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By: Robert Janis
New England ATV
Association: Maintains Current Trails, Fights
for More
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For ATV riders in the New England region of
the country, it is access to riding areas that
is the most urgent issue. There is an
organization in the area that fights for more
access as it helps to maintain the trails that
are open.
The group is the New England ATV
Association. It was founded in 1995 when there
were very few organizations in the New England
region that could serve as a touchstone for
members of the ATV community. Thusly, there is
the name NEW ENGLAND ATV Association. However,
Benton Phelps, vice president of the group,
explained that its primary work is done in
Massachusetts where it is based.
The mission
of the NEATVA is to provide, protect and enhance
riding opportunities. It depends solely on the
support of its members in order to achieve its
goals. The group does not have a lobbyist in
Boston to work on the State Legislators,
Governor, or State Agencies. Nor does it have a
full-time representative who can interact with
the local and county authorities. Members do all
of that. “We alert members to issues and
encourage them to write to their legislators and
other government officials,” said Phelps. The
membership is alerted via snail mail and
e-mails.
And the members do get involved.
They attend meetings of the Department of
Conservation Recreation (DCR), the agency that
has the most say over the state trails. Members
also belong to committees that get involved in
recreational riding issues. These committees are
involved with the DCR, the Bureau of Land
Management, and the United States Forest
Service. Phelps explained that the DCR alerts
the NEATVA of meetings so that the group can
send members to participate and push for
decisions favorable to riders.
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Members are
not only encouraged to become politically
involved. They are also encouraged to help
maintain state forests. In fact, clubs adopt a
state park and are obligated to do the
maintenance on the motorized trails in that
forest.
The organization also would like to
see the development of local clubs. Besides
being an officer in the NEATVA, Phelps is also
the state’s representative for the National
Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council
(NOHVCC). And, as a member of that group, Phelps
is involved in creating new clubs. He uses
material supplied by NOHVCC to perform the task.
He is also a member of the BlueRibbon Coalition.
So it is easy for him to solicit help from
NOHVCC and BlueRibbon when there is a major
issue to fight about.
Although currently the
NEATVA does not get involved in racing issues,
it was instrumental in the creation of the New
England ATV Motocross Series in about 2003. “At
one time some of our members showed an interest
in racing so we helped start the New England ATV
Motocross Series. We are no longer involved with
it,” said Phelps. More about the New England ATV
Motocross Series can be found at:
www.neatv-mx.com.
The NEATVA
concentrates 100 percent on the sport of
recreation. Phelps pointed out that the group
holds rides just about every weekend during the
riding season. It also hosts three campouts each
year.
Urgent Issues and the Status of ATV
Riding
As said, the most urgent issues
concerning ATV riders in Massachusetts and
perhaps the whole New England region is loss of
riding areas.
“In Massachusetts there are
four state forests where riding is allowed,”
explained Phelps. “Other than those forests,
there are very few public areas we can ride on.”
The struggle involves keeping access to the
state forests.
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