SierraScape December 2003 - January 2004
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by Mike Bollinger
Conservation Committee Chair

Recently, we've witnessed a renewed interest and enthusiasm regarding the Ozark Trail (OT) with several new groups forming and various retailers encouraging volunteers to work on trail maintenance or trail building. But will these new efforts and the involvement of a broader base of support change the OT into something new, or preserve and enhance the original vision of those who already have so much invested in it? The Ozark Chapter of the Sierra Club has a long history with the Trail and is one of the original organizations involved with the creation of the Trail and the Ozark Trail Council which "manages" it.

One year ago we developed a short position statement urging the Council to preserve and protect the values on which the OT was originally created. The Council responded by questioning our concerns and intent, and so the Chapter Executive Committee asked a few of us to expand and refine our message. The EMG Conservation Committee took on this responsibility and worked with a number of members involved with OT maintenance outings and with real expertise about the Trail. Our work resulted in a set of ten recommendations, which were endorsed by the Chapter ExCom in September and submitted to the Council in writing in October. On October 25, we presented our recommendations at the semi-annual OT Council meeting, using a video slide format complete with numerous members' photos of key trail features. About a dozen Sierra Club members attended the meeting as well, effectively conveying the broad support within the Club. Our key point is: "The development now of clear goals and objectives by the Ozark Trail Council is the best hope to simultaneously enhance the current and complete the future Ozark Trail segments in accordance with the original vision of the Trail's founders." The presentation spawned an active discussion, but time was limited. Some mountain biking and equestrian enthusiasts objected to a few of our points, particularly our recommendation that some sections should be hiking only, even though we acknowledge that other portions of the trail are appropriate for multiple uses. We expect the discussions to continue via email and other forums, and we intend to continue our efforts to urge the Council to take action and adopt a set of clear goals and objectives.