Aetna is the next Tellico

[McCracken]

Originally Posted by MsMarbury

Wasn't there going to be a new group that was getting started a year ago that was going to a better job than sfwda is doing? I think Rockrawl and McCracken had talked about it. Are they in a position to do something or have they dropped the ball like sfwda?

msMarbury

LOL!!! nice. don't answer the question so just divert the attention elsewhere

here's the real explanation of what that was about and it needs to be aired. Gary and I put it together. I built the website and had it ready to launch. Hell for that matter you could launch it today. We got shut down by camo when it all came about. Until we could provide the proper non-profit documentation we were not supposed to talk about it anymore or promote it. I couldn't put up $600 dollars and I didn't feel comfortable putting that burden solely on Gary. I had my kid in September and didn't feel like I could put the time in that it deserved and that's where it's at.

I'm currently working with a local club doing what the purpose of the whole group was about. Starting small and working with areas that need help that Southern wouldn't provide.

That's all the explanation you're going to get because there is no more. Gary and I both are working with our own clubs doing what we feel is needed. Gary can tell you about what's happening at Windrock. There's some good stuff happening with Southern's help.

Now back to the real topic. We need more help to save another threatened piece of wheeling ground.

ps - how'd that new Southern newsletter guy work out? LOL!!

[MsMarbury]

Originally Posted by McCracken

I had my kid in September and didn't feel like I could put the time in that it deserved...

Congratulations! Is that your first?

Look you're telling the same story most people tell when they are asked to volunteer for a cause. They got their own lives, families and jobs to deal with and someone is asking them to commit what little spare time to go off as a volunteer. I'm not faulting you.

For the record, I don't belong to SFWDA and I ain't pimping for them either. I brought it up because I thought it might be an opportunity that you and Gary could use to build your group. That's all.

msMarbury

[florida4x4]

Signed... does anyone give two shits about the east coast? BRC?

[crewchief]

signed! good luck with battle!

[tndonor]

signed

[HANO]

Done.

[Wildjon300ci]

Any updates? The first link gives me a 404 error.

Google says this, Say it isn't so!!!
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2...ll-benefiting/

[Rockhales]

Originally Posted by Wildjon300ci

Any updates? The first link gives me a 404 error.

Google says this, Say it isn't so!!!
Aetna Mountain developers still benefiting from taxpayer role in 'deal of a lifetime' | timesfreepress.com

Here's a fucking update


The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), after several months of soliciting public input and meeting with state and federal agencies, has reached a decision regarding future management plans for the Cummings Cove Wildlife Management Area. TWRA officials said off-road vehicles will no longer be allowed on its property on Aetna Mountain.

Four-wheelers long have gone up the old Aetna Mountain Road and utilized countless trails on state and private land on the undeveloped mountaintop. There has long been a battle between the four-wheelers and owners of the Cummings Cove development at the foot of the mountain in Lookout Valley.


The developers are planning a "small town" on the mountain and recently obtained approval for TIF financing to construct a new road and sewer up the mountain.

The 1,200-acre Cummings Cove WMA is on Aetna Mountain in Hamilton and Marion counties and was acquired by the state of Tennessee through federal funding from the Forest Legacy program administered by the U.S. Forest Service. Forest Legacy guidelines funding is made available to preserve specific tracts of environmentally sensitive forest land which are considered significant for forest and management purposes.

Land acquired under the Forest Legacy program must adhere to management guidelines and uses, compatible with national conservation standards.

“While several public comments supporting recreational use of off-road vehicles (ORVs), on Cummings Cove WMA, that activity is not allowed under Forest Legacy guidelines,” John Mayer, TWRA Region III manager said. “It is also not allowable under rules for state wildlife management areas unless designated trails have been established.”

Aetna Mountain has been heavily utilized by ORVs. Some of this use has been very destructive to the environment, particularly in locations utilized by the larger ORVs (4WD trucks, jeeps, and “rock-crawlers”).

This environmental issue came to a head in 2010 after a severe mudslide occurred from Aetna Mountain, across U.S. Highway 41, and eventually into the Tennessee River. Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) personnel were able to trace the origin of the mudslide directly to a location heavily utilized by ORVs on Aetna Mountain.

“That landslide was one of those eye-opening events that highlighted just how severe the erosion problems were on Aetna Mountain,” Kirk Miles, TWRA Region III Wildlife Program manager said. “It quickly became obvious that the use of the WMA by ORVs was a core cause of the problem.”

During the last year, TWRA participated in a public meeting to answer the public’s questions on why Cummings Cove WMA has regulations that prohibit ORV use. TWRA also solicited public comments over a 76-day period, from March 1, 2012 to May 15, 2012, in an effort to determine what the public expected in the way of recreational opportunities on the WMA. In addition, TWRA conducted several site visits to Cummings Cove WMA with various state and federal agencies including TDEC and USDA Forest Legacy.

According to Mr. Mayer, a critical part of the final decision came from a determination by the USDA Forest Service that a trail system for ORV use on Forest Legacy lands is incompatible with the mission of the Forest Legacy Program.

“Because we received this land through the Forest Legacy Program, TWRA, as the managing state Agency, is accountable to manage Cummings Cove WMA in line with Forest Legacy policies,” said Mr. Mayer. “Further, as owner and manager of this property, the TWRA faces a legal mandate from other state and federal environmental agencies to curtail the erosion problem. That mandate coupled with the Forest Legacy management guidelines, ultimately led to the decision that the TWRA must increase law enforcement efforts to address the environmental damage caused by ORV use on Cummings Cove WMA.”

Mr. Mayer stated TWRA’s management goals for Cummings Cove WMA are simple. “Our first responsibility on Cummings Cove WMA, as it is on all our WMAs, is to conserve and protect the wildlife and land resources. Secondly, we have a goal of making Cummings Cove WMA more accessible for a wide range of user groups. That is our next challenge.”

Cummings Cove WMA is one of 125 TWRA managed WMAs. TWRA Region III consists of 25 counties located from the Cumberland Plateau southward to the borders of Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina.

[Ho Shorts]

Sadly, I saw this coming

Originally Posted by florida4x4

Signed... does anyone give two shits about the east coast? BRC?

If this were on the west coast there would be 100 times more support but out here it seems we are all alone. SFWDA will be lining thier pockets over the next few years though with promises and false hope. Come on boys, open your wallets!

Derek

[krackem]

Sadly the TN taxpayers have to pay back the money for the road for no more than 20 years and the TIF he got is susposed to be used for public recreational improvement not a private community that he is building that no one can enter unless u live there, I guess if we could stick 1000s or dollars in senators pockets we could get what we wanted to, cus it was made obviously clear our opinion didn't matter at the hearings or with the petitions it all about the rich getting richer, and in return we lost a damn fine place to wheel

[TBItoy]

Yeah... There is no "saving" motorized recreational riding on state land. As soon as a user group with more $ comes in, riding stops. Doesnt' matter what you do. Best thing would be to get a bunch of big money corporate business types, developers, politicians, lawyers, etc into the hobby of offroading.

It's happened plenty just in TN...

Horse riders in Natchez Trace, Big South Fork, and many other smaller state parks.
Trout fishers (on the TN side) in Tellico
Sub division developers in Aetna (which actually only closed one access point and a portion of "Aetna")