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What is Land Advocacy?


Definition of Advocacy
  • The act of pleading or arguing in favor of something, such as a cause, proposal, idea, or policy.
  • Active support.
  • Advocacy is a type of problem solving designed to protect personal, and legal rights, and to insure a dignified existence.
    • Definition of Land Advocacy
  • Promoting responsible motorcycle trail riding in Alberta to ensure this privilege is available to this and future generations.
  • Problem solving designed to protect personal and legal rights of off road motorcycle enthusiasts and to insure dignified access to Alberta's public land.
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    McLean Creek Winter Riding

    Much investigation into the McLean Creek winter closure.   No obvious reason has been discovered.   Rick Blackwood, Area Manager from the Calgary ASRD office requested that Dean Cockshutt, RMDRA Land Advocacy Director create a formal letter asking to rescind the closure.   Please see the attached winter riding request letter that Dean submitted.   We'll let you know the response as soon as we know.

    Update

    ASRD responded to RMDRA’s request to open McLean Creek for winter motorcycle access.  Please see the attached response letter that provides details.  The primary reason for the restriction is the possible damage that winter motorcycle tires cause to groomed snowmobile trails.  Winter riding in McLean Creek remains closed to motorcycles as indicated by signs posted in the zone.  RMDRA hopes to continue working with SRD to allow winter access in the future.

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    SRD Agrees to Volunteer Mapping of Ghost Waiparous

    Due to inadequacies in SRD's singletrack trail inventory for GAMP, RMDRA, AOHVA and others have been intensively lobbying SRD at every level to allow the motorcycle users to conduct the singletrack mapping. We know these trails better than anyone. SRD agreed to allow volunteer mapping and representatives of the motorcycle community met with them on August 8, 2005 to get coordinated. We need your help now.
    SRD has 4 GPS units that they will lend out Friday - Sunday for the volunteer mapping. They are using the units themselves Monday - Thursday. The GPS training is very easy and the mapping work is not a lot more difficult than throwing the GPS in your back-pack and riding your favorite singletrack. If you have your own GPS, you will need to check compatibility with SRD systems via the RMDRA Technical Coordinator. This is not hard to do.
    We are looking for individuals of all ability to map trails and for people to help coordinate mapping teams. For further information on how you can help, contact the following people;


    Please do not contact SRD directly, they have asked the motorcycle community representatives to coordinate the work.
    This is a rare opportunity that is only open until the end of September, 2005. Please step up and make a difference for Ghost Waiparous!

    Dean Cockshutt VP Rocky Mountain Dirt Riders Association

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    GAMP - Ghost / Waiparous Access Management Plan


    GAMP Update - October 29, 2005 - Dean Cockshutt
    Dean Cockshutt attended the final GAMP stake holder meeting on October 29, 2005. Please find excerpts from his questionnaire submission.

    GAMP Update - May 14, 2005
    On Saturday, May 14, 2005 the Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (SRD), Public Lands and Forests Division hosted the second GAMP stake holder meeting at the Cochrane Ranch House.   The GAMP is scheduled to be passed by the Alberta legislature fall 2005 and be effective May 2006.   The session was closed to the public and included only the original GAMP stake holders.   The SRD stated the purpose of the meeting was for OHV stake holders to bring forward trail proposals for consideration.   RMDRA prepared accordingly with a very detailed 7 trail proposal.   However, the agenda released just prior to the meeting had no dedicated time to listen to any trail presentations and was mostly set-up to discuss "Framework", "Visions" and "Core Criteria".   Dennis Kaltenbruner, President of Rocky Mountain Dirt Riders appealed to the participants to allow the RMDRA to present their scientific data and trail requests.   Only 1 hour was allocated and consequently only 2 trails were discussed.   Few opposing opinions were heard.   No other group presented any proposals.

    Please see the RMDRA Trail Proposal presentation from the May 14 meeting.

    The RMDRA left the meeting with little commitment from SRD to review the remaining 5 trails and no clear path to move forward.   This is not due-process!   Also, the Alberta Sustainable Resource Department have released the Draft Ghost - Waiparous Operation Plan. There does not appear to be any budget, resource requirement, detailed task schedules or other usual operational detail.   How can it succeed to do anything other than limit legal access?   Please review these documents if you are concerned about riding your motorcycle in the Ghost - Waiparous area.

    The Alberta Off Highway Vehicle Association (AOHVA) has also released a detailed document with comments to the GAMP process.

    GAMP Update - April 9, 2005
    On Saturday, April 9, 2005 Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (SRD) rolled out its vision of the Ghost-Waiparous Access Management Plan (GAMP) for May, 2006 implementation.   The session was closed to the public and the participants are not allowed to disclose the actual proposed map.   GAMP primarily addresses objections raised against OHV use (bike, truck, quad) and random camping access in Ghost-Waiparous.   The Rocky Mountain Dirt Riders meeting participants have created a GAMP Handout that details what was revealed at the closed door meeting.

    GAMP Information - February 5, 2005
    GAMP Information Sheet (Ghost / Waiparous). (PDF Version)

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    Land Advocacy


    Land Advocacy presentation presented at the March 16, 2005 Fort McLeod meeting.   The Land Advocacy and You presentation is best viewed with IE 5+.   If you are having trouble viewing all the detail in the presentation, a PDF format of the Land Advocacy Presentation is also available.

    This AOHVA Handout has very good information for letter writing.

    Trail Talk the Alberta Off-Highway Vehicle Association Newsletter - February 2005

    What else can I do to help keep my riding areas open? (PDF Version)

    Organization Flow Chart of Land Associations and Acronyms (PDF Version)

    Report of the Southern East Slopes Task Force Final Report (PDF Version)

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    Letter Writing Information


    David C. Coutts, Minister of Sustainable Resource Development replied to Claude Giguere with this letter

    Claude Giguere was compelled to write a land advocacy letter to the Honourable David Coutts, Minister of Sustainable Resource Development

    Write a letter to your MLA about land use.

    Find your MLA by riding name.

    This AOHVA Handout has very good information for letter writing.

    The Rocky Mountain Dirt Riders have created a GAMP Handout that may help provide topics for letter writing.

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    OHV Status Report


    Do you want to know more about the status of your favorite riding area?   Worried about future access?   The information in the OHV Status Report (updated April 21, 2005) is our current intelligence.   We do our best to discover the details.

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    Links to Land Advocacy Articles


    The Calgary County published an interesting article titled OHV battle continues in Ghost-Waiparous was written by Doug McIntyre on Thursday May 19, 2005

    Article from the Cochrane Times titled Light at end of tunnel in sight for GAMP by Doug McIntyre was published April 13, 2005.

    The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation are taking aim at Southern Alberta in their Critical Cores and Corridors Initiative and is claiming Northern Porcupine Hills closed.

    Wild Lands Advocate December 2004 Journal has an article on page 19 about the July 2004 Livingstone Cross Country Race

    Cochrane Eagle article about the Southern East Slopes Task Force Final Report

    Ghost / Waiparous User opposes access plan (PDF Version)

    Waiparous users jockey for access - Cochrane Eagle - September 29, 2004 PDF Version with picture.

    November Election Delays Plan - Cochrane Eagle - September 29, 2004 PDF Version with picture.

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    Why go to all this effort?


    Take a long hard look at the picture.   I'm sure you will understand why.   We just rode along this ridge.
    Livingstone Range, Alberta. It is views like this one that we fight for.

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