Responsible Trails America (RTA) is an independent research and advocacy project sponsored by the New Venture Fund (formerly the Arabella Legacy Fund), a charitable organization that also supports innovative public interest projects on global health, education and agriculture.

RTA works to give a voice to private property owners, sportsmen, ranchers, law enforcement officials, responsible ORV riders, and other outdoors users who support common-sense off-road vehicle law enforcement and management practices.

The majority of people who use ORVs both for recreation and for work ride responsibly, and they have a right to do so. But, as many rider groups acknowledge, there is a growing minority of reckless riders who break the law, damage public and private land, injure themselves and others, and ruin hunting, fishing and hiking experiences for the rest of us.

Their increasingly aggressive actions are creating a backlash, especially in rural communities where people are tired of putting up with the aggression, noise and damage from reckless riders.

Accomplishments

Since its creation in 2007, RTA has played a critical role in bringing diverse stakeholders together to push for common-sense policies that protect people’s quality of life and our natural resources, while preserving access for responsible riders:

• In Arizona, our state chapter helped lead an award-winning reform effort that increased funding for local law enforcement, restoration of damaged habitat and ORV trail maintenance. It was supported by a diverse coalition that included sportsmen, power sports dealers, local ORV clubs, the NRA, and the Sierra Club. This successful effort won the state Fish & Game Commission’s 2008 “Award of Excellence.” Click Here to view an advertisement illustrating the collaborative efforts in Arizona.

• In New Mexico, RTA was proud to support the efforts of the New Mexico Public Lands Action Network, which worked with a diverse set of partners to successfully reform the state’s ORV program in 2009. The measure increases penalties for reckless riding and harassment of livestock, increases funding for law enforcement and education and creates a balanced citizen’s advisory board. Click Here to learn more about the New Mexico Plan.

• In California, RTA has worked with local, grassroots organizations like Community ORV Watch, ORV Watch Kern County, and Safe Beach and Dunes to alert the public to the private property trespassing, livestock harassment, and public land destruction caused by reckless riders.

• In Nevada, RTA was proud to support the work of the Rural Nevada Alliance, which helped forge a coalition of sheriffs, ranchers, powersports dealers, sportsmen, local ORV clubs, and conservationists to create a new ORV fund in 2009 to pay for enforcement, education, trail maintenance and habitat protection. The measure also requires, for the first time, license plates on all ORVs - a critical tool for holding reckless riders accountable for breaking the law. RTA is working with members of the Rural Nevada Alliance to find the funding necessary for Nevada to be able to pay for the start-up costs of its first ORV program. Learn more about Nevada’s new ORV program.

• Nationally, RTA was a leading voice in calling for the Congressional ORV management oversight hearings held in the House and Senate, as well as the first comprehensive Government Accountability Office review of ORV issues since 1995. Click Here to view recent Congressional activity.

• RTA also conducts extensive research on ORV policies, including the first ever 50-state review of ORV-related legislation that has been used by policymakers, advocates and the media in discussing solutions for this growing problem. Click Here to view RTA's research.

How to Contact Us

Responsible Trails America
PO Box 12064
Arlington, VA 22219
Phone: 703-644-8013
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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