Sierra Club Smear Campaign Against Carnegie and the Entire SVRA System

Dishonesty and disingenuousness are not admirable traits in either our personal or professional lives.  Over the years you have seen the Recreation HQ chronicle such behaviors by faux recreation groups and some hard-core anti-access groups.

The most recent example of this is where Kathryn Phillips, Director of the CA Sierra Club, has embraced the aforementioned undesirable traits via their ongoing campaign to attack the CA SVRA system with a disinformation blitz of unequaled proportion.

Sierra Club Attack on SVRAs

http://action.sierraclub.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=355188.0&dlv_id=312260

Link to History of Eco Campaign to Ban OHV Use at Carnegie/Telsa

http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2014/02/ohv-challenges-greens-claim-to-divine.html

As many of you know, I often work with environmental groups in various stakeholder processes.  Some of those efforts to find common ground have been productive.  The key to any collaborative process is based on the personal and professional integrity of the participants.

I would have refrained from this missive if the Sierra Club had acknowledged the hard work by SVRA staff and volunteers to manage those units in a sustainable manner.  Phillips’ disingenuousness is highlighted by the fact she never mentioned the new engineered contour trails that have been constructed and the many historic hillclimbs that have been closed and restored to a natural condition over the last 35 years. 

A Hillside Restoration Project Ignored by Sierra Club

Also, she failed to cite the many trail delineators, signing efforts, and water quality structures installed to protect natural and cultural resources.

Resource Protection Project Ignored by Sierra Club

It is my hope that some of the mainstream leaders in the environmental community will urge their colleagues to abandon their outdated and tired attack strategies and work with the SVRAs and OHV user groups on effective on-the-ground projects that protect resources and provide quality motorized and non-motorized recreational opportunities throughout the state.

BREAKING NEWS - OHV Division Weighs in on East Bay Park District Tesla Vote

 

Many S.F. Bay Area fans of Carnegie SVRA have been following the ongoing and often quite nasty saga regarding East Bay Regional Park District’s attempt to ban future OHV recreation on the Tesla property.

As you know,  I attended and spoke at the July 16, 2013 District meeting where BRC challenged the park board vote to approve the master plan's effort to obtain the Tesla property at some future date.

 

Link to BRC story on July 16, 2013 District Vote

http://www.sharetrails.org/news/2013/07/17/bay-area-park-board-votes-block-motorized-recreation-ohv-park
 

HQ got a call today from a reporter who wanted my comments on an August 21, 2013 letter from the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division to the District.  I told the reporter if he wanted my comments in time for an upcoming article that I would need a copy of the letter.  The reporter sent me the letter.

 

After receiving the letter below from the reporter, I asked myself the question, ”How did this reporter get a copy of the letter since it had only been sent to government officials?”  It appears that some official in the District leaked the document to the media or some environmental group in order to generate more controversy.

 

If the District did leak this letter, I feel it shows a lack of professionalism and good taste.  Rather than reflecting well on the District, this communication appears to show discord and a lack of respect for the public and the law.

 

OHMVRD Aug. 21, 2013 Letter to East Bay Regional Park District

http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Tesla_letter_from_Parks_Dept_08.21.13.pdf

It will be interesting to see how the media covers this story and if they will give OHV a fair shake.  Thanks for your interest and support on this important issue.

 

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East Bay Park District Votes to Continue Effort to Ban OHV Recreation on Tesla Property

View of Central Valley from Carnegie SVRA

 

In one of the most stunning actions that I have ever seen taken by a land management agency, the East Bay Regional Park District Board cast a “here is a poke in your eye” vote to continue their efforts to ban OHV recreation on the Tesla property at Carnegie SVRA.  

 

I attended the District board meeting yesterday where they voted to approve the new Master Plan that includes a map of the Tesla property identified as a future acquisition.   Even though District staff has said they really don’t want the Tesla property for non-motorized use, they continue to stand – like children - in front of the candy store lusting for the forbidden fruit.

 

BRC News Release with info on District Vote, News Articles, BRC 2012 Comment Letter

http://www.sharetrails.org/news/2013/07/17/bay-area-park-board-votes-block-motorized-recreation-ohv-park

 

The brazen vote cast by the District will most certainly poison-the-well of any good will that may have existed in the OHV community in efforts to work in a cooperative manner with the agency.

 

Here is link to some of the Tesla fight in 2012 (good reading and history)

http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2012/09/tesla-continues-to-be-hot-issue-at.html
 

The fight for Tesla continues.

Please consider a donation if you want BRC to be there for you in these tough access fights.

JOIN AND/OR DONATE HERE

https://www.sharetrails.org/support/join-or-contribute

 

Thanks,

Don

 

 

East Bay Regional Park Update - Agency Pokes OHV Community in the Eye

Photo from a 2012 District Public Meeting

 

OHV enthusiasts often complain about the arrogance of elected and unelected officials that are sent to Washington D.C. to make decisions on our behalf.  Sadly, that unbecoming character flaw appears to have been adopted by the East Bay Regional Park District’s staff and elected board members.

 

As many of you know, the District is updating their Master Plan.  A lot of you attended several public meetings held throughout the East Bay Area last fall.  Recently, the District issued their updated final Draft Master Plan Update.

 

Link to Final Draft of Updated Master Plan

http://www.ebparks.org/planning/mp

 

At those public “listening meetings,” the OHV community often represented about 1/3^rd to ½ of those in attendance.   With over 28K registered non-street legal OHVs in the District’s jurisdiction, the Park was not providing one-inch of OHV trail.  Historically, motorized recreation was recognized as a viable form of activity that the District should provide for.  In fact, they operated a small OHV park in the Oakland hills about 20 years ago.

 

We also submitted comments and made statements regarding the District’s effort to stop the OHMVR Division’s planning efforts on the Tesla property to site new OHV opportunity on said land purchased for that use with monies from the OHV Trust Fund.

 

Link to the Tesla Fight

http://www.sharetrails.org/news/2012/07/23/green-groups-influence-bay-area-regional-park-district-support-ban-ohv-use-Carnegie-

 

 

 

HQ has done an initial review and it appears that all the OHV community accomplished was to further strength the resolve by District leadership to formally BAN any consideration of OHV use on current or future District park lands.   In addition, the District continues to insert itself into the OHMVR Division’s planning for future motorized recreational opportunity on the Tesla property. 

 

Link to Carnegie SVRA Planning Process

http://carnegiegeneralplan.com/

 

According the District’s Public Affairs Officer, Carol Johnson, dates for upcoming public meetings will be discussed most likely on May 23 at an executive committee meeting, though the agenda has not been formally posted as yet.  The full Board of Directors will consider adoption of the final draft document sometime in June.  Johnson urges users to check the District’s website for updates on Board agendas.

 

The District has proved local agencies and governing boards are more than capable of brash arrogance that rivals anything I have seen in Sacramento or Washington, D.C.  Getting poked in the eye hurts regardless of who does it. 

 

 

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