Who Are We?

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

So how do I join? Download the AOCA Membership Form and mail it in today and together we can save OHV recreational access. Interested in finding out more? Visit our information page and contact one of the AOCA officers.

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Arkansas RTP Funding, Come and Get It

By Andy Guschke, AOCA 4WD Member at Large

By now, most of you have heard of the Recreational Trails Program or RTP, financed with a portion of our fuel taxes. This program is the only opportunity any of us will have to recover a portion of our fuel taxes. Unfortunately, here in Arkansas the OHV community has for years let this resource got to waste. This federal program is currently funded though 2009 with no guarantee of renewal. We must make use of this program now.

As a member of the Arkansas RTP Committee, I have seen the fierce competition between large cities, small towns and numerous organizations for the portions of RTP funding available to them yet, the 30% designated solely for motorized use goes virtually unused. The funds available for motorized grants in the state of Arkansas averages about $250,000 per year and any unused amount rolls to the next year and will remain on the table for three years before being returned. Needless to say, there will be the better part of three years funds available in 2009, which the non-motorized groups would gladly fight over. We, the OHV community must come up with a way to use these funds, if for no other reason than our lack of interest is justification to end this program.

Start with the research. For articles such as “Building an OHV park with RTP funding” go to www.sharetrails.org and for numerous articles on grant ideas and application writing go to www.nohvcclibrary.forest.uga.edu/index.html . A search for RTP or Recreational Trails Program at either of these sites should answer all your questions. The official site for the Recreational Trails Program is www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails/ and if you are ready for an Arkansas State application they can be found at www.arkansashighways.com . Once at this site, click on programs and click on Arkansas Recreational Trails Program for the application and detailed instructions on how to complete it. (note: As of this writing the application available is for 2008 but keep checking back for the 2009 application.)

Now that you have some ideas, talk to your fellow club members, talk to the land managers were you recreate. Building a new trail will require environmental and other studies and most likely will be out of reach time wise but, putting a bridge on an existing trail or doing some other form of trail repair to keep it from being close might be doable. Building a new trailhead or providing signing for our existing trail systems could benefit all of us and help make friends with local land managers. Any project that meets the minimum requirements will be considered and unless the total request for funds exceeds the funds available, will likely be granted.

Take action, do some research at the sites above, brainstorm with fellow OHV riders and/or your local land managers to come up with a project, then complete and submit a grant application. What do you have to lose? You and the OHV community have everything to gain. If we waste 2009’s assets, and in doing so lose the Recreational Trails Program, we will have no one but ourselves to blame.