2022 was another great year for NOHVCC. We were finally able to all gather again for our Annual Conference in Knoxville, and we think you will find from the year in review below that NOHVCC continued to get results from our education, projects and trainings that help us meet our mission of creating a positive future for OHV recreation. Thanks to all the Directors, State Partners, managers, enthusiasts and others who helped us, did great things on their own, and to everyone in the NOHVCC family.
Engaging Riders, Drivers and Clubs
NOHVCC’s website continues to be the primary avenue for OHV enthusiasts and managers to interact with our tools, communications, and educational materials. The website again received 100,000 page views in 2022. People who visited the site accessed articles, information on grant opportunities, safety training, mapping applications, requested information on how to start OHV clubs and how to bring NOHVCC OHV training to their areas and more.
NOHVCC continued its aggressive communications strategy in 2022. We continue to reach thousands of enthusiasts, land managers and club members with twice-weekly articles, surveys, job announcements and other information. Those active in OHV clubs can replicate examples of best practices and be encouraged by the success of other clubs in other areas of the Country, and NOHVCC highlighted many OHV success stories this year.
In some of our best practices articles we learned that positive working relationships lead to success – NOHVCC Missouri State Partner Finds Success Through Positive Relationships, Collaboration Works – Snake River Trails Alliance In Idaho Continues Successful Efforts, and 2022 COHVCO OHV Training and Workshop A Success (That Can Be Replicated). NOHVCC had our own lessons learned to share from our Prison Hill project with Project Update – Progress At Prison Hill, and Prison Hill Grand (Re)Opening A Success! We also paid tribute to a long—standing partner, Celebrating 50 Years of the California OHMVR Division at the State Capitol, and met some key new partners, Introducing Doe Mountain Rec Area (TN), and Meet Landscape Architect Matt Fusco – He Supports Sustainable Trails For All Uses.
We also made thousands of OHV enthusiasts aware of project funding opportunities, Fox Factory Offers Grants Through Its Trail Trust Program, Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative Currently Accepting Grant Applications, and New Funding Opportunity For Projects On U.S. Forest Service Lands – Join American Trails And Partners On A Webinar Tuesday, August 30 To Learn More.
Finally, we posted dozens of job announcements, opportunities to engage with land management agencies, notices of meetings and webinars and other sundry pertinent information for the broader OHV community.
New Ongoing Partnership
As many of you know, Trail Trust, Fox Factory’s grant initiative has supported NOHVCC by sponsoring a Great Trails Workshop in North Carolina and a recently completed Workshop in Alabama. Now, NOHVCC is proud to announce an ongoing partnership with Trail Trust which will help NOHVCC continue to deliver training and other services to help NOHVCC meet its mission of creating a positive future for OHV recreation.
NOHVCC Executive Director, Duane Taylor said, “Fox Factory and Trail Trust have really stepped up to the plate to help support NOHVCC. The ongoing funding will not only help us with Workshops, but also provide opportunities to enhance our Annual Conferences. This means that Trail Trust will help the future of OHV recreation as NOHVCC works to ensure that OHV enthusiasts, clubs, associations, and managers have the tools they need to support safe and responsible access for OHVs across the country.”
Read more: Trail Trust Announces Q3 2022 Grant Recipients – Includes Partnership With NOHVCC!
Read more about how NOHVCC utilized Fox funds in 2022:
Fox Factory’s Trail Trust Makes NC Great Trails Workshop Possible – Day 1
Day 2 – Fox Factory’s Trail Trust Makes NC Great Trails Workshop Possible
Fox Factory’s Trail Trust Makes Great Trails Workshop In Alabama A Success!
2022 NOHVCC Annual Conference
The 2022 NOHVCC Annual Conference and Mobile Workshop held in Knoxville, Tennessee August 18-20 offered many a first chance in quite a while to get together in person to collaborate and strategize on how best to implement ideas and to overcome hurdles related to OHV recreation. As usual, the invited presenters, panelists and guests did a great job of teeing up issues and sharing best practices. Just as much, or more, was accomplished by motivated participants who engaged with one another to create relationships and trade ideas.
Duane Taylor, Executive Director, NOHVCC, said, “There are so many people to thank. Our sponsors – special thanks to Polaris who served as our Extreme Terrain sponsor. Several Polaris representatives participated in the Conference and helped make it a success. It is also important to note that the Mobile Workshop was presented by Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative at a Destination Yamaha facility – Windrock Park, which served as a fantastic host for the Workshop. Finally, several long-time contributors helped make the events possible – the Motorcycle Industry Council, Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association, Right Rider Access Fund, Federal Highway Administration and Kawasaki.”Of course, the Workshop and Conference would not be possible without the help of volunteers. Taylor said, “Dan Kleen and the Iowa Off-Highway Vehicle Association offered tremendous support at the Workshop and our Canadian friends were heavily engaged as well, and I would like to publicly thank Wayne Daub for his leadership. Finally, several NOHVCC Directors shared their knowledge as presenters and all the Directors should be commended for their willingness to volunteer their time and effort to help NOHVCC meet its mission of creating a positive future for OHV recreation.”
The Mobile Workshop Presented by Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative kicked off events on Thursday, August 18. Participants gathered at Windrock Park where they had an opportunity to participate in a guided ride of the facility in ROVs to get a sense of what a 73,000-acre private OHV park has to offer. They also had a chance to tour the cabins and yurts on site, and hopefully generate ideas they can take home to their riding areas. No time was wasted as attendees also met with representatives from Sure Grip to learn about how more people, including those with disabilities, can have the opportunity to enjoy the sport we love. Finally, small groups had an opportunity to discuss emerging issues facing the OHV community. The Conference moved indoors for Friday and Saturday where participants were treated to a suite of presentations and panels that addressed many of the difficult issues faced by OH
V recreation as well as success stories and best practices. Taylor said, “I am delighted by the talented presenters NOHVCC staff was able to recruit. We heard from industry, agencies, NOHVCC Directors, OHV organizations, and other invited guests. I feel confident that participants were able to take something from each of the presentations and it was good to see everyone so engaged during question-and-answer sessions.” To get a sense of the types of presentations offered – click here for a conference agenda.
Taylor continued, “the true value of the Conference can’t be measured and won’t be felt until participants return home and share what they learned, take advantage of new relationships created, and implement tools acquired. We hope this Conference served as a chance for people to get enthused for the year ahead and we look forward to hosting everyone again in Utah in 2023!”
Education
Great Trails Guide
The Great Trails guidebook, authored by Dick Dufourd and published by NOHVCC has been internationally recognized as the must-have guidebook for OHV trails. Demand continued in 2022 with hundreds of requests for electronic and hard copies.
Great Trails Field Guide
Created Field Guide to support the full Great Trails guidebook. The original book is over 350 pages long and goes into detail on issues that will be addressed both in an office setting (such as developing trail management objectives) and on-the-ground issues (such as installing a rolling dip). The original guide meets its intended purpose of being a resource that provides a comprehensive examination of “what makes a great trail great,” but is cumbersome to utilize in the field. As a result, NOHVCC published a much shorter field guide that addresses the key topics and diagrams most likely to be necessary while performing OHV trail layout, design, and construction. The field guide is printed on heavy stock suitable for outdoor use. NOHVCC formed a review team that included representatives from the BLM, USFS and an OHV organization to help develop the guide. Additionally, we sought input from participants in NOHVCC’s 2021 virtual Annual Conference. Hard copies of the guide are available, and a free online version is forthcoming.
Great Trails Workshops
NOHVCC continued its Great Trails Workshop series with four events in 2022:
- Missouri: March
- North Carolina: April
- Colorado: July
- Alabama: December
These workshops focus on the design, layout, construction, maintenance, and management of fun and sustainable off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails. Hands-on field training is emphasized. The intended audience is trail managers; trail construction and maintenance supervisors and crews; engineering staff involved in trail planning, design, maintenance, and construction; trail contractors; OHV club trail volunteers; and other interested stakeholders. For each of the workshops NOHVCC staff worked with local representatives from federal and state agencies, local OHV clubs and associations, and other interested stakeholders.
Preliminary planning has begun on five Great Trails Workshops in 2022:
- Colorado
- Washington
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- South Dakota
Chainsaw Training
NOHVCC continued to implement US Forest Service approved chainsaw training for OHV club members. This training focuses on the safe skills and techniques required to perform limbing and bucking operations. Participants who successfully complete the training will meet the requirements of the Forest Service for operating a chainsaw when performing maintenance activities on Forest Service managed trails and areas. It is a two-day training with a classroom portion and a heavy emphasis on field skills development. At the end of the training sawyers who demonstrate safe and proficient saw techniques may receive either an “A” or “B” level certification depending on skill level.
NOHVCC continued its chainsaw training series with one (completed) training in 2022:
- Colorado: July
Heavy Equipment Operator Training
The lack of skilled and knowledgeable operators for heavy equipment (trail dozers, mini excavators, etc.) for trail construction/maintenance is an ongoing issue that has been identified by enthusiasts and land managers across the country. As a result, NOHVCC began implementation of a grant to create and facilitate heavy equipment operator training. The training offers a field-based training program for agency staff, volunteers and partners that focuses on safe and efficient mechanized equipment operation for trail maintenance and construction activities. Skilled trainers (subcontractors) provide direct instruction.
NOHVCC facilitated two heavy equipment operator trainings in 2022:
- Prescott, Arizona
- Mt Emily, Oregon
Projects
National Motorized Recreation Strategy (BLM)
NOHVCC continues to partner with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and OHV enthusiasts to inform the BLM on how it can better provide access to high quality OHV recreation experiences on BLM lands. NOHVCC and the BLM have partnered to develop a National Motorized Recreation Strategy that will help the BLM develop individual state strategies for providing high quality OHV opportunities and develop partnerships to help maintain those opportunities. The strategies will guide the BLM in future Resource Management Plans (RMP) and Travel Management Plans (TMP).
After being awarded additional grant funding from the BLM to continue this effort over the next several years, NOHVCC staff visited six locations in Northern California to host listening sessions to compile comments. Sessions were held in Milpitas, Eureka, Ukiah, Redding, Susanville, and Sacramento. With California being such a large state, with millions of OHV enthusiasts, it was decided to tackle the State by separating it into Northern and Southern halves. Listening sessions for the Southern part of the State will be held in Spring, 2023.
To view/read reports click here.
OHV Trail/Area Assessments
In 2021 NOHVCC began offering assessments of OHV trails and areas. Land managers of public or private lands can contract with NOHVCC who will send on-staff trail professionals to visit, examine and assess the current status of trails, trailheads, parking areas and other facilities. While NOHVCC encourages all land managers to engage in perpetual trail assessments, often it is beneficial to have other experts who aren’t as close to ongoing issues and hurdles to identify opportunities for improvement or growth.
NOHVCC began its new service with two trail assessments in 2022:
- Missouri: Salem Ranger District, Mark Twain National Forest: March
- Alabama: Buck’s Pocket State Park and Lake Point ORV Area: December
Prison Hill OHV Area, Carson City, Nevada
Many who visited Prison Hill Recreation Area in Carson City during NOHVCC’s 2019 Annual Conference would not even recognize the area now. NOHVCC, ReConnect, and Carson City have made huge strides in creating a managed setting with a higher quality recreation experience. We have added a tot-lot, a beginner area, fencing, signs, drainage control, and some new trails. NOHVCC has officially turned over day-to-day management of the area to Carson City officials. Read more about the grand (re)opening of the area here: and Prison Hill Grand (Re)Opening A Success!
COHVCO Annual Workshop
The Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition (COHVCO), in conjunction with National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC), Colorado State Parks and Wildlife (CPW), the US Forest Service (USFS), and the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM), hosted a training and workshop in Montrose, Colorado September 23-25. Participants included representatives from COHVCO, enthusiasts, CPW, BLM, USFS, and Colorado OHV Trail Crew personnel. This series of events was made possible by a grant from the CPW OHV Trails Program, which also provided funding for a Great Trails Workshop, attended by 30 people and Chainsaw Training for more than a dozen in June and a motorcycle training the day for more than a dozen before the Workshop.
Read more: 2022 COHVCO OHV Training and Workshop A Success (That Can Be Replicated).
Grand River Motorsports Park Management Plan
NOHVCC staff visited Alabama to create a management plan for a soon-to-be-opened private OHV Park. The plan included an overview of current conditions on site, a concept map, vision, sign plan, draft Park rules, and potential skills development obstacles. The plan is intended to help ensure that Grand River is a sustainable, safe, and fun riding area.
Other Projects
NOHVCC continued to engage in multiple on-the-ground projects in 2022. These efforts included trail design on the Helena National Forest in Montana and the Colville National Forest in Washington. Arizona projects included trail reroutes and design on the Tonto and Coconino National Forests. A skills development course was designed for Webber Township in Michigan, and collaboration with the Arapaho Roosevelt National Forest on its Left Hand Canyon Project continues.