Project: Centennial OHV Trail Post and Sticker Installation
Location: Florida
Description: This project was funded by Can-Am Off-Road. Can-Am has committed to funding trail stewardship projects in partnership with Tread Lightly! to help maintain and improve access to public lands and off-road trails.
On Feb 24, 16 people took to the Centennial OHV Trail in the Ocala National Forest for a multi-purpose workday supported by Can-Am Off-Road.
The workday included installation of Carsonite trail posts and stickers to help mark the trail with the Centennial Trail badge, directional arrows at intersections, and trail-approved vehicle icons. Several posts and stickers were installed informing riders of decommissioned Forest Roads as well.
In addition, the crew collected 75 pounds of trash, and trimmed back brush and trees that have overgrown the trail and covering important safety signs. The work crew also rescued a minivan stuck in the deep Ocala National Forest sand and would have been stranded for a lengthy period had the work crew not come to their rescue!
The group of ten volunteers, six USFS staff and Tread Lightly! was able to rectify about 50% of the total trail. Another workday will be scheduled to complete the rest of the work.
Thank you to the partners who made this possible:
“It was another great day in Ocala National Forest as OHV volunteers, USFS staff, and Tread Lightly! joined forces to install informational and safety trail posts and stickers on the popular Centennial Trail. New volunteers joined the ranks of seasoned veterans who have supported previous Ocala projects making for a wonderful team of people passionate about helping us Protect the Fun on this OHV trail system. It was great to see this trail relatively void of trash, with only about 75 lbs of trash collected. Thanks to those who Do Their Part and take their trash with them while riding the trails! Rescuing a stranded minivan that wasn’t capable of traveling safely on the deep sands of Ocala was a wonderful bonus! Thank you to Can-Am, the wonderful volunteers , and the Ocala Ranger District team that helped us do some much-needed work on the Centennial OHV Trail!”-Lowell Eckart, Tread Lightly! Southeast Program Manager
“Many volunteers and staff from the US Forest Service, Tread Lightly!, and fellow UTV riders gathered for another beautiful day of trail work in the Ocala National Forest. Our goals were to improve and replace existing trail signage as required. There were 4 teams strategically dispersed with posts, stickers, tools, machines and smiles. Before our group even arrived at our trail destination, we came across a stranded minivan with two desperate people scavenging branches and anything they could find to excavate the vehicle from the deep sand of the forest road. It was clear they had been at it a while. For the next 45 minutes or so our group worked to free the van and working together we achieved success. The driver and passenger were so happy they offered us money; and I suggested, instead, that they consider joining Tread Lightly! and explained why our group was out there in the first place. They seemed very eager to do so! What a perfect microcosm of what Tread Lightly! is all about!, people working together to make the outdoors a better place for all!”-Don Schlonski, volunteer
“Rider safety is very important in our forest and having the appropriate signage that is visible from the trail is a key element in creating a safe environment for our OHV trail riders. With the support of Tread Lightly!, Can-AM, and about ten volunteers, we divided into teams and were able to install new carsonite markers and replace old and broken ones along the Centennial trail. We also worked on trimming the overgrown brush on certain sections of the trail and made sure unauthorized trails and roads were blocked off with markers. Thanks to these efforts, our trails are safer to ride and more aesthetically pleasant for visitors. Thank you Can-Am and Tread Lightly!”- Lorena Cortes Torres, Recreation Management Specialist
Want to get involved in your own Tread Lightly! project? Find upcoming activities, events, and grant opportunities at treadlightly.org.
The post Tread Lightly! Impact Report: Centennial OHV Trail Post and Sticker Installation appeared first on Tread Lightly!.
Continue reading...
Location: Florida
Description: This project was funded by Can-Am Off-Road. Can-Am has committed to funding trail stewardship projects in partnership with Tread Lightly! to help maintain and improve access to public lands and off-road trails.
On Feb 24, 16 people took to the Centennial OHV Trail in the Ocala National Forest for a multi-purpose workday supported by Can-Am Off-Road.
The workday included installation of Carsonite trail posts and stickers to help mark the trail with the Centennial Trail badge, directional arrows at intersections, and trail-approved vehicle icons. Several posts and stickers were installed informing riders of decommissioned Forest Roads as well.
In addition, the crew collected 75 pounds of trash, and trimmed back brush and trees that have overgrown the trail and covering important safety signs. The work crew also rescued a minivan stuck in the deep Ocala National Forest sand and would have been stranded for a lengthy period had the work crew not come to their rescue!
The group of ten volunteers, six USFS staff and Tread Lightly! was able to rectify about 50% of the total trail. Another workday will be scheduled to complete the rest of the work.
Thank you to the partners who made this possible:
“It was another great day in Ocala National Forest as OHV volunteers, USFS staff, and Tread Lightly! joined forces to install informational and safety trail posts and stickers on the popular Centennial Trail. New volunteers joined the ranks of seasoned veterans who have supported previous Ocala projects making for a wonderful team of people passionate about helping us Protect the Fun on this OHV trail system. It was great to see this trail relatively void of trash, with only about 75 lbs of trash collected. Thanks to those who Do Their Part and take their trash with them while riding the trails! Rescuing a stranded minivan that wasn’t capable of traveling safely on the deep sands of Ocala was a wonderful bonus! Thank you to Can-Am, the wonderful volunteers , and the Ocala Ranger District team that helped us do some much-needed work on the Centennial OHV Trail!”-Lowell Eckart, Tread Lightly! Southeast Program Manager
“Many volunteers and staff from the US Forest Service, Tread Lightly!, and fellow UTV riders gathered for another beautiful day of trail work in the Ocala National Forest. Our goals were to improve and replace existing trail signage as required. There were 4 teams strategically dispersed with posts, stickers, tools, machines and smiles. Before our group even arrived at our trail destination, we came across a stranded minivan with two desperate people scavenging branches and anything they could find to excavate the vehicle from the deep sand of the forest road. It was clear they had been at it a while. For the next 45 minutes or so our group worked to free the van and working together we achieved success. The driver and passenger were so happy they offered us money; and I suggested, instead, that they consider joining Tread Lightly! and explained why our group was out there in the first place. They seemed very eager to do so! What a perfect microcosm of what Tread Lightly! is all about!, people working together to make the outdoors a better place for all!”-Don Schlonski, volunteer
“Rider safety is very important in our forest and having the appropriate signage that is visible from the trail is a key element in creating a safe environment for our OHV trail riders. With the support of Tread Lightly!, Can-AM, and about ten volunteers, we divided into teams and were able to install new carsonite markers and replace old and broken ones along the Centennial trail. We also worked on trimming the overgrown brush on certain sections of the trail and made sure unauthorized trails and roads were blocked off with markers. Thanks to these efforts, our trails are safer to ride and more aesthetically pleasant for visitors. Thank you Can-Am and Tread Lightly!”- Lorena Cortes Torres, Recreation Management Specialist
Want to get involved in your own Tread Lightly! project? Find upcoming activities, events, and grant opportunities at treadlightly.org.
The post Tread Lightly! Impact Report: Centennial OHV Trail Post and Sticker Installation appeared first on Tread Lightly!.
Continue reading...