot yet be measured in trail miles, it can be measured in building a coalition of riders working to create a positive future for OHV recreation.

“Two years ago, the state essentially closed all the OHV trails,” said Kyler. “We were down to a nice trail of 18 miles. After the DNR closed that, we banded together. But instead of forming a specific club, because there are many motorcycle, ATV and truck clubs around, we formed an alliance of all the clubs. The Maryland OHV Alliance (MDOHVA) is truly a single voice for all the clubs in the state of Maryland.”

MDOHVA was organized in March of 2013 by Kyler, secretary/treasurer, and Mike Twigg, owner of Twigg Cycles in Hagerstown, MD and president of the Alliance. It is a 501(c)(3); has a board of directors representing many OHV user groups; and voting members from 18 OHV clubs, associations, and local businesses. “Even though Mike is a dealer and I’m a motorcycle rider, we think about all the user groups in everything we do. We are the grease to make things happen. We facilitate success, providing solutions and activities that make things happen for the clubs,” said Kyler.

Even before the OHV trails closed, Kyler was using his skills and experience as a dirt bike rider, retired military officer, and chess player; working quietly and effectively to create partnerships between riders and agencies. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) asked him to be part of the state’s first OHV Stakeholders Working Group. He is also a member of the MD DNR Land Preservation and Recreation Plan review committee, working with the state to open new areas to OHV recreation. And he is working with Allegany County to develop reclaimed coal mines for OHV recreation.

“We have two OHV initiatives,” explains Kyler. “OneDual -Sport Adventurers of Maryland and Nearby banner is a private land initiative, because in western Maryland there are many reclaimed coal mines. It’s in a great area to ride, and truly emulates what’s in the Hatfield-McCoy Trails (in West Virginia). The second initiative is to educate the state to create a state-owned OHV park. There are many sand and gravel pits in eastern and southern Maryland. We can’t work like West Virginia, because we don’t have a central organization. Our goal is to get it started, then get the counties to come together and lease all the land and run it the same way.”

Thanks to the efforts of MDOHVA and its broad-based executive team, the state has a short trail system on the drawing board, reports Kyler. It includes single track and two-track trails, with the potential for 40 trail miles in the future. The Alliance is working with the state legislature on liability issues, but is unsure if they will succeed on their first attempt, given the political climate in Maryland. However, Kyler is optimistic that success is coming. “We formed just last March, and we’re pretty happy with what we have been able to accomplish. The word is getting out, people are seeing our success, and are encouraged.”

To see the complete list of MDOHVA member clubs and associations, and follow their progress to rebuild an OHV trail system in Maryland, visit their web site at: https://mdohvalliance.org/.

Ken Kyler is a new Associate State Partner with NOHVCC, and is putting NOHVCC resources to work through the efforts of MDOHVA. To see a list of who is a NOHVCC Partner in your State, go to our State Contacts page. Each State can have one Partners and several Associate State Partners. Contact us at trailhead@nohvcc.org for more information or to become a NOHVCC partner.

There will be a second meeting in regards to the potential trails at St John’s Rock (Savage River) and Sideling Hill WMA. The meeting will be Wednesday September 25th 2013 at 7 PM in the Hancock Town Hall 126 W. High St, Hancock, MD.

Spread the work and show up if you can!