Arkansas OHV Conservation Association (AOCA)

[Sandspyder44]

This weekend a group of people all with common intrest in the off-road community met at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, AR. We met with senior members of the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC www.nohvcc.org) and American Motorcyclist Association (AMA www.ama-cycle.org)

We had a great meeting and through the hard work of a awesome core group of people from all kinds of off-road 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 working towards 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.


We will be having an incorporation meeting Dec.1st but I'll have to get back with more details as they become available as to when and where the meeting will take place. We are looking to have a meeting and then play day/mingle time afterwards. I stongly encourage everyone to spread the word to anyone intrested in any form of off-road activity and to make plans to attend the meeting on the weekend of Dec. 1st. More info to you as soon as I get it!

[Sandspyder44]

forgot this part temp website www.dakotasport.net

[Sandspyder44]

December 1, 2007
Incorporation Meeting & Exhibition
Union Building, AK Tech University at Ozark & Byrd’s Adventure Center

Russellville, AR: On August 11-12, 2007 forty-seven four-wheel drive (4WD), all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and off-highway motorcycle enthusiasts met to begin formal development of the new statewide Arkansas Off-Highway Vehicle Association (AOCA.)

Four committees were formed to move the AOCA forward to incorporation, improve communication efforts, initiate educational efforts and increase effective working relationships with local, state and federal land management agencies. Committee members include at least one representative from each of the Arkansas 4WD, ATV and OHM communities.

The proposed mission:

The Arkansas Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Association represents off-highway vehicle (OHV) interests in Arkansas and works to influence recreation issues in cooperation with land managers, legislators and educators to conserve, expand, enhance and protect responsible OHV recreation opportunities.

Gary and Kathy Barnes, Ed Fulton, Andy Guschke, and Scott and Rodara Fairclough generously donated funds to cover AOCA expenses through incorporation.

The AOCA incorporation meeting and vehicle exhibitions will be held on Saturday, December 1, 2007 at AR Tech University in Ozark from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The meeting will be followed by lunch and vehicle exhibitions, cookout and campfire at Byrd’s Adventure Center sponsored by the founding members of AOCA. The meeting agenda will include approval of the AOCA name, mission, by-laws, election of officers and recommendation on the association’s first year goals.

If you are interested in helping with the incorporation meeting and exhibition or would like to be placed on the distribution list contact Andy Guschke at (479) 846-4798 or by email at aguschke@juno.com If contacting Andy by email please indicate in the Subject box that the email is in regards to “AOCA Incorporation”.

[Sandspyder44]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 5, 2007

CONTACT: Andy Guschke
Phone: 479-846-4798
Email: aguschke@juno.com


Arkansas Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Association
Set to Go!
December 1, 2007

9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Incorporation Meeting, Union Building, AR Tech Univ., Ozark

1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. OHV Scavenger Hunt, Byrd's Adventure Center

5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Awards, raffle and potluck dinner, Byrd's Adventure Center

December 1, 2007 culminates six months of work by four-wheel drive, ATV and off-highway motorcyclist enthusiasts to develop the Arkansas Off-Highway Vehicle Association (AOCA.)

The proposed mission for the new statewide association is: The Arkansas Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Association represents off-highway vehicle (OHV) interests in Arkansas and works to influence recreation issues in cooperation with land managers, legislators and educators to conserve, expand, enhance and protect responsible OHV recreation opportunities.

The Arkansas OHV Conservation Association begins December 1 at 8:30 a.m. at the Union Building, AR Tech University, Ozark. Following coffee and donuts participants will approve the proposed association name, mission, objectives and by-laws, elect officers and discuss year-one goals. The officers will include President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, 4-Wheel Drive Member-At-Large, All-Terrain Vehicle Member-At-Large, and Off-Highway Motorcycle Member-At-Large.

At noon participants will travel to Byrd's Adventure Center to begin celebrating their new state association. Byrd's will have a special lunch available from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.. From 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. all are invited to join in a fun-packed scavenger hunt for prizes. The scavenger trail will be drivable by 4WD, ATV and off-highway motorcycle.

The celebration will end with a magnificent potluck dinner. For the potluck:

ATV riders bring: salads (pasta, lettuce, potato, etc.)
4WD drivers bring: desserts (lots of yummy desserts!)
OHM riders bring: chips, dips, pickles, cheese and condiments
AOCA will provide: hamburgers, hotdogs and buns

If you would like to help with the incorporation meeting or scavenger hunt, or would like to be placed on the distribution list contact Andy Guschke by phone or email. If contacting Andy by email please indicate in the Subject box that the email is in regards to "AOCA Incorporation".

There is no charge to participate in the incorporation meeting or celebration. Regular fees will apply at Byrd's Adventure Center of the Ozarks. Please see www.byrdsadventurecenter.com or call 479-667-4066 for lunch, directions, camping and fee information.

[BinderMike]

This is going to sound enormously stupid: Does anyone at the AOCA have the Forest Service's definition of OHV? There are some trails about 30mi from my house, but I get conflicting answers from them wether their OHV trails are ATV only (Mill Creek Trails near Combs, AR), and everyone I ask say that they have seen jeeps up there before, and the generally accepted definition of OHV includes 4x4s.

THanks,
mike in Fayetteville


ETA: Well, I did some research and found that 4x4s seem to certainly qualify for the definition.

"Off-highway vehicle. Any motor vehicle designed for or capable of cross-country travel on or immediately over land, water, sand, snow, ice, marsh, swampland, or other natural terrain."

Department of Agriculture Travel Restrictions Final Decision (look for definition of OHV on page 26) (http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/ohv/final.pdf)

[Sandspyder44]

This is going to sound enormously stupid: Does anyone at the AOCA have the Forest Service's definition of OHV? There are some trails about 30mi from my house, but I get conflicting answers from them wether their OHV trails are ATV only (Mill Creek Trails near Combs, AR), and everyone I ask say that they have seen jeeps up there before, and the generally accepted definition of OHV includes 4x4s.

THanks,
mike in Fayetteville


ETA: Well, I did some research and found that 4x4s seem to certainly qualify for the definition.

"Off-highway vehicle. Any motor vehicle designed for or capable of cross-country travel on or immediately over land, water, sand, snow, ice, marsh, swampland, or other natural terrain."

Department of Agriculture Travel Restrictions Final Decision (look for definition of OHV on page 26) (http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/ohv/final.pdf)

Things like this is excatly why we are needing something like the AOCA. To pin down the USFS, work with them and in the long run have a good working relationship with them. Right now it's far from that and I could prob get 15 different answers on a question like yours if I went to different USFS people. I hope you can make it for the meeting.

[Sandspyder44]

Inc. meeting this coming Saturday, Dec. 1st. Are you ready?

[Sandspyder44]

Meeting is tomorrow! See you there !

[Killerpee]

Bump for this thread! How did the meeting go?? There are lots of great trails in the area that need to be saved.

[Sandspyder44]

Went good! We are offical now! Check back here for updates and also check

www.dakotasport.net

that's our temp website. Working on getting our own set up now.

[Killerpee]

BTT. Any more info???

[Sandspyder44]

Yes...here's the new website.

Please join up. Only $10 and our strength will be in #'s

http://www.arkansasohv.org/